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Michael Arrieta

CEO at Garden City - We buy & permanently hold small to mid-sized businesses

Michael Arrieta is the Founder and CEO of Garden City Companies, a purpose-driven holding company that acquires and permanently holds family-owned businesses.13 Here are some key details about Michael Arrieta:

Professional Background

Michael started his career selling Cutco knives at age 17 while in high school and continued through college.2 After graduating from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor's degree in Business Management, he went on to have a successful career in technology and entrepreneurship:

  • He was an early employee at DocuSign, rising to become Global Vice President, General Manager, and Chief of Staff to the CEO.12
  • In 2016, he founded MAV Ventures, a venture capital group that has invested in over 100 companies and funds.23
  • He co-founded New Story, a non-profit that has built over 2,000 homes in developing countries.14

Garden City Companies

In 2020, Michael founded Garden City Companies, which has the following characteristics:

  • It's a people-first holding company that buys, grows, and permanently holds exceptional family-owned businesses.23
  • The company has raised nearly $250 million from mission-aligned investors.3
  • Their approach focuses on three main areas: building a people-first culture, technology enablement, and strategic sales.5

Recognition and Other Roles

  • Michael has been named to Forbes' "30 under 30" list for his social entrepreneurship work.13
  • He serves on the board of Cambia Health Solutions, a company with over 5,000 employees and $12 billion in annual revenue.24
  • He is also a board advisor for various companies including Rhone Apparel, Extend, and Embark.2

Personal

Michael is a follower of Jesus and seeks to honor God in his business endeavors.13 He lives in Atlanta and has a wife and two children.1

Highlights

Mar 14 · linkedin

Many prospective investors ask me why we seek to invest in service companies.

I give two answers...

From my HEAD: more than 75% of our GDP comes from service industries and growing.

From my HEART: no better industry to radically serve people and ensure they feel a sense of purpose and belonging. Radical hospitality.

Oct 5 · linkedin

I love excellence … and when companies go above + beyond for customers.

I was rushing to return my Hertz rental car at Boston Airport this morning. I arrived Hertz at 8:35am and my flight was already boarding.

One of the Hertz team members (Bobby) simply asked “are you running late”, I replied “yes”. Without any further questions, he called a colleague on the radio (Nourg) and said “Sir, leave your things in the car. We will drive you directly to the terminal so that you don’t have to take a shuttle and miss your flight. Instead of taking 15 minutes, it will only take 2 minutes.”

I was so confused. He was going to drive me to the gate?!? The car rental shuttle last time took 30 minutes so I knew I was likely miss my flight.

I went to tip him and he made a funny joke while very politely refusing. Instead, he handed me a Hertz business card and said “I’ve been working here for 41 years. We’d simply be grateful if you simply left our TEAM a review.”🥹

I can write a book about the number of leadership lessons applied here, but here’s my main takeaway —> Everyone working there took true pride in their work as they pursued excellence together. They radiated joy, dignity and respect. It felt as though this small team made a secret pact with each another that they’d create the very best car rental location in the country (possibly world).

Thank you, Bobby & Nourg … I made my flight and I’m now going home to my family!

👊👏 to Stephen Scherr … you’re taking your prior Goldman Sachs standards of luxury & excellence into the much needed rental car industry. Love it!

Related Questions

What inspired Michael Arrieta to start Garden City Companies?
How did Michael Arrieta's experience at DocuSign influence his approach at Garden City?
What are some of the companies under the Garden City Equity umbrella?
How does Michael Arrieta integrate his faith into his business practices?
What challenges has Michael Arrieta faced in his career?
Michael Arrieta
Michael Arrieta, photo 1
Michael Arrieta, photo 2
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Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States