Evolving Beyond SaaS: Don Wharton on SureSwift’s New Investment Thesis

For almost ten years, SureSwift has built its reputation in SaaS. We bought strong companies, ran them well, and delivered steady returns to investors. Now we’re taking what we’ve learned and applying it somewhere new.

The world looks different. AI is rewriting how work gets done, global policies keep shifting, and markets aren’t as steady as they used to be. SaaS is still part of our story, but it’s not the whole picture anymore.

That’s why we’ve made a strategic decision to expand our scope. Our new focus is on acquiring and tech-enabling proven Western Canadian businesses — durable, service-based companies like HVAC operators, fire inspection firms, landscapers, and niche manufacturers. These are the kinds of businesses people rely on every day, with steady demand and untapped potential when paired with the right systems and AI.

To explore this shift, we spoke with Don Wharton, SureSwift’s Executive Chair and Founder. In this blog, Don shares why we’re expanding beyond SaaS, how AI and tech enablement will power this next chapter, and what it means for the investors and founders we partner with.

Table of Contents

• Why we’re expanding beyond SaaS
• How SureSwift will compete in the next era
• Introducing our new investment model
• For founders: A long-term partner, not a flipper
• The road ahead

Why we’re expanding beyond SaaS

Steady investor returns have always been our focus. SaaS worked well for that, but as Don points out, the world has shifted, and so has our strategy.

“Many things have changed in just the last few years — the rise of AI tools that could disrupt legacy software, unpredictable U.S. policies affecting Canadian businesses, and even the weakening U.S. dollar,” Don explains. “All of these create uncertainty if you’re concentrated only in SaaS and too exposed to U.S. customers.”

Those risks make it harder to guarantee the stable, recurring returns our investors count on. Instead of letting that pressure build, SureSwift is adapting.

The opportunity now lies in durable, service-based businesses like HVAC, fire safety, landscaping, and specialized manufacturing. They may not be flashy, but they operate in markets with steady demand and recurring revenue, offering plenty of room to grow with the right systems in place.

“AI is expected to revolutionize many businesses, making them more efficient, durable, and potentially more profitable,” Don says. 

How SureSwift will compete in the next era

Buying great companies is just the start. The real value comes from how we tech-enable and modernize them once they’re part of the SureSwift portfolio.

“AI is going to be a tailwind for us, not a headwind,” Don says. “We’re positioning ourselves so our companies can benefit from these tools rather than risk being disrupted by them.”

That advantage comes from bringing our SaaS playbook into industries that haven’t had access to it. Don explains, “We have the expertise to drive technological improvements and future-ready the consistent, cash-flow-generating businesses others may deem slow and boring.”

In practice, that looks like automation and data visibility in sectors that still run on pen and paper. Think automated dispatching for HVAC, smart reminders for fire inspections, or instant digital quoting for landscaping contracts. Simple improvements like these reduce admin drag, strengthen margins, and make businesses more durable.

The plan is to build around a few strong anchors. In our case, that means acquiring larger, established businesses with capable teams already in place and the stability to support growth.

“I’m very excited to start acquiring platform companies,” Don shares. “These will have the right teams to drive consistent, profitable growth for our investor-partners, while also looking for smaller add-ons to fuel inorganic growth.” 

Think of it this way: buy an established HVAC company, keep the team that already runs it well, and then strengthen it by adding on complementary local players or specialty providers. The anchor gives us a solid base, while the add-ons help the company grow steadily.

In Don’s words, “Slow, steady, and tech-enabled growth is what will set us apart. AI will amplify that, helping our businesses run more efficiently, more profitably, and more predictably than the competition.”

Introducing our new investment model

Alongside this shift in focus, SureSwift is also changing how we invest. Instead of raising traditional funds, we’re moving to a direct sponsorship model where investors participate deal by deal.

“We have determined that it’s best to acquire larger businesses that already have all the operational and administrative staff so the business can continue to run as is before we acquired it,” Don explains. “This enables us to manage the acquisition process and oversee, rather than fill, operational and admin gaps as we have in the past.”

The benefits are twofold. For SureSwift, it means focusing on acquisitions that come with stability built in. For investors, it means access to bigger, more resilient businesses while keeping monthly distributions at the core of the model.

Don is also clear about the type of investors he wants to bring on board. By working with a smaller group of committed partners, SureSwift can focus on investors who share a long-term mindset, rather than those taking a smaller, exploratory approach.

The goal is true alignment. “We want partners who are looking at the same businesses we are,” Don says. “People deciding whether to buy a business themselves or co-invest with us. Co-investing with SureSwift brings access to more opportunities and the benefit of our operational expertise.”

For founders: A long-term partner, not a flipper

When founders decide it’s time to pass the torch, we want them to know we’re long-term partners, not quick flippers.

Don explains that “we will be thoughtful, long-term owners, continuing the legacy that the founders have started. We won’t be flippers, and we won’t be clueless first-timers. SureSwift will run the business smoothly and give it tech-enabled and AI-enabled advantages that other acquirers wouldn’t be capable of or may not be willing to provide.”

Founders put years—often decades—into building something durable. We understand that kind of care, and we treat it the same way. Our approach isn’t about replacing what already works; it’s about protecting it and giving it room to grow. By layering in systems, tech, and AI, we help strong businesses become even stronger, with teams that run smoother and customers who stay loyal.

The road ahead

So what does success in this next phase look like? For investors, Don is clear about the goal: “Our target is to deliver attractive cash-on-cash returns with consistent monthly distributions to our investor-partners.” 

For founders, it means having a thoughtful, long-term partner to carry their business forward. And for SureSwift itself, it’s about building a portfolio of 6 to 10 platform companies over the next decade, each growing steadily through both organic expansion and smart acquisitions.

Don sees AI as the spark driving this momentum. “This is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he says. “Businesses that don’t adapt will create many opportunities for us to acquire and thoughtfully bring them into the future. Our stakeholders will profit greatly from the opportunities still to be discovered in this new age.”

For investors, entrepreneurs, and operators who want to be part of that future, SureSwift is ready. Learn more about investing with us, what selling to SureSwift looks like, or get in touch directly.