Seen as the job creating engine within the U.S. economy, small business is often a prime target market for private equity investment. Indeed, private equity backs over six of each 100 private sector jobs. Both the small businesses in which private equity firms invest, and the private equity firms making the investments, face inter- and intra-company fiduciary leadership challenges while implementing formulated strategy. The architecture of each private equity firm-portfolio company relationship must be uniquely crafted to capitalize on projected ROI that is memorialized in the investment thesis. Given the leveraged capital structure of portfolio companies, the cost of a misstep is problematic. In Value -Creation in Middle Market Private Equity, John A. Lanier examines relationships between middle market private equity firms and their portfolio companies.