About Us.
OUR STORY
What's in a Name?
The name, Yellowbridge Partners, is a tribute to Pittsburgh’s iconic yellow bridges. I still vividly remember the first time I set foot in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As my car approached the city, the towering steel arches of a bright yellow bridge seemed to welcome me to a new chapter of my life. I was a freshman, fresh off the plane, with my sights on Carnegie Mellon University and a future in business.
I was also inspired by Pittsburgh itself – a city built on resilience, transformation, and a commitment to progress. From its history as an industrial powerhouse, to its modern-day reputation as a hub for technology and innovation, Pittsburgh is the best example of what it means to evolve while staying true to one’s roots.
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Our investors are a mix of institutions, family offices, and experienced small business owners—most of whom have built, run, and sold companies themselves.
Some of them are people I’ve worked with or known for years, and it means the world that they believe in me and this vision. I couldn’t ask for a better team to have by my side.
Why I Created Yellowbridge Partners
Before launching Yellowbridge Partners, I was the CEO of Dion Training, a global cybersecurity training company backed by private equity. It was incredible to lead a talented team and drive growth in a fast-moving industry. While I had the backing of a great private equity firm, I wanted the chance to take ownership and commit to building a business for the long haul—not just as an operator, but as a dedicated, long-term owner.
Starting Yellowbridge Partners also lets me focus even more on workforce development, a passion of mine. I served for many years on the board of a large workforce development organization in Brooklyn, NY, and deepened my expertise at Dion Training. I’m excited to bring that experience into any business I acquire, especially one that supports today’s workforce or related fields.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with founders and business owners. I know that selling a business is about finding the right person to continue the journey. That’s why I started Yellowbridge Partners, to find a great business, invest in its future, and lead it with the same dedication that got it to where it is today.
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My Dedication to Entrepreneurship
I'm all about growing businesses, building great teams, and driving real results. As CEO of Dion Training, I led the company through expansive revenue growth – a performance that earned prestigious industry awards. From day one, I focused on understanding the business inside and out. I then implemented cutting-edge digital marketing strategies, improved operations, launched new products, and built a high-performing sales team. But the real key to our success was investing in people—we maintained a 100% employee satisfaction score for three quarters in a row, a reflection of our culture.
I began my career at an investment bank, where I helped create the firm’s first-ever regulatory framework. I went on to manage investments for families and individuals, including entrepreneurs, and then spent five years scaling a new business unit that invested on behalf of endowments and foundations.
Now, I want to continue doing what I enjoy and acquire a business where I can bring that same energy and hands-on leadership needed to take it to the next level.
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My pursuit of lifelong learning
Education, both formal and informal, is a core value of mine. I earned my undergraduate degree in International Business from Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, where I developed a strong affinity for all things Pittsburgh, as it’s the city that gave me my first shot at something great.
After a few years of working, I completed a Masters in Business Administration and a masters focused on public policy. These two degrees were part of me fulfilling two life-long dreams of pursuing a career in entrepreneurship and gaining more exposure to economics and foreign policy.
As I hope to someday be an educator, I used my time in school to serve as a teaching assistant, supporting courses that spanned investing, entrepreneurship, political theory, and global economics. It was through my teaching assistant work supporting Peter Kelly during graduate school that I was first introduced to the search fund model – inspiring my vision to someday launch my own successful fund to acquire a small business. And here we are!
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Beyond my work
I’m Dominican-American and raised in Providence, RI. My entrepreneurial drive stems from my grandmother. In the 1970’s in Esperanza, a town of about 50,000 people in the Dominican Republic, she founded the region’s only pharmacy. Over the next 40 years, she successfully ran the business while raising a large family. Growing up, I witnessed her dedication and what it took to keep a business like hers thriving for so many years. I took my first steps in that pharmacy and as a kid, thoroughly enjoyed pretending to use the cash registers and chatting with customers. She inspired my desire to build something great that prioritizes people as well as profitability and growth.
Beyond thinking about businesses all day, I am a serial “Tinkerer,” always trying new hobbies, including sky diving, getting scuba certified, multi-day hikes in places like the Simien mountains in Ethiopia, and most recently, teaming up with my toddler son to learn to play the ukulele together. I love good food but am not a great cook, and am generally happiest when I’m hiking in the mountains or swimming in the ocean. I live in Washington, DC with my husband, son, and adored dog.
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Meet the Founder.
Sasha LeFlore - Founder, Yellowbridge Partners
PEOPLE
Our Investors.
Our investors are a mix of institutions, family offices, and experienced small business owners—most of whom have built, run, and sold companies themselves. Many have walked the same path you're on.
Some investors are people I've worked with or known for several years. Their trust and belief in me and the vision for Yellowbridge means the world. Their expertise makes me uniquely positioned to support your business through every step of the acquisition process and beyond.
Reach out to learn more about the incredible team backing Yellowbridge Partners.
