Hometown CEO Nick Mirisis is breaking the mold for PE-backed tech startups

photo credit: Hometown LinkedIn

The typical narrative around private equity in tech tends to follow a familiar script: prioritize profit over people, push for rapid growth at all costs, and cut corners when necessary. Nick Mirisis is succeeding with an entirely different approach.

As CEO of Hometown, an Ohio-based edtech company that currently serves over 17,000 K-12 schools, universities, and community organizations across the country, external investment has been a growth driver to better serve customers, not the way around.

"We're not looking for quick wins," Mirisis said. "Our investors have been partners, not just financiers."

Such claims are common in startup PR. What's less common is achieving profitability while maintaining this approach. Hometown became cash-flow positive in early 2024—a milestone that lends credibility to Mirisis's assertion that mission and margin can coexist.

Where Hometown appears to differentiate itself is in its unusually close customer relationships. Many of the company’s customer success representatives live in the communities they serve, and operate during peak school event times—Thursday through Saturday—when many tech support teams are off the clock.

"Having folks as close as possible to the customer has always been in our DNA," Mirisi said. “We hire team members who are passionate about helping educational institutions, who want to remove a burden, who want to be their partner. It’s not a 9-to-5 job, but we get back what we put in.”

Founded in 2016, Hometown has emerged as a holistic support system for educational institutions struggling with outdated, manual processes for selling tickets and managing event revenue. From Friday night football games to spring concert fundraisers, the platform provides a turnkey solution that both enhances security and delivers real-time data insights.

For Mirisis, who joined Hometown following the company's $75 million investment from Nexa Equity in 2022, maintaining a mission-driven focus while working with growth equity backing requires intentional leadership. This balance comes down to building a sustainable business model that serves all stakeholders—not just investors.

Where most PE-driven companies might prioritize rapid scaling and short-term success, Mirisis has deliberately chosen a different path.

"We're focused on building a comprehensive platform that will drive long-term value for schools, our teams, and the communities we serve," Mirisis said. "They've provided us with the tools to scale thoughtfully and invest in our long-term vision."

This partnership-style approach with PE has enabled Hometown to achieve something remarkable in today's tech landscape—profitable growth.

"Moving away from unsustainable tech growth models ensures security for both our employees and customers," he said. "Being financially healthy means we can continue to deliver our mission to the thousands of schools who rely on us and support the dedicated team members who help them create that impact."

This philosophy directly informed Hometown's December 2024 combination with free-free online fundraising platform Schoolfundr, a move that expanded the company's ability to serve schools by adding fundraising to its purpose-built offerings for the education sector. Online fundraising platforms typically take a percentage of funds raised through their platforms, giving schools only a portion of the donations they rely on to maintain programming. Schoolfundr's tip-based model ensures schools retain 100% of donations minus only standard credit card processing fees—a reflection of Hometown's commitment to maximizing resources for education.

At the heart of Mirisis's leadership philosophy is a profound commitment to understanding the consumer firsthand. He constantly reminds his team of the importance of walking a mile in their customer's shoes.

“Let's understand what is going on in their day-to-day life, and let's not filter information,” he says. “Let's hear directly from them. Let's see it with our own eyes.”

This isn't just rhetoric – it's action. This customer-first mindset is particularly important in edtech, where Mirisis sees a critical gap.

"For the longest time, the private sector hasn't given education the focus that it needs," he explains. "Technology and solutions always seem to make their way into the mainstream, but less so in education. When educational institutions find a solution that is purpose-built for education, they really feel like the company is not only listening but dedicating all of their research and development efforts specifically to their unique environment.”

A mission-driven company requires mission-driven leadership, and Mirisis has evolved his approach as Hometown has grown.

"I used to find success in being the first one in the room to solve a problem, but it’s different when you become the CEO," he said. "It's my role to empower the team to help and get to the right answer, not necessarily that I'm supposed to be the first one jumping in and trying to save the day."

For leaders looking to build mission-driven organizations with private equity support, Mirisis offers simple advice: "The most valuable investment you can make in a day is the hours spent building and nurturing relationships," he says. "If you're serious about mission-driven leadership, double the time you've allocated for connecting with people—then find ways to add even more."

In a tech landscape often driven by short-term metrics and rapid exits, Hometown's approach offers a refreshing alternative—one where mission and margin can coexist, where growth and purpose reinforce rather than compete with each other, and where a servant heart proves to be good business after all.