Restoring Balance: Midwest Restoration Builds for What’s Next

In early 2023, Midwest Restoration, a home restoration company in the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin, was thriving. The company Coyne Borree started from his spare bedroom nearly 15 years before was growing rapidly, earning recognition in the market, and building a strong reputation across the state.

On paper, it was everything a founder hopes for. But behind the scenes, the pace was relentless. Coyne was working nearly nonstop, carrying the weight of every decision himself. What finally forced a reckoning wasn’t a missed forecast or operational challenge—it was a conversation with his father.

Despite all of Midwest’s success, Coyne realized he had lost something equally important: time with his family. The issue wasn’t whether Midwest could keep growing. It was whether Coyne could continue growing it alone.

Watch the full video to hear Coyne’s story:

Built on Showing Up

Raised in a family of builders, Coyne Borree grew up around job sites. He learned very early that construction was as much about people as it was about materials. When he discovered restoration work, that connection deepened. Helping families rebuild after fires, floods, and other losses gave the work meaning beyond revenue or growth.

In one of his first major jobs, Coyne walked into a home devastated by a fire, hugged the homeowner, and told them everything would be okay—before discussing price, insurance, or credentials. He got the job that day.

It was the complete opposite approach to what his competitors were doing and reinforced a belief that would shape Midwest’s culture through today: showing up as a human being mattered more than any sales pitch.

Facing the Limits of Doing It Alone

By late 2023, Midwest’s growth was accelerating faster than Coyne could sustainably manage. He was working 70 to 80 hours a week, often more, personally carrying decisions he no longer had the capacity to scale alone. His business was thriving, but it was moving at a pace he couldn’t control by himself.

Like many founders, Coyne approached the idea of selling his company with skepticism. When private equity first entered the conversation, his concerns were familiar: loss of control, cultural erosion, cost cuts, people becoming numbers on a spreadsheet. Ultimately, he decided selling to the right partner was the best option for Midwest.

After months of preparation and due diligence, a deal with another private equity firm fell apart right before closing. It happened a few days before Christmas, forcing Coyne to tell his family it was over. After years of work, the future he thought he had secured disappeared overnight.

After years of work, the future he thought he had secured disappeared overnight.

Coyne Borree at the Midwest Restoration offices in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.

Rethinking What Private Equity Can Be

Coyne was convinced that working indefinitely—at the expense of personal time—was the only remaining option. He was done with private equity and was resigned to work for himself forever, even if it meant sacrificing time with loved ones.

Then came a conversation with Alpine Investors that changed everything.

Within hours of the initial call, Alpine’s team confirmed travel plans to meet in person—arriving just days after Christmas, before the New Year. The urgency and preparation signaled something Coyne hadn’t experienced before: genuine respect for the business and the person who built it.

From the first interaction, the tone was different. “They made me feel like they were lucky to be talking to me,” Coyne recalls.

For the first time, selling the business didn’t feel like walking away from a legacy—it felt like a way to protect it.

Selling the business didn’t feel like walking away from a legacy—it felt like a way to protect it.

Door County Site Supervisor Luis Reyes-Sanchez pictured with Coyne Borree.

A Partnership That Enabled the Next Chapter

In March 2024, Coyne sold Midwest Restoration to Alpine Investors and joined Alpine’s home restoration platform company, Guardian Restoration Partners.

With additional resources and infrastructure behind it, Midwest accelerated growth post-acquisition, while staying true to its people-first roots.

Since partnering with Alpine, Midwest Restoration has:

Promoted six team members internally
Expanded employee benefits across healthcare, retirement, and wellness
Opened new locations, with additional expansion underway
Created clearer career pathways for employees at every level

Team members felt the impact immediately. With added support and resources, Midwest could start jobs faster, invest in better tools, and create opportunities that previously felt out of reach, benefiting both employees and customers alike.

For Coyne, one of the most meaningful outcomes has been watching employees who started in entry-level roles grow into leadership positions—proof that the culture he built wasn’t just preserved, but strengthened.

Preserving What Matters—And Paying It Forward

Today, Coyne continues to lead Midwest Restoration locally, with his name still on the building and his values embedded in how the company operates. At the same time, his role has expanded beyond one business.

Through Guardian, Coyne now supports other founder-led companies by sharing best practices, mentoring leaders, and helping ensure that growth doesn’t come at the expense of people.

Coyne is candid about what the process requires from founders. Letting go isn’t easy—but neither is carrying everything alone. For him, choosing a different path wasn’t about stepping back from responsibility; it was about protecting what he’d built and the people who depended on it.

“If you’ve built something strong enough to be acquired,” he says, “you did something right. The goal is finding a partner who understands that and honors it.”

For Coyne Borree, that meant choosing a future where Midwest Restoration could continue doing what it had always done best: showing up for people when it matters most.

Interested in learning how Alpine partners with founder-led companies?

If you’re considering a sale, our team can walk you through what to expect and how to get started. Book a 15-minute call to learn more about what a transition could look like for you and your business.