After spending over three decades leading his family’s dental instrument business, Ron Saslow’s path took an unexpected turn that placed him at the heart of the thriving pickleball industry. In 2019, Saslow sold his family’s Chicago-based business, HuFriedy, to Cantel Medical in a deal worth $775 million. The decision to sell wasn’t difficult, as his sons were uninterested in joining the business, and the offer was far too compelling to ignore. With a newfound freedom and a desire to continue working, Saslow began exploring his lifelong passions, particularly sports and music.
Inspired by his personal interests and those of his sons, Saslow established Thirty-5 Capital, a family-owned investment office focused on growth-oriented ventures. This company, co-managed with two of his sons, has since invested in a variety of pickleball-related enterprises, including a professional pickleball team, Chicago Slice, as well as businesses connected to Major League Pickleball. Additionally, they hold stakes in companies specializing in pickleball paddles and player performance rating systems, demonstrating Saslow’s commitment to advancing the sport on a professional scale.
Though a newcomer to pickleball, Saslow is no stranger to sports ownership. In 2015, he acquired a stake in the Chicago Cubs, which gave him valuable experience in the business side of sports. With Thirty-5 Capital, he aims to leverage his knowledge in manufacturing and business growth, skills honed from his days at HuFriedy, to support small-to-mid-sized companies in scaling up. His investment philosophy focuses on helping companies become more prominent on a global stage, making them more competitive and capable of achieving growth faster than they could independently.
Unlike traditional venture capital firms, Thirty-5 Capital targets established, early-stage businesses that show high growth potential. The company typically invests between $1 million and $9 million in firms with annual sales exceeding $1 million and a loyal customer base. Saslow emphasizes that they prioritize investments in companies with innovative, market-disruptive products and are eager to work closely with founders who are receptive to mentorship and collaboration.
The family-owned nature of Thirty-5 Capital allows Saslow the flexibility to invest strategically without the pressure of meeting external investor demands. This approach gives Saslow and his team the freedom to focus on opportunities they find genuinely promising, typically making multiple investments annually. Saslow’s vision is to support each company by actively contributing to its growth, transforming Thirty-5 Capital into a unique bridge between entrepreneurial passion and market-driven expansion.