Shayne Fitz-Coy is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Sabot Family Companies, a California-based, long-term investment holding company founded in 2016. Known as the Teaching CEO, he drives value through strategic growth, operational turnarounds, and a people-first philosophy. His leadership, informed by a background in psychology, focuses on developing talent and applying patient capital across high-growth sectors.
Shayne Fitz-Coy co-founded Sabot Family Companies as a unique long-term investment vehicle in 2016.
Shayne established Sabot Family Companies alongside Arar Han, creating a holding company focused on acquiring and operating enduring businesses. Headquartered in Stanford, California, the firm applies a model of patient capital and long-term ownership, which contrasts with traditional private equity. Its mission is to discover and unlock deep value in everyday companies that serve real people and foster cultures where teams make meaningful contributions.
His role extends to being a Teaching CEO, applying over 15 years of educational experience to leadership.
Shayne embraces the title of Teaching CEO, stemming from a multi-generational family legacy in education and years of experience ranging from classroom instruction to guest lecturing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. This approach means Shayne views every interaction and company function as a teachable moment, prioritizing the development of great people to lead great companies. Shayne leads a team of over 300 professionals across a portfolio of growing operating companies.
The Sabot strategic philosophy is uniquely informed by his background in psychology and advanced business.
Shayne holds a B.A. in Psychology (cum laude) from Harvard College and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. This academic duality underpins his “people-first” leadership style, focusing on teamwork, human behavior, and an engaged workforce as the primary drivers of business success. This approach informs the firm’s proprietary operating system and ability to manage turnarounds and drive consistent investment success.
Sabot Family Companies focuses its strategic investments on high-impact, essential services sectors.
The firm invests in and operates businesses across multiple high-growth, high-margin sectors, including education, healthcare, and software. Sabot’s investment themes are targeted at solving critical societal needs, such as the reimagination of education (e.g., through student travel innovator Rustic Pathways), and the promotion of independence for aging Americans. This thematic focus ensures the portfolio aligns value creation with social utility.
Shayne’s leadership centers on prioritizing customer value and the fair treatment of teams.
As an entrepreneur and growth strategist, Shayne believes that long-term results depend on providing good value to customers and operating with integrity. This commitment to prioritizing long-term results over short-term fluctuations helps build stable, successful teams. He is a published contributor and expert on these topics for executive boards like the Forbes Business Council and Fast Company.
He is an active author, growth strategist, and influential voice in the business community.
Since co-founding Sabot Family Companies, Shayne has driven significant business growth and turnarounds across various industries. He is recognized as an entrepreneur, business builder, and growth strategist, frequently contributing insights to publications and executive boards, further establishing his authority within the ecosystem. He splits his time between the San Francisco Bay Area and Seoul, South Korea.