What is NOPE?
NOPE stands for Not Owned by Private Equity.
Across America, private equity firms and venture capital funds are quietly buying up local businesses — veterinary clinics, dental practices, home service companies, restaurants, and more. They strip the brand, cut the staff, raise the prices, and move on. The name on the door stays the same, but the soul is gone.
NOPE.directory is the antidote. We are a free, public directory of businesses that are genuinely, independently owned. No PE. No VC. No holding companies. No franchise systems pretending to be local.
“Not PE. Not VC. Not chains. Just real people building real businesses.”
How Verification Works
- 1
Find your business
Search the directory for your listing. If it's not there yet, it will be soon.
- 2
Verify your identity
Confirm your email via magic link. No passwords to remember.
- 3
Sign the NOPE Pledge
Publicly affirm that your business is independently owned and operated. No PE money. No VC money. Just you.
- 4
Earn your badge
Your NOPE Verified badge goes live immediately. Show it off. You earned it.
For Civic Partners
NOPE.directory is free for businesses — forever. We believe in this mission and we're building it for the community. If your Chamber of Commerce, business association, or civic organization wants to support this effort, we'd love to talk.
Get in touch: hello@nope.directory