Stay ConnectedBuying a business is an amazing path for many successful entrepreneurs. Learn how to buy a business from the entrepreneurs who have already done it. 2x per week: stories, insights, & valuable advice about acquisition entrepreneurship. Hosted by Will Smith, who is on his own path to acquire a business.
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Lucas Philips bought a niche manufacturer with $200k SDE, aiming to make it an ecommerce/DTC business. It's working.
Topics in Lucas’s interview:
References and how to contact Lucas:
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Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron
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Cliff & Christine Nelson navigated him buying a big but remote business while she was pregnant, then a first-time mom.
Topics in Cliff and Christine’s interview:
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Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron
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It took Alex Holley a few months of daily meetings to find a $4.5m home services business in his local Louisville, KY.
Topics in Alex’s interview:
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Former guest Chris Edwards has sold the $1.7m flooring business he bought with $200k of his own money and an SBA loan.
Topics in Chris’s interview:
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Industry-agnostic Trip Biesanz brought his sales skills to a glass fabrication & install business doing $3m in revenue.
Topics in Trip’s interview:
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7 months into ownership of a $2m fencing business, Kirk Olson is learning how to manage culture, tech, and cash flow.
Topics in Kirk’s interview:
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When Shell Zhang recognized her own tolerance for risk she stepped off a linear path to buy a $600k SDE travel business.
Topics in Shell’s interview:
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Ray & Dana Chery sensed a need for change in their careers. A 26-year-old portable sink manufacturer was the answer.
Topics in Dana and Ray’s interview:
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Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron
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•Legal Preparation for Your Search - Thu Jan 30 - https://bit.ly/3CbswuP
Months into his ownership, Ayo Phillips realized his industry was fatally flawed. He survived and 5 years later, exited.
Topics in Ayo’s interview:
References and how to contact Ayo:
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Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron
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•Is It a Fair Multiple? The Art of Making Your Offer - Wed Jan 22 - https://bit.ly/4asGoxw
•Legal Preparation for Your Search - Thu Jan 30 - https://bit.ly/3CbswuP
Abhi Ravishankar & 3 partners devised a novel holdco structure to prioritize flexibility, cash flow, and the long term.
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Mike Heath bought a garage door installer from owners who didn't use email. He grew sales fast, but profits came harder.
Topics in Michael’s interview:
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Sale-leaseback and asset-based lending enabled Carlo Santelli to acquire and own 100% of a $3.5m EBITDA manufacturer.
Topics in Carlo’s interview:
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Pete Ciaverilla bought a $12m HVAC business, then grew earnings 50% in 3 years. His timing couldn't have been better.
Topics in Peter’s interview:
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Michael Jacobson bought his uncle's barely-profitable 45-year-old flower shop in LA. In 4 years he's grown it 16x.
Topics in Michael’s interview:
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Tim Lahey has doubled the $1.6m company he bought, and buying small has prepared him well for the next phase of growth.
Topics in Tim’s interview:
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Nick Molina on how he found, acquired, & plans to manage a 275-employee business in Minneapolis from his home in Miami.
Topics in Nick’s interview:
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After buying then exiting a 12-unit franchise portfolio, Alicia Miller became expert on how to attract private equity.
Topics in Alicia’s interview:
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Dismissed by brokers, Simon Plummer bought & grew a manufacturer 75% in 3 years. Today he's building a long-term holdco.
Topics in Simon’s interview:
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Josh Key partnered with a master plumber from his church to acquire a plumbing business doing $1.25m. It ended badly.
Topics in Josh’s interview:
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Tom & Dawson Matter bought a vent cleaning business operating out of a parking lot. The transition has been interesting.
Topics in Tom and Dawson’s interview:
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Fred McGill liked the trades and zeroed in on electrical. The $3.2m business he bought is likely to grow 25% in year 1.
Topics in Fred’s interview:
References and how to contact Fred:
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Jordan Dubin and his partners are rolling up a home services industry. They blew by their 5-year goal in the first year.
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Fragmentation & an enormous TAM drew Jonathon Tupper to buy a 30-year-old business in the asset-based lending industry.
Topics in Jonathon’s interview:
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• Where Searchers Go Wrong, Part 2 - Thu Dec 12 - https://bit.ly/4f0320C
Michael Johnson started searching in April. Today he's having the time of his life as owner of a $1.2m printing business.
Topics in Michael’s interview:
References and how to contact Michael:
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Link Moser built a nearly-passive business portfolio by acquiring tiny web design & hosting shops on favorable terms.
Topics in Link’s interview:
References and how to contact Link:
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Derek Croft bought a $1m SDE business with a national footprint in an unusual niche. Just don't call him The Lice King.
Topics in Derek’s interview:
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• Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 21 - https://bit.ly/3AMj6Fk
Francisco Del Rio & Diego Silva are 5 acquisitions into a venture to consolidate veterinary practices in Chile & beyond.
Topics in Francisco & Diego’s interview:
References and how to contact Francisco & Diego:
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Sam Rosati & partners built the Sunbelt's largest commercial fencing contractor in 3 years. But the origins were modest.
Topics in Sam’s interview:
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The story behind "Rick & Royce", who've probably done more to grow entrepreneurship through acquisition than anyone.
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When he realized he was willing to do the work himself, Matthew Railla bought a $500k SDE termite inspection business.
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Iris Levine bought a 30-year-old construction firm just steps from the rough Nashville neighborhood where she grew up.
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Seattle-based Dan Drake & his wife wanted to raise their kids in Bend, Oregon. Buying a business allowed them to do it.
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When, at age 29, Gat Caperton bought a furniture maker in his native West Virginia, he was also buying himself a career.
Topics in Gat’s interview:
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Nik Hulewsky bought a $3.2m medical billing company during peak Covid, anticipating a surge in demand. He was right.
Topics in Nik’s interview:
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Kristiana Laugen left tech to buy a 40-year-old pool business with $300k SDE. Fast growth from a small base is the plan.
Topics in Kristiana’s interview:
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Tech industry vet Eric Bauer wanted to build something for himself. Buying a hat brand across the country was the path.
Topics in Eric’s interview:
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Justin Willess liquidated his 401k to buy a $8.5m construction business. He lost the business and may lose his house.
Topics in Justin’s interview:
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As a banker Greg Bruns dealt with business owners, wanting what they had. When a friend bought a business, he saw a way.
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Marc Nzojibwami and 2 partners bought a business in Calgary, with a plan to keep buying (and without investor capital).
Topics in Marc’s interview:
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Taylor Wallace & Tyler O'Connor return to discuss selling to private equity & the painful reality of managing people.
Topics in Taylor’s interview:
References and how to contact Taylor:
Topics in Tyler’s interview:
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Get $200 off your ticket to the M&A Launchpad Conference in Chicago on October 26th:
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George Tibil & Keith Fields bought a $1.1m janitorial business with falling revenues. 9 months later, sales are up 60%.
Topics in George and Keith’s interview:
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Dustin Fusillo bought a struggling ATM parts & services business. Unhappily, the decline continued under his ownership.
Topics in Dustin’s interview:
References and how to contact Dustin:
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Corey Robinson bought 4 locations in the legacy franchise Batteries Plus. He quickly bought 8 more, growing to $10m/yr.
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It was a revelation when Brittney Orellano heard about buying businesses. 6 months later, she'd done it herself.
Topics in Brittney’s interview:
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Rory Tyer bought the nursery where he'd been a loyal customer. Today it generates not just cash for him, but peace.
Topics in Rory’s interview:
References and how to contact Rory:
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Acquiring a $2.5m pallet manufacturer was Michael Kelker's first step to building a legacy business for his family.
Topics in Michael’s interview:
References and how to contact Michael:
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Register here for the webinar, How Big a Business Should You Buy?
Topics in Jackson’s interview:
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Register here for the webinar, How Big a Business Should You Buy?
Without backgrounds in business, Julie & Janna Hottinger have grown the $2.1m trades business they bought last year 50%.
Topics in Julie and Janna’s interview:
References and how to contact Julie and Janna:
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An engineer at heart, Mike Dey set his sights on buying a manufacturing business for the next stage of his career.
Topics in Michael’s interview:
References and how to contact Michael:
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Register here for the webinar, Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues
After 5 years of owning a scale business, Matt Bauer & Chris Hartman were burning out. Fortunately they'd created value.
Topics in Matt and Chris’s interview:
References and how to contact Matt and Chris:
----- SPONSORS -----
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----- Connect with Acquiring Minds -----
Register here for the webinar, Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues
Topics in Meredith & Michael’s interview:
References and how to contact Meredith & Michael:
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----- Connect with Acquiring Minds -----
Register here for the webinar, Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues
Niklas James, Adam Borcz, and Tony Cappeart reflect on terms, risk & reward of the still-young self-funded search model.
Topics in Search Investor Roundtable:
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Ryan Sullivan's group is buying businesses with investor capital, SBA loans & operating partners — but it's not a fund.
Topics in Ryan’s interview:
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3 top players in SBA lending to the searcher ecosystem discuss what they're seeing in the market as of summer 2024.
Topics in SBA Lender Roundtable:
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Smithlist is a job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Gabe Perez sought a way out of corporate while Kristen sought a way back to working. Buying a $4m business offered both.
Topics in Gabe and Kristen's interview:
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Will Gano was rewarded for his persistence & vision when he bought an 8-figure, 125-year-old ingredients manufacturer.
Topics in Will Gano’s interview:
References and how to contact Will Gano:
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Smithlist is a job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Rob Carpenter was eager to start operating, so it only took 90 days to start searching then buy a $200k SDE business.
Topics in Rob’s interview:
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Smithlist is a job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Years after one venture ended in failure, Jeff Velker bought a $2.5m pen maker with a strong brand & devoted customers.
Topics in Jeff’s interview:
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Smithlist is a job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Jordan Evans left tech & bought a tiny, decades-old language services business. 6 years later, revenue is 17x larger.
Topics in Jordan’s interview:
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Brett Kennedy has doubled & strengthened the sub-$1 million moving business he bought — but it hasn't been without pain.
Topics in Brett’s interview:
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Smithlist is a job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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When Dustin Carreon reached a ceiling in his first small business, he used the profits to start buying other businesses.
Topics in Dustin’s interview:
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How Adam Markley evaluated thousands of businesses for sale and bought a handful of his own (6 in his portfolio today).
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Nick Haschka & Dillan Ferguson are 5 months and 2 acquisitions into a roll-up targeting $50-60m revenue in 5 years.
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How Dominick Blue bought an air duct cleaning business and took it into HVAC services, all while retaining his W-2.
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By doubling a $3m EBITDA business Juan Aguilar bought with traditional search fund terms, he is able to hold it forever.
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We caution against thinking you can find it: 100% seller financing. But Renan Cortez did — and on a sizable business.
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Garrison Snell enjoyed a modest exit at age 24. By 30, he'd parlayed that into a holdco with $9m EBITDA and a mission.
Topics in Garrison’s interview:
References and how to contact Garrison:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
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Register here for the webinar, How to Buy a Business & Hire an Operator at Once
7 years ago Dan Verboski bought a sign business with $650k in earnings. He's doubled it, but ownership has taken a toll.
Topics in Dan’s interview:
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Register here for the webinar, How to Buy a Business & Hire an Operator at Once
Will Smith has partnered with Niklas James & Max Lummis in a fund to invest in searcher & independent sponsor deals.
Topics in this episode:
References and how to contact Niklas, Max and Will:
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Register here for the webinar, How to Buy a Business & Hire an Operator at Once
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Get Remediation Company CIM - Request the NDA to get the CIM of the Midwestern niche remediation company.
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Before acquiring a commercial painting business doing around $2m, Colin Gates worked on a crew as one of its painters.
Topics in Colin's interview:
References and how to contact Colin:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:
Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:
Connect with Acquiring Minds:
Register here for the webinar, How to Buy a Business & Hire an Operator at Once
--
Get Remediation Company CIM - Request the NDA to get the CIM of the Midwestern niche remediation company.
--
JD Beck transformed a small (and small-town) plumbing business, took it into a larger market, and tripled it in a year.
Topics in JD’s interview:
References and how to contact JD:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Elliott Edge started as a searcher looking for a single business, then pivoted to a roll-up. He's 7 acquisitions in.
Topics in Elliot’s interview:
References and how to contact Elliot:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
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Register here for the webinar, The DO's & DON'Ts of the LOI (legal office hours)
Matt Pohl & his wife bought a small welding business with extreme key person risk. They 4x'd the business in 2 years.
Topics in Matt’s interview:
References and how to contact Guest:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Register here for the webinar, The DO's & DON'Ts of the LOI (legal office hours)
Despite having no experience in manufacturing, Jens Grudno jumped when he heard about a failing straight-razor business.
Topics in Jens’s interview:
References and how to contact Jens:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
Register for the Self-Funded Search Conference, September 13th - 15th in Dallas:
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Register here for the webinar, The DO's & DON'Ts of the LOI (legal office hours)
Stephen Quindlen & Paul Westhart have found powerful multipliers that could yield huge returns in an unlikely industry.
Topics in Stephen and Paul’s interview:
References and how to contact Stephen and Paul:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
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Register for the Self-Funded Search Conference, September 13th - 15th in Dallas:
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Matt Drndak bought a parts business with a plan to grow it. It worked — he's doubled earnings. But it's taken patience.
Topics in Matt’s interview:
References and how to contact Matt:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Summary from Webflow: The first business Colin King bought was tiny & unpleasant but also the crucial first step to buying more & better ones.
Topics in Colin’s interview:
References and how to contact Colin:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
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Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
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Cody Agee thought food testing would be a good recession-resistant business to buy. 2 weeks later, one listed for sale.
Topics in Cody interview:
References and how to contact Cody:
Smithlist is a new job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:
Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
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Jeff Homer bought a small local music school as a fun side hustle. It turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime.
Topics in Jeff interview:
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Jarett Berke told his intermediary "no restaurants" but changed his tune when he saw what a great business Lou's was.
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Scott Walton bought 2 barely-profitable blue collar companies, changed the culture, unlocked growth & hired a president.
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4 acquisitions, 3 years after the first deal, and 2 dishonest sellers before Chandra Rao went full-time in his holdco.
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Zach Smith bought a 30-year-old membership business that connects patients with dentists to return it to former glory.
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Most first-timers shy away from buying across borders. Not Christi Loucks, whose Canadian acquisition did $550k of SDE.
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Garth Fasano searched part time for 5 years before finding a target with very sticky revenue & great business-buyer fit.
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Robert Graham & Aaron Blick's first acquisition did $1.2m SDE. Four years later, their roll-up generates $15m in EBITDA.
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John Murphy pushed through divorce, $500k debt, and a bad broken deal to finally buy a 60-year-old business doing $8m.
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Reid Tileston bought a business that relied on $800k trucks, capex he came to love for the fat margins they produced.
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Rafael Quinn shares the story & principles behind buying 3 businesses in Panama then raising $28m to buy more in the US.
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The construction services business Christian Bateson bought will do $7.5m in 2024. It also rescued him from the depths.
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Patrick Norris bought a small trash business doing $625k. Five years later and 4.5x bigger, a strategic got interested.
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Only after Matt Jackson bought a roofing business in the hurricane state did he realize just how big the opportunity is.
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At age 63, Maurice Thomas wasn't ready to retire, so he bought an electrical contractor with $1m in earnings instead.
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How Andrew Stordeur bought a 25-year-old furniture manufacturer in Alberta without having to use any of his own capital.
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Stephen Olmon & Collin Trimble set out to roll up the alarm industry in Texas. Alarm Masters is their first acquisition.
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Alan Lochridge left a career in consulting to buy a 20-year-old $5.5m hardscaping contractor with strong fundamentals.
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Despite an overwhelming transition, today Dan Tagliatela has 17x'd his initial investment and delegated the day-to-day.
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John Wilson bought & grew a very small plumbing business 26x over the last 7 years, and today has plans to reach $100m.
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Danny Fields & Steve Reis bought a decades-old utility supplier seemingly ripe for growth. It was harder than it looked.
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SBA lender Chad Fondriest got the itch to get in the game himself & bought a couple's hobby business doing just $150k.
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Tato Corcoran packed a lifetime of learning (and tears) into 18 months when she left tech & bought a tiny manufacturer.
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14 months ago, Russ Hadlock bought an auto glass business with $2.3m in sales. Today he is struggling to keep it alive.
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Ben Rizzo bought an unprofitable, 4th-generation elevator business then stabilized, doubled, and sold it within 2 years.
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Nathan Gregory left the music industry to buy Autobody News, a business that could benefit from his experience in media.
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Peter deBaptiste bought a 35-person plumbing business with 2 very technical, hands-on owners 1 hour away from his house.
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Will Wright bought a big event rental business in December 2018. When Covid hit, he turned crisis into opportunity.
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Adam Borcz bought & unlocked growth in a niche-y, 35-year-old blue collar business, almost tripling earnings in 4 years.
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Only after taking a second look at a small wedding catering & venue business did Nick Patrick recognize an opportunity.
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Doug Johns reflects on his balance sheet, lifestyle, and new identity as business owner after 9 quarters in the seat.
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It was only after Michael Young started an accounting practice that he found the much larger practice he would then buy.
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At his job, Morgan McCauley saw a ceiling on his impact & earning potential. Buying a home care business uncapped both.
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Ryan Doyle was 2 long years into searching when he walked away from a deal, but he was rewarded for the self discipline.
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Buying a property management business (which he's doubled) helped Brandon Laughridge balloon his real estate portfolio.
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Holdco entrepreneur Sam Turner shares his vision to build the leading platform for independent M&E businesses in the UK.
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Luis Aguilar found a $1.5m SDE commercial laundry business on BizBuySell, then a second acquisition followed quickly.
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The cemetery services biz Philip Blackett bought in 2019 was finally squeezed to insolvency & shuttered 2 months ago.
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In a world of tight labor supply, Tyrel Sulzer & Bob Boniface saw the benefits of buying a school that trains truckers.
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When he bought an HVAC business in east Tennessee, John Mahony moved in next door & became a member of the community.
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Pat Lazure explains why Flavor-Crisp, a food product business that uses co-packers, was such a great business to buy.
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Sam Turner is 3 acquisitions into a 5-year plan to buy HVAC businesses across the UK that together cash flow £6m/yr. (Rebroadcast from August 2022.)
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How Doug Johns overcame his reservations about being a franchisee to acquire a dream business with $1.8m EBITDA. (Rebroadcast from September 2022.)
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Jack McCarthy has acquired 27 pistachio & almond farms from retiring owners, with a plan to build & hold for decades.
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Ben Jasper made a change at age 40, acquiring a plastic bag manufacturer with 10 people & a daily start time of 4:30am.
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Eddy Zakes has 2x'd revenue and 4x'd headcount at the snow removal brokerage he bought with a traditional search fund.
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Brian Lee Shields bought a barely-profitable property management business intending to improve, grow, & hold it forever.
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Darryl Lindie did a geo-constrained search in Rhode Island to acquire a sign business with $650k of SDE & 25 employees.
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Matt Barnes bought a $400k SDE linen laundry business, channeling his conviction at big decision points along the way.
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Recording of a live panel hosted by EO Silicon Valley with Acquiring Minds host Will Smith moderating.
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While not a CPA herself, a clear list of buying criteria led Gretchen Roberts to acquire a 16-person accounting firm.
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Acquiring Minds host Will Smith reflects on 200 episodes, tells the podcast backstory, and teases what's coming in 2024.
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Sensing untapped potential, Mark Olivito paid cash for a project-based construction business with less than $100k SDE.
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Ben Bryer worked with a financial backer to find & buy a 65-year-old niche manufacturing business without an SBA loan.
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Mike Okhravi left a cushy tech career to buy a towing business & a flooring business — and within 30 days of each other.
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A fireside chat with veteran searcher & investor Kent Weaver recorded at the Self-Funded Search Conference in Dallas.
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Sean Moore looked at a handful of businesses, but a fine art gallery with over $1m SDE won the art collector's heart.
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John Hubbard returns to share how "chasing EBITDA over revenue" has benefited the trailer fabricator he bought in 2021.
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It CAN be done. Andrew Swiler acquired a SaaS business with $650k SDE using an SBA loan (and while living in Spain).
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Chandler Reed reflects on buying a project-based business in 2021, seeing sales soar, then crash, then surge again.
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Landon Mance bought a $1.7m tree business alongside a minority partner who's operated the business full-time from Day 1.
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Neil Finneran had worked in hedge funds & as a CFO when the opportunity to buy a pest control business presented itself.
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A year into his search Jesse Sunquist realized he needed to lower his SDE floor to find a business to buy in his market.
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George Vallone returns to share how he has grown revenue 3x in 2.5 years and laid a foundation for multi-city expansion.
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Chad Hildebrant knew the best deals have hair on them. The trick is finding the right hair, turning red flags green.
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Shawn Allard didn't want a food business, but an ice cream shop with good margins & a local following changed his mind.
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In 2021, Johannes Hock bought an artificial turf installer business doing $5m. It's on track to exceed $15m in 2023.
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Corey Veverka acquired the business where he had worked for years, mitigating his risk & removing the need for a search.
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Sandy Paige struggled to raise a search fund as a mid-career executive, then grew EBITDA by 7x and exited for 9 figures.
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Shane Ehrsam & Brandon Adams return to discuss hiring a GM, buying business #2, the rewards of SMB life & managing envy.
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Eric Hayes was an accomplished executive in the DC area with 5 kids when he decided to buy a business in Laramie, WY.
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Peter Wild fielded offers to buy his business for years but sold only after being introduced to the searcher community.
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After a successful military career, Don Gourley saw buying a business as the best means to "lead a unit" as a civilian.
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AJ Wasserstein, Peter Mistretta & Mike Horowitz distill the selection of a franchise brand into 10 essential criteria.
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Collapsing sales, unhelpful sellers, and a GM who quit. But 1 year later, Chris Jones is contemplating acquisition #2.
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Connor Pera shares how taking incremental steps led to buying his first business much sooner than expected.
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Josh Medow brought a mindset to his search that he would reshape whatever business he bought into a high-growth company.
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Tim Ericson brings lessons from 13 years as a startup founder to the $4m printer rental company he recently bought.
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August Felker did a search fund, then later a self-funded search so he could own & build his business for years to come.
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HoldCoConf co-founder Kelcey Lehrich shares key findings from a survey of 100+ holdco operators about their businesses.
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Nick Akers had a vision for supportive, employee-first leadership. Buying a business enables him to realize this vision.
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Nick Wheeler reflects on investing countless hours to buy a beautiful business, only to have the seller kill the deal.
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George Goates bought a small shuttle business that he's grown 4x in 8 years, partly by running buses for municipalities.
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Sajama Mitta wanted to make strategic decisions at the head of an organization. Buying her own business was the answer.
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Manny Saxena quickly bought 3 street-sweeping businesses to become the largest player in NorCal. A big PE fund noticed.
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Karl Hughes recently bought a podcast production agency & explains why "productized service" businesses are attractive.
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Mitchell Sorkin started by buying 3 ATMs in 2021. Today he has over 140 machines and is targeting $5m EBITDA in 3 years.
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Chris Munn, Bakari Akil, and Bruce Vann reflect on being Black men who bought businesses & why this path is so powerful.
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Matt Huggins bought a small water & cable utility doing $200k/year. 15 years later, his holdco is on track for $20m/yr.
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Holdco entrepreneur Chase Murdock buys very small businesses with potential for rapid growth & decades of staying power.
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Amir Haboosheh was drawn to the double-opportunity in acquiring home services businesses: the financial, and the impact.
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Mark Sinatra returns to explain what to diligence from an HR perspective when buying your business.
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Sam Rosati shares a framework to clarify your search criteria & reduce the months it takes to find a business to buy.
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James Bloom has 8x'd a small mechanical contractor he bought only 4 years ago, despite it being a competitive industry.
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3 days into Monte Marcum's acquisition of an established franchise, key equipment breaks. Then the crises kept coming.
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Niklas James started off as a self-funded searcher, but evolved into being an independent sponsor of 7 acquisitions.
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Martin Bispels updates us on the DTC ecommerce business he bought in 2020 and had grown to almost $2m/yr one year later.
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Derek Turner has done both a traditional search fund and self-funded. We hear both stories & explore the differences.
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2 previous guests, Mike Botkin & Adrian Pinto, are joining forces to grow a landscaping empire throughout the Southeast.
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With no finance background, Kevin Bibelhausen learned to raise money from investors & buy a 20-year-old fabric business.
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Alex Michael was seeking to acquire not just a business, but freedom. One year later, he reports back on how it's going.
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How Austin Smoak raised money from investors to buy a very profitable roofing business that he found on BizBuySell.
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Jérôme Bouillon bought a home care agency doing $500k/yr in 2018. Today it exceeds $1m and he's added a second location.
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Heather Shattuck-Heidorn was a tenure-tracked professor, but wanted out. Buying a business offered freedom & security.
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Having only ever managed a few people when he bought his business, Alex Glasner shares how the trial by fire is going.
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Ben Bortner couch-surfed, drove Uber, and racked up credit card debt while finding a pool business to buy. It went well.
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9 months after Jesse Safir bought a printing biz, Covid cratered it. 3 years later, sales are nearing pre-Covid levels.
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2 searchers, Kaustubh Deo & Kevin Bibelhausen, share how they found investors to provide money to buy their businesses.
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It CAN be done: Matthew Saskin recently acquired a big towing business, hiring an operator to run it from day 1.
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Caroline Chapdelaine seized opportunity when a biomed company needed to sell a $2m unit that made special defense tech.
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Despite dire warnings against it, Reg Zeller bought a foundry. He's since bought 6 more & sees a clear path to $100m/yr.
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Adrian Pinto returns to reflect on his 1.5 years as owner of a landscaping business that he's grown from $3m to $6m/yr.
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Michael Horowitz was looking to buy an independent business when a different path opened up. Today he owns 20 Wingstops.
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Kaustubh Deo reflects on his first year as the owner of a tree business versus his former life in NYC private equity.
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Adam Duggins had 650 meetings to find his first business in 2013, not expecting he'd buy 3 more over the next 10 years.
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Bruce Vann returns to update us on his manufacturing business, and a thesis around the roll-up of window blinds stores.
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John Ikalowych shares his traumatic journey of going all-in to buy a hail-repair business, then having to shut it down.
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Morli Desai left corporate to scratch her entrepreneurial itch, using an SBA loan to buy an ecommerce biz with $1m SDE.
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Pawel Kosicki learned about buying small businesses in July. By January, he'd bought one himself with 7 figures of SDE.
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Damon Chlarson takes a job in tech sales, despite having improved the business he bought & surviving a tough year.
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Brenden Van Buren is growing his fencing business, despite the industry's notorious cyclicality & project-based revenue.
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Justin Turner returns with details on 2 new acquisitions by his holdco Traction, plus updates on the existing 4 portcos.
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Michael Arrieta's holdco has made 3 acquisitions since 2020. Sales & culture, not tech, have proven to be the key levers.
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After a rollercoaster year in his appliance repair business, John Schooler returns with scars, wisdom, and optimism.
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Andrew Hitchings bought a $250k SDE cooling biz. It has grown 3x and will now fund a 2nd acquisition, with more to come.
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Andrew Sieve saw his life implode after COVID. Buying a highly profitable 40-year-old restaurant turned things around.
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Paul Quirk acquired a $800k EBITDA window & door business in the UK, continuing to live with his family in Switzerland.
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Shortly after his first interview in June, Jason Andrews sold his business to a strategic buyer for a life-changing sum.
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Chirag Shah applied systems from his days as a product manager to find & acquire a dog-training business with $600k SDE.
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Brian Beers, owner of 30 Midas locations, teaches how to acquire an empire with seller financing for retiring owners.
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Tyler O'Connor bought a 20-year-old golf school he found on BizBuySell doing mid-7 figures with 35% margins.
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Patrick Dichter returns to update us on a productive first year as CEO of a bookkeeping business he bought in late 2021.
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Multiple perspectives today as Chelsea Wood of the Acquisition Lab moderates a panel with 3 women who bought businesses.
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Jacob Lee signed up for 10 locations in the Scenthound franchise after deciding it was a better opportunity than search.
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Jules Brenner searched for 2.5 years before buying a manufacturer with great tailwinds and a path to $100m in revenue.
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Twitter-famous Wolf of Franchises on why & how you should buy existing franchise businesses, including lots of examples.
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Online course businesses have dazzling margins but a key weakness. Dom Wells explains how to acquire one & make it work.
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David Page bought a Bay Area wine business in 2010, against the advice of colleagues. 12 years later, it's 5x larger.
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Chris Williams was a guest in 2021, just after his acquisition. He returns to share how it's going now, 14 months later.
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Key findings from SIG's new study on self-funded search: financial outcomes, deal costs & terms, search lengths & more.
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How Bradley Roofner & Logan Brown transformed a tough, project-based landscaping biz into a recurring revenue machine.
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A husband & wife bought a therapy practice for $120k, almost dumped it, then grew it for 8 years when PE came knocking. (This is a rebroadcast from November 2021.)
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JD Klein bought a print shop for $100k, thinking such a small acquisition carried little risk. The opposite was true. (This is a rebroadcast from December 2021.)
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Acquiring Minds will start publishing twice per week. Host Will Smith explains the rationale for this decision.
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When Fraser Voll first learned about buying businesses, he couldn't stop reading about it. That passion paid dividends.
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Chris Koerner acquired a bitcoin mining facility he found on BizBuySell for $750k and now employees 11 people.
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Trevor Boehm shares how Saturn Five started as a venture studio but found buying small businesses a better model.
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Shane Ehrsam went full-time in his search & used systematic broker outreach to buy a great business in his local market.
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Jordan Novgrod sold his house, tapped his 401k, and went all-in to buy an $800k SDE business he found on BizBuySell.
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Burk Adams tapped his 401k to buy a business that reinvented his career, gave him back time, and catapulted his wealth.
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It looked like a dream: $2m EBITDA, recurring, large market. Only after Judd Lorson bought it did he learn the truth.
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Taylor Wallace was over tech. He acquired a small business and with it a renewed sense of impact (and opportunity).
Topics in Taylor's interview:
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Episode 100! To celebrate, 5 early guests come back to share how things are going at their acquisitions, 1 year later.
Links to guests' previous episodes:
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Andrew Harbin first bought an awning business, then bought a fencing franchise to keep his crew working through summer.
Topics in Andrew's interview:
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James Temple & his mother acquired a struggling Mathnasium franchise in 2009. Today, they do $7m across 19 locations.
Topics in James' interview:
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Sumana Sanjeeva got into ecommerce by chance. 3 years later, she's acquired 4 ecom businesses & sold one for over $5m.
Topics from Sumana's interview:
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Toni Kononova bought a ghostwriting business for $500k to experiment with buy-then-build while limiting her downside.
Topics in Toni's interview:
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Frustrated searchers: this episode is for you. Jesse Sunquist shares 4 lessons from a year of hunting for a business.
Topics in Jesse's interview:
How to reach Jesse and other links:
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When most people would be considering retirement, Anne Ristic started a new chapter of her career by buying a business.
Topics in Anne's interview:
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How Doug Johns overcame his reservations about being a franchisee to acquire a dream business with $1.8m EBITDA.
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A primer on lead gen businesses from Jaime Arias, who bought a 14-year-old biz that generates online leads for dentists.
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Sam Turner is 3 acquisitions into a 5-year plan to buy HVAC businesses across the UK that together cash flow £6m/yr.
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Kevin Swenson shares his story of buying a $3m real estate appraisal firm as a platform to roll up the fragmented space.
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Ramon Van Meer bought an ecommerce business doing $30k/mo. A few tweaks & months later, it was up to $400k per month.
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Jason Cline left corporate at age 50 to buy a flower distribution business (in cash). SDE is up 3x after just one year.
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Jordan Carter started as a part-time, generalist searcher. 3+ years later, he bought a biz doing $2.4m with 40% margins.
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A deep-dive into the market for SaaS businesses with Thomas Smale, founder of leading SaaS brokerage FE International.
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Kinza Azmat arrived in the US at age 6, speaking little English. Today she's the new owner of a thriving RE brokerage.
Topics from Kinza's interview:
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Lisa Forrest shares key findings from a survey of 49 entrepreneurs who bought a business after a self-funded search.
The findings discussed were based on these questions:
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Seasonal. Nonrecurring. Key person risk. Trish Higgins recounts how Chenmark got excited about an unlikely acquisition.
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Ujwal Velagapudi acquired a multimillion dollar vending empire with thousands of machines & 7 figures of cash flow.
Themes from Ujwal's interview:
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A lender and a searcher explain how to quickly identify a business you should NOT buy, saving you months of wasted time.
Themes from Ryan & Heather's interview:
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Alex Michael bought a wallet brand doing $650k on Amazon. Alex delves into how FBA works & what the growth levers are.
Themes from Alex's interview:
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**** Register here for the live session with Chelsea Wood of the Acquisition Lab:
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Multiples for ecom businesses jumped 50% since 2018, but Quiet Light's Joe Valley says that trend is about to reverse.
Themes from Joe's interview:
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How James Maxwell & his partner found a 22-year-old janitorial biz & successfully installed a GM in a city of 100,000.
Themes from James' interview:
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Business broker Clint Fiore explains how to most effectively work with brokers to find good businesses to buy.
Themes from Clint's interview:
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Alex Mears draws on years of experience at Carlyle & Blackstone to support and invest in searchers (70 & counting).
Themes from Alex's interview:
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Jason Andrews paid $250k to a buy-side advisor to help find & acquire his first business — and would 100% do it again.
Themes from Jason's interview:
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Chelsea Wood has worked with 250+ business buyers & identifies 7 challenges that commonly interfere with their success.
Themes from Chelsea's interview:
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How Chris Munn runs his first acquisition, a $800k cleaning business in Tampa, while being based in LA.
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Ex-cop John Hubbard bought a $5m trailer manufacturing biz from an absentee owner & expects to grow to $12m by 2024.
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Digital business buyer Dom Wells shares where he looks for opportunities today in the shifting sands of online business.
Themes from Dom's interview:
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Mike Loftus started his landscaping business from scratch, then began buying others to accelerate growth to $4m/yr.
Themes from Mike’s interview:
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Lively debate between Greg Geronemus & Robert Graham about the 2 most common models searchers use to acquire a business.
Covered in the debate:
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How Keith Leimbach paid 6 figures for a business he saw on QuietLight, then exited for 8 figures two years later.
*** Register for live episode here: https://bit.ly/3r6P1bD ***
Themes from Keith’s interview:
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Due diligence expert Elliott Holland looks at industry & owner/seller risk, and exactly what you can do to address them.
*** Register for live episode here: https://bit.ly/3NGoSKa ***
How to reach Elliott:
After big success with affiliate marketing online, @Gundwolf sought to acquire & build a more durable business.
*** Register for live episode here: https://bit.ly/3tXHIEH ***
Themes from @Gundwolf’s interview:
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Nathan Lenahan acquired an HVAC company with ~$1.2m in revenue for $400k. He's aiming to double sales in 2022 to $2.72m.
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This is the rebroadcast of a panel that Acquiring Minds recently moderated at the annual ETA Summit at MIT.
MIT's panel description:
"First do no harm, then pull on the growth levers." Should you wait to make changes? Or take every opportunity you see? How and when should you make changes to your team or to your organizations that will help you get the most out of your organization?
Speakers:
Having witnessed the power of clean books, Patrick Dichter was driven to buy a $1.2m bookkeeping & accounting business.
Themes from Patrick’s interview:
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George Vallone unpacks how he used cold outreach to find an off-market cleaning biz doing $1m and buy it for 2x EBITDA.
Themes from George’s interview:
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Before embarking on his search, Alex Glasner interviewed 50 searchers & uncovered 2 key attitudes necessary for success.
Themes from Alex’s interview:
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Looking to buy a part-time online biz as he neared retirement, Dave Bramlett found it in a resume service doing $1.5m.
Themes from Dave's interview:
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Brandon Adams bought a $850k EBITDA ice delivery company only to discover he'd be doing deliveries himself for 6 months.
Themes from Brandon's interview:
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Damon Chlarson had 3 key criteria, and he found them in an insulation supplier doing $380k EBITDA and selling for $1.1m.
Themes from Damon’s interview:
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Frustrated after losing 3 jobs, Bruce Vann used savings to acquire a 25-employee, 7-figure curtain manufacturer for 2x.
Themes from Bruce’s interview:
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After seeing 9-figure businesses built through acquisition, Adrian Pinto bought a landscaping biz to build one himself.
Themes from Adrian’s interview:
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The 3 founders of Chenmark left promising corporate careers to pursue a multi-decade path of acquiring small businesses.
Themes from the interview with James & Palmer Higgins:
Other recommend podcasts where Chenmark has appeared:
Subscribe to: Chenmark’s Weekly Thoughts.
With 4 acquisitions since starting in 2018, Justin Turner explains how his team is building a permanent equity holdco.
Themes from Justin’s interview:
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@Fundof1 was searching for a business in a tight geography, and found a great fit in a $760k appliance repair company.
Themes from John’s interview:
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Knowing zero about manufacturing, Josh Paulson found purpose when he bought a small & struggling producer of pet cages.
Themes from Josh's interview:
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Devin Wanzor went from a corporate gig with 50 employees to buying a $3M liquor store and playing golf 3 times a week.
Themes from Devin's interview:
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Mike Curry bought a business only to struggle for years as its new CEO. He shares the lessons that unlocked 2x growth.
Themes from Mike’s interview:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
JD Klein bought a print shop for $100k, thinking such a small acquisition carried little risk. The opposite was true.
Themes from JD's interview:
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Geoff Oliver bought 2 laundromats in rural Texas. He shares his numbers & what to consider when acquiring a laundromat.
Themes from Geoff's interview:
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Harvard's acquisition entrepreneurship conference took place last week. Organizer Michael Ledecky shares 5 takeaways.
Themes from Michael's interview:
Tons of names & resources cited in this episode. Here they all are:
Having searched, acquired, and exited a business himself starting back in 2007, today Mark Sinatra invests in searchers.
Themes from Mark's interview:
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Casey Clark talks hot industries, identifying growth potential in a business for sale, and avoiding common SMB pitfalls.
Themes from Casey's interview:
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Resisting at first, Mark Litton eventually realized that buying the family biz was the perfect path to entrepreneurship.
Themes from Mark's interview:
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Learn how to find a lawyer for your deal, how much you'll spend, what to look for, and how to avoid suing the seller.
Themes from the interview with @SMB_Attorney:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
A husband & wife bought a therapy practice for $120k, almost dumped it, then grew it for 8 years when PE came knocking.
Themes from Neil's interview:
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Jordan Carter & Robert Graham argue for self-funded search over traditional search funds or the "buy small" approach.
Themes from the interview with Jordan & Robert:
Reach Jordan & Robert on LinkedIn:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
Sarah Romer bought a large but tired hair salon in Austin for $80k. Her first year as owner was the hardest of her life.
Themes from Sarah's interview:
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Neil Granberry bought a bubble ball business to prove himself as an entrepreneur while pursuing an MBA at the same time.
Themes from Neil’s interview:
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Thanks to changing his search from traditional to self-funded, Chris Williams bought a $1m EBITDA bookkeeping business.
Themes from Chris's interview:
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Steve Divitkos shares tips from his acquisition, from the solitude of search to the delicate balance of being a new CEO.
Themes from Steve's interview:
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A podcast exposed Jason Budd to buying businesses. After 10 years in corporate, he'd found his path to entrepreneurship.
Themes from Jason's interview:
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Closing on his 2nd acquisition in 10 months, Mike Botkin just became Central Florida's largest landscaping business.
Themes from Mike's interview:
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Jessica Markowitz used a traditional search fund to search for & ultimately buy a great business. But the road was long.
Themes from Jessica's interview:
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There are many lenders out there eager to finance your acquisition. SBA loan expert Lisa Forrest explains how to choose.
Themes from Lisa's interview:
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Shannon Jones explains how acquisition entrepreneurs should navigate the realities of buying a blue collar business.
Themes from Shannon's interview:
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Due diligence expert Elliott Holland shares the top things he wishes he’d known when he first started buying businesses.
Themes from Elliott's interview:
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Nick Haschka shares what's changed in the market since acquiring his first small business in 2016. (Hint: it’s harder.)
Themes from Nick's interview:
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Less than a year after acquiring a $1m medical billing business, Curt Neider is already looking for his second deal.
Themes from Curt's interview:
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Key lessons for acquisition entrepreneurs from Andrew Finn, who has grown a service business & acquired SaaS businesses.
Themes from Andrew's interview:
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Don't have the 10-20% cash to buy a business with SBA? Search investor Steve Ressler explains how to attract investors & structure the deal.
Themes from Steve's interview:
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Sales had dropped to zero when Martin Bispels acquired Upper Park Disc Golf. A year later, they are nearing $2 million.
Themes from Martin's interview:
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Hard-won lessons about buying micro SaaS businesses from Andrew Pierno, who has acquired 3 and plans to buy many more.
Themes from Andrew's interview:
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Pete Seligman stepped off a comfortable corporate path to buy a small business in 2013. He's since acquired 4 more.
Themes from Pete's interview:
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After years of struggling to launch products from scratch, Casey Allen pivoted to buy a $1.7m coffee supplies business.
Themes from Casey's interview:
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Due diligence pro Ahmed Raza on the 3 key things to evaluate when buying a business in e-commerce, SaaS, or content.
Themes from Ahmed's interview:
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Charles Barr just acquired DiMartino Plumbing. He considered HVAC & electrical as well but plumbing was the sweet spot.
Themes from Charles’ interview:
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Vivian Chen bought an abandoned online business for almost nothing, then grew it to $5k/mo — while keeping her day job.
Themes from Vivian’s episode:
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Chris Edwards' first 6 months as new owner has been a “bloody knife fight.” But things are looking up, with the business projected to profit $750k this year.
Themes from Chris’s interview:
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Brute Force thrived during COVID, but 2021 hit hard. Sales plunged 60% in one month. Mike Brown bought it to fix it.
Themes from Mike’s interview:
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Cassi Niekamp didn't know anything about fencing when she acquired Bowden Fence. But she turned this to her advantage.
Themes from Cassi’s interview:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
Mike Gardon bought websites to be his own boss. His best acquisition does $100k/mo — and he bought it for 5 figures.
Themes from Mike’s interview:
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5 tactics to boost sales of acquired e-commerce businesses — and other insights from e-commerce aggregator TCM Digital.
Key themes from Golan's interview:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
How an outsider started with little money and bought 12 translation agencies in 6 years, aiming to reach €5m in revenue.
Key themes from Cédric's interview:
Reach Cédric Sigoire at:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
With 6 e-commerce acquisitions and counting, Kelcey Lehrich has built 365 Holdings rapidly over the last 4 years.
Key themes from Kelcey's interview:
Reach Kelcey Lehrich at:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
An early buyer on MicroAcquire, Spencer Scott acquired a SaaS for $280k. He analyzed the deal like a rental property.
Key points from Spencer's story:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
Dan Spracklin acquired a septic pumping business doing $1M annually, then grew it to $3M and margins to 30% in 2 years.
Key points from Dan's story:
Reach Dan Spracklin at:
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Two brothers took over a 110-year-old business in a stagnating industry. 7 acquisitions later, the future is bright.
Key points from Ben's story:
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How an online entrepreneur teamed with a family office to acquire & grow a portfolio of 15 websites for over $2 million.
Key points from Paul's story:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
Rick Schmitz was an inexperienced 22-year-old with no money when he acquired a run-down ski resort and turned it around.
Key points from Rick's story:
Reach Rick Schmitz at:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
In just 9 months, Mike Botkin decided to acquire a business, negotiated a great deal, and dramatically improved profits.
Key points from Mike's story:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
Nick Haschka left a Silicon Valley career and bought an office plant service in 2017, then acquired 9 more through 2021.
Key points from Nick's story:
Reach Nick Haschka at:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
How first-time acquirer Philippe Vanderhoydonck found a 30-year-old trade media business & bought it in under 3 months.
Reach Philippe Vanderhoydonck at:
Key points from Philippe's acquisition:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
How former management consultant Scott Whitt acquired and grew a small clinical trials business into the millions.
Key points from Scott's acquisition:
Reach Scott Whitt:
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Tyler Deike bought a small manufacturer for the cost of property & equipment, making the business itself almost free.
Key points from Tyler's acquisition:
Reach Tyler Deike:
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Mike Yarmo bought a struggling distributor & turned it into a local powerhouse in a different niche — then sold for 5x.
Key points from Mike's acquisition:
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Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
How a 9-month search was rewarded by the discovery of 2 tiny e-commerce companies primed for growth.
Key points from Justin's acquisitions:
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Justin's two acquisitions:
Official episode page & full show notes at AcquiringMinds.co:
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