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    Business

    Acquiring Minds

    Buying 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.

    Also on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@AcquiringMinds

    Sign up for episode summaries at:
    https://acquiringminds.co

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2021 - 2023, Acquiring Minds

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    The Late 40s Pivot Into Business Buying Jan 29, 2026
    Show notes

    Despite success in corporate, Jarom Wren wanted more freedom, so he traded 5 figures of salary for 7 figures of revenue.

    Topics in Jarom’s interview:

    • Realizing he was renting himself to a corporation
    • Mid-career risk assessment
    • Searching for a digital business
    • Choosing the lowest cost Q of E
    • “Deals want to die”
    • Risks of a 4-year old e-com business
    • Offering education as well as DIY products
    • Deciding against using ROBS
    • Buying 70% of the company
    • His first year report card

    References and how to contact Jarom:

    • LinkedIn
    • Vanlife Outfitters
    • Harley Sitner on Acquiring Minds: Building a Beloved Brand from a Tiny, Dying Business

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact jenny@aspenhr.com

    Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    The First Steps to a Family Holdco Jan 26, 2026
    Show notes

    Family planning and entrepreneurship converged as Linh & Leo Van Deibel bought their first (and not last) business.

    Topics in Linh & Leo’s interview:

    • Making the case for business acquisition
    • Taking family planning into account
    • Searching in the UK as a non-citizen
    • Being taken seriously as an Asian woman
    • Their goal of building a holdco
    • Thousands of meetings with sellers
    • Search is a numbers game
    • Brutal IVF process
    • Giving up on acquiring SaaS
    • Buying an engineering consulting firm

    References and how to contact Linh & Leo:

    • Linh Van Deibel LinkedIn
    • Leo Deibel LinkedIn
    • Their acquisition, Infrastructure Design Solutions
    • Linh Tran on Acquiring Minds: The Dream Outcome: From $300k to $5m EBITDA

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

    • Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    Buying a Platform with an SBA Loan Jan 22, 2026
    Show notes

    Jacob VosWinkel searched in tertiary markets to find a successful flooring store, his platform to build something big.

    Register for the webinar:

    • What You’re Really Paying: Net Working Capital & Net Debt Explained - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/49WI4Ao

    Topics in Jacob’s interview:

    • Recommending markets of 50k-100k people
    • Scraping BizBuySell listings
    • Reaching out to 200 potential investors
    • Raising $1 million equity in 2 weeks
    • Advantages/disadvantages of searching under 30
    • Moving across the country for the transition
    • Flying home on weekends
    • Growing to reduce customer concentration
    • His responsibility to employees
    • Growing 50% in 2 years

    References and how to contact Jacob:

    • Jacob’s YouTube channel
    • Floors Galore
    • LinkedIn
    • Jordan Dubin on Acquiring Minds: First Acquisition in March, $200m by Year End

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

    • Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact jenny@aspenhr.com

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    The Contrarian Bet on a Digital Agency Jan 19, 2026
    Show notes

    George Stern leaned into changing consumer search habits when he bought a digital marketing agency doing mid-7 figures.

    Register for the webinars:

    • Which Franchise Industries Make Sense in 2026? - TOMORROW!! - https://bit.ly/4jQCN0U
    • What You’re Really Paying: Net Working Capital & Net Debt Explained - Jan 22nd - https://bit.ly/49mgU5Y

    Topics in George’s interview:

    • Turning around an Amazon seller’s agency
    • Acquiring 2 small ecommerce businesses
    • Loving the customers more than the product
    • Selling his camping equipment business
    • Acquiring an SEO agency
    • Extreme difficulty getting a loan
    • Big banks aren’t always better
    • Choosing cold calling despite challenges
    • Industry knowledge is overrated
    • Being a “recovering, type-A control freak”

    References and how to contact George:

    • LinkedIn
    • Grant and Julia Hensel on Acquiring Minds: Quitting Consulting to Buy a $1m SDE Agency

    Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    Comfortable Concentration for a $800k SDE Business Jan 15, 2026
    Show notes

    Phil Koller studied the concentration and key man risks in a distribution business well-suited to him — and went for it.

    Register for the webinar:

    • From W2 to Owner Mindset: How to Think About Your Take-Home Pay - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/4r5RsI3

    Topics in Philip’s interview:

    • Preferred working in a small company
    • His friend talked him into real estate, then ETA
    • Inspired by Rich Dad, Poor Dad
    • Importance of having his wife on board
    • Paused search due to upcoming second child
    • Bought Roman Enterprises, an automotive paint distributor
    • Inherited exactly 1 employee
    • Did door-to-door sales to learn market
    • Managed customer and supplier concentration risk
    • Drew perseverance from grandfather’s Holocaust survival

    References and how to contact Philip:

    • LinkedIn
    • Roman Enterprises
    • Ben Jasper on Acquiring Minds: How to Buy a Manufacturer with $1m in Cash Flow
    • Jerod Pierce on Acquiring Minds: From SBA Loan to High 8-Figure Exit

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact jenny@aspenhr.com

    Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    Buying for Brand (Then Growing 4x) Jan 12, 2026
    Show notes

    Matt Orley wanted to enter the short-term rentals space. Buying a business — and a brand he admired — was his way in.

    Register for the webinars:

    • DO’s and DON'Ts of the LOI - TOMORROW!! - https://bit.ly/3YtLIvp
    • From W2 to Owner Mindset: How to Think About Your Take-Home Pay - Jan 15th - https://bit.ly/4qJ1Xk5

    Topics in Matt’s interview:

    • Investment properties as a side hustle
    • Evolving short-term rental ecosystem
    • Difficult transition with the seller
    • Influence of Airbnb on customer expectations
    • Importance of clear communication
    • Rolling up property management companies
    • Concentrating on one region of the country
    • Difference between urban and rural markets
    • Launching a membership program
    • Putting the brand first when making decisions

    References and how to contact Matt:

    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
    • Red Cottage

    Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

    • Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    8-Figure Exit After 5 Years Jan 08, 2026
    Show notes

    Adam Vandermyde had to be persuaded to acquire the $15m business that he ultimately professionalized and exited to PE.

    Register for the webinar:

    • How to Present Your Deal for Maximum SBA Success - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/3KW7aWL

    Topics in Adam’s interview:

    • Leaving consulting 2 months from making partner
    • Taking on the CEO role at the target before closing
    • Focusing on EBITDA over revenue
    • A construction mistake that cost the company dearly
    • Parsing data to understand “margin per labor dollar”
    • Advantages of being in a high-growth geographical area
    • Improving customer service to stand out
    • Exiting after 5 years
    • Adrenaline rush of sharing his payday with employees
    • How it feels to be a millionaire

    References and how to contact Adam:

    • LinkedIn

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    Complexity Hides Fragility: Losing a $20m Business Jan 05, 2026
    Show notes

    Joe Odell and his partner acquired a business with over $4m in earnings and lots of green flags. It went sideways fast.

    Register for the webinar:

    • How to Present Your Deal for Maximum SBA Success - Jan 8th - https://bit.ly/4snUKHY

    Topics in Joe’s interview:

    • His blue collar, military background
    • Volunteering without pay for a consulting company
    • Ultimately rejecting the tech industry
    • Finding his search partner at business school
    • Seeking out a complex business
    • Doing traditional search, on his wife’s advice
    • Acquiring a home health adjacent company
    • Post-close cash crisis
    • Losing a key sales rep
    • Fatal “pen stroke risk”

    References and how to contact Joe:

    • LinkedIn

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

    • Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com

    Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    Buying Small to Then Buy Larger ($1m SDE) Dec 31, 2025
    Show notes

    The first business Joe Soelberg bought did $400k SDE. The experience and cash flow enabled a second, larger acquisition.

    Topics in Joe’s interview:

    • Leaving corporate for a chance to manage P&L
    • His toughest pitch was to his wife
    • Acquiring a 3D design firm
    • Pivoting hard during Covid
    • Hiring a manager with a design background
    • Acquiring a branding agency
    • Difference between branding and marketing
    • Retainer model for recurring revenue
    • Offering less than listing price
    • His hand-off relationship with his businesses

    References and how to contact Joe:

    • LinkedIn
    • Point B Communications
    • SONNY+ASH
    • Mike Curry on Acquiring Minds: It’s All Your Fault: How to Become CEO of Your Acquisition
    • Johannes Hock on Acquiring Minds: Buy and 3x a Project Based Business in Just 2 Years

    Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


    Passion & Profit in an American Pastime Dec 29, 2025
    Show notes

    Former pro bowler Mike Fagan bought a $2m bowling center with a plan to roll up and rejuvenate these legacy businesses.

    Topics in Mike’s interview:

    • His professional bowling career
    • Connecting with a bowling-specific broker
    • Economic role of league bowlers
    • The decline of bowling in America
    • Traditional bowling vs Bowlero
    • Buying a traditional, older bowling alley
    • Running leaner to pay down debt
    • Employee resistance to change
    • Success with online bookings
    • His goal of managing remotely

    References and how to contact Mike:

    • LinkedIn
    • Tenpins & More
    • Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam
    • Carlo Santelli on Acquiring Minds: ​​How to Buy a $13m Business with No PG, No Investors
    • Webinar: Using a Sale-Leaseback to Buy a Business

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

    • Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron


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