Think Like an Owner

Latest Episodes:

Elliot Epstein - Running a Model Aircraft Business - Ep. 65 May 25, 2021

Show notes

I'm a big aviation geek. I love flying, looking at airplanes and seeing where they're going via Flightaware on my phone, and collecting model aircraft. My guest today, Elliot Epstein, founded Geminijets, a company that makes metal diecast commercial airplane models. Beyond just the aviation nature of the company, this is a fascinating business for its relationship with hobbyists and collectors, the airline industry and current trends, all in addition to being a manufacturing and distribution business.

In this episode Elliot shares why he started the business, the process of creating a new model from start to finish, how coronavirus and the 737 MAX program have impacted sales and shipping, how the model business has evolved, and available growth opportunities for the company.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

I'm also the founder of The Operator's Handbook, a print publication where small company operators share their insights and ideas for building more effective and profitable companies. Articles focus on process improvement, sales, hiring and training, managing culture, and all responsibilities within operating a small company. If you run a small business and are looking for new ways to grow and improve, subscribe today and join your peers in the endless pursuit of better at theoperatorshandbook.com.

Chase Murdock - Buying Not Boring Businesses - Ep. 64 May 18, 2021

Show notes

My guest on this episode is Chase Murdock. Chase started his career as a venture-style entrepreneur with a custom suit business after spending time working in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. After the business didn't go as planned, Chase and his business partner Adam Malmborg decided to pursue smaller, creative, more high end businesses. Today they have two businesses, Tailor Cooperative, a local custom suit business, and Workshop SLC, a fine arts studio, both located in their hometown of Salt Lake City.

This episode was a fascinating dive into boring vs creative businesses, gathering customer feedback and NPS scores, pricing, and designing a high end client experience. I loved this episode and learned a ton and I hope you do as well.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Victoria Sylvester - Growing a Training Company with a Global Focus - Ep. 63 May 11, 2021

Show notes

My guest on this episode is Victoria Sylvester, or Vikki for short. Vikki is the founder of Acacia Training, a U.K. based training company focused on childcare, healthcare, and dental care. I was very excited for this conversation for a number of reasons. First, Vikki sold Acacia to MBH through their Agglomeration model whereby Acacia's private stock is exchanged for MBH's public stock. We discuss the model in great length and it's one of the more unique models for SMB acquisitions I've come across through the podcast. Second, Vikki's role as CEO has changed dramatically over time as the company has grown and I was very interested to hear about each of those stages and what tasks have been challenging for her to let go of.

Over the course of this episode we discuss the early years of Acacia, how she receives feedback from her team and her students, what she looks for when acquiring other training programs, and her perspective as an owner selling her company.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Steve Ressler - How to Invest in Search Funds - Ep. 62 May 04, 2021

Show notes

My guest today is Steve Ressler. Steve has been an entrepreneur for much of his career in software and government services and has recently been translating that experience into search fund investing, among other projects. A good portion of our discussion focuses on evaluating and scaling niche software businesses and whether niche means limited growth prospects or a formula for other markets. I've gotten to know Steve pretty well and he's an absolute wealth of knowledge for searchers interested in software and government services, please reach out to him if those are areas of interest for you.

Over the course of this episode we discuss Steve's experience being a founder and having his company acquired, what he looks for in search investing, tailwinds in government service businesses, and whether individuals should invest in self funded searchers.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Palmer Higgins - Removing Sales Roles at Mainely Grass - Ep. 61 Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

This is the second episode of an experiment I did on a new episode format that was shorter, 20-30 minutes, and focused entirely on ideas and challenges operating small companies. The first episode in this experiment was last week's episode with Jason Hill on adding food to the office and some of these interesting benefits there.

On this operating focused episode, I talk with Palmer Higgins of Mainely Grass and Chenmark on why he's getting rid of sales roles and doesn't operate on a commission structure. We talk about the positive and negative unintended consequences of becoming a more versatile team, the training and adjustment period of shifting roles, and some of Palmer's thinking on paired metrics and why commissions are a poor metric and incentive to use in their business. If you want to learn more about Palmer and his work, you can listen to our earlier podcast, episode 43, on his move to CEO at Mainely Grass. For now, enjoy our episode on sales roles and incentives.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Jason Hill - Benefits to Making Food a Stronger Priority at Work - Ep. 60 Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

This episode and next week's episode are both experiments I did a while back with Think Like an Owner when I was considering launching a new podcast series. The aim for these was to have short, 20-30 minute episodes on specific ideas and challenges operating small companies. I may eventually launch the new series, but I have other projects I'm excited about and want to invest more time into. Let me know what you think of these next two episodes and if you want to see more episodes with a similar format.

This first one is with Jason Hill. Jason appeared in episode 50 to share his learnings acquiring and growing his father-in-law's countertop business. In this episode, we talk all about food at the office and some of the benefits to making food a stronger priority at work. Jason has done a lot including adding coffee machines, more microwaves, and even doing company pig roasts at his house. I'd advise listening to this episode on your lunch break, it'll probably make you hungry.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Justin Vogt & Ed Redden - Creating a Long-Term Holdco at Evermore Industries - Ep. 59 Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

My guests, Justin Vogt and Ed Redden are the co-founders of Evermore Industries, a holding company looking to acquire industrial service companies with a time horizon measured in decades. Justin and Ed also happen to be the co-founders of the Stanford Search Fund Club during their time at Stanford. They hosted over 20 events and met professionals all across the search space and used that experience to shape what they wanted to create with Evermore. One interesting podcast connection, Westerly Group, through podcast guest Ross Brendel on episode 57 and co-founder Rich Littlehale, are investors in Evermore Industries, among other long term investment vehicles.

During our conversation, we talk about their time running the search fund club at Stanford, their views on search funds, how they raised capital for Evermore Industries, and benefits of being acquirers with an ultra long term view.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Deepa Talwar - From Silicon Valley to Searching on Main Street - Ep. 58 Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

My guest on this episode is Deepa Talwar. Deepa is currently searching for a company from her home in Fort Collins, CO. Her background includes working with prominent Silicon Valley tech companies like Uber, Thumbtack, and Stripe, and she decided she wanted to become an entrepreneur, but not in the typical Silicon Valley way. During our conversation, we talk about how her tech experience gives her a new perspective when looking at companies, red flags she's seen looking at deals, how she seeks the truth from owners and brokers, helpful advice she's received along the way, and her own advice learned through experience.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Ross Brendel - Investing in Permanent Capital Vehicles - Ep. 57 Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

Ross Brendel is the cofounder and managing partner of Westerly Group alongside cofounder Rich Littlehale. Westerly Group was founded on the principle of supporting acquisition entrepreneurs with committed, permanent capital to pursue a specific industry thesis over an indefinite time horizon. Groups they've invested in thus far have theses in the water industry, mission-critical B2B services, industrial services, and route-based and multi-site consumer businesses. Permanent capital and longer hold periods have become much more popular in recent years and Ross and Rich take an incredibly interesting and unique angle in their study and investing in the model.

In this conversation, Ross and I discuss Westerly's permanent capital thesis and model, whether buying a business has become harder or easier and how to think about a purchase price with a longer term view, the types of entrepreneurs Westerly seeks to invest in, and nuanced advantages of committed capital in pursuing acquisitions.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

Ayo Phillips - Small Company Firefighting - Ep. 56 Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

Ayo Phillips has the wildest story I've ever heard on the podcast. He's from Nigeria, immigrated to the U.S. when he was young, worked in engineering before getting his MBA at Kellogg, acquired countertop and bathtub refinishing company called Perfect Surface in Houston while his wife had their second child in Chicago, and went on to discover major structural problems in the business including the use of strippers and suspicious financial activity. Oh, and he recently became a U.S. citizen. He has an incredible story we can all learn a lot from. In this episode we discuss his experience acquiring Perfect Surface, warning signs to look out for when buying a company, how he looks at hiring and growing his team, and so much more.

For the full episode transcript and more, visit alexbridgeman.com/podcast.

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