Acquiring Minds

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: Smithlist - Operate & Lead a Business When Luis Reyes bought a small fire safety business, he saw an opportunity. 24 acquisitions later, he's at $8m EBITDA. Topics in Luis’s interview: Luis’s early career Launching a roll-up strategy in Spain Identifying consolidation...

Register for the webinar: The "Plant Your Flag" Strategy: Build an Empire with ETA + Franchising - TODAY - https://bit.ly/3UH3w45 After years of corporate success, Jesus Wong yearned for something else. When he discovered ETA, he knew he'd found it. Topics in Jesus’s interview: Childhood in Mexico and Canada Family history of entrepreneurship Buying a Canadian garment repair business Low capex, hi...

Register for the webinar: The "Plant Your Flag" Strategy: Build an Empire with ETA + Franchising - Thu Aug 7 - https://bit.ly/45i7eGe Avery Tomek bought his first little $1m FedEx route with an SBA loan. 3 years later, he has 240 trucks and $600k weeks. Topics in Avery’s interview: Pivoting from real estate to FedEx routes Ups and downs of Covid Expanding his fleet Running his logistics business r...

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: Smithlist - Operate & Lead a Business Tyler & Zach Gordon's search for an overlooked industry with good prospects led to a franchise system of thrift stores. Topics in Tyler & Zach’s interview: Zach and Tyler’s backgrounds in franchising Looking for career fulf...

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: Smithlist - Operate & Lead a Business Anica John bought a print-on-demand business to have more time with her kids without compromising her career ambitions. Topics in Anica’s interview: Experience at Amazon, WalMart, and Disney Streaming Choosing entrepreneurship over...

Register for the webinar: Working Capital for SMB Acquisitions - TODAY - https://bit.ly/4kQcGGj At a low point in life, Raj Kankaria was served papers. But he liked the business and bought a process-serving company.  Topics in Raj’s interview: From investment banking to process server What he liked about process serving Buying the company from his boss Building industry relationships What TV gets...

Register for the webinars: The Math & Logic of Deal Making - July 22nd - https://bit.ly/459kJJn Working Capital for SMB Acquisitions - July 24th - https://bit.ly/4lBEhft Enrique Rodriguez bought a project-based construction business (gasp) with $1.4m in revenue. One year later it's at $4m. Topics in Enrique’s interview: 17 years in project-based construction Getting his MBA and electrician’s l...

Register for the webinar: Common Legal Diligence Issues (and How to Handle Them) - July 17th - https://bit.ly/4kwHlbw Yan Vinarskiy began as a self-funded searcher but shifted his model mid-search when he found a business too big for SBA. Topics in Yan’s interview: Using a buy-side broker to search and close Being inspired to take on a large deal Trade-offs of independent sponsor economics Board d...

Register for the webinar: Common Legal Diligence Issues (and How to Handle Them) - July 17th - https://bit.ly/4lo4Swu Accomplished CEO Marci LaRouech sought to build a business without investor pressure. A sub $1m HR firm was the way. Topics in Marci’s interview: Leading Makai HR through growth and exit as CEO 2 reasons she likes project work Comparing HR consulting and PEO business models Acquiri...

By reconceiving the paint dealership he bought as a marketing & sales organization, Ryan Adams pushed it to new heights. Topics in Ryan’s interview: Transferring from military to business Focusing on selling one service Underestimating working capital needs The business tanked after acquisition Rescuing the company by fixing his sales process Properly incentivizing for the outcome he wants Lea...

Adam Rao took a chance on an exhibit production business that had generated zero revenue in 15 months. It's gone well. Topics in Adam’s interview: Discovering impact companies Acquiring with a business partner Buying a distressed business during Covid Getting 100% seller financing Inheriting an angry, dysfunctional staff A brutal first 9 months Acquiring an add-on with an SBA loan His role as the...

Phil Miller turned a tiny pet shop doing $100k in sales into a regional pet boarding brand — and the ideal PE platform. Topics in Phil’s interview: Pivoting from real estate to the pet industry Slow renovation creating a financial mess Delegation is the key to growth The real cost of a cheap turnaround Building a pet resort brand Accelerating growth with Store Capital Why franchising is a poor opt...

Register for the webinar: How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k Matt Brunnig hired aspiring SMB owner Kevin Peer for special projects, strategy & more at his $3m manufacturing holdco. Topics in Matt & Kevin’s interview: Searching for a wife and a business Overcoming the fear of uncertainty Locally searching in St. Petersberg, FL Long term payoff of b...

Register for the webinar: How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k A friend pressed Grania Michel to change her search as if she had to close in 4 months. She was under LOI 2 weeks later. Topics in Grania’s interview: Operating a business in Ecuador Emotional ups and downs during the search process Keeping her search private in the beginning Sending LOIs as qui...

Register for the webinar: How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k Brian Hartman 3x'd revenue in 2 years at the tree business he bought, then partnered with an investor to grow even more. Topics in Brian’s interview: Picking up the phone is crucial Growing so fast the wheels nearly came off Hiring top-tier managers and ops staff early Managing cash flow and rec...

Register for the webinar: How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k With no PE background, Nick Huber had to learn quickly as he raised money to acquire a fast-growing offshoring agency. Topics in Nick’s interview: Origin of the Sweaty Startup guy Nick’s role in Support Shepherd’s growth Backstory of the Support Shepherd deal How Nick structured incentives to ma...

Register for the webinars: DO’s and DON'Ts of the LOI - Jun 17th - https://bit.ly/441EocM How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://acquiringminds.co/hiring Kevin Ramsier bought a "guy in a truck" business for radon mitigation. 10 years later it was a multi-state franchise. Topics in Kevin’s interview: Finding ways to earn money as a kid Bouncing back from early career setback...

Register for the webinar: SBA Loans 101 + Program Updates - Jun 12th - https://bit.ly/3FGQIqB Sarah Chiles & Matthew Ferguson left careers in VC to buy the only auto repair shop for 35 miles in their native Aspen. Topics in Sarah & Matthew’s interview: Backgrounds in engineering and VC Preserving local fabric by buying businesses The “tackle shop” nature of businesses in small towns Season...

Register for the webinar: SBA Loans 101 + Program Updates - Jun 12th - https://bit.ly/4jG0FSV After Evan Stewart found his footing in his printing business, he pushed it from $1.8m to $3.2m EBITDA in under 2 years. Topics in Evan’s interview: Experience in the Acquisition Lab 6 months of imposter syndrome Earning the right to be heard Changes in direct mail printing technology Standing out amongst...

Register for the webinar: How to Outsource Your Search: Understanding Buy-Side Advisory - Jun 5th - https://bit.ly/43PpR4R Christine Traylor is bringing entrepreneurial ambition to a business often dismissed as a side gig for retirees Topics in Christine’s interview: Pivoting from international development to business owner Acquiring a historic B&B in Dupont Circle  A seller who refused to neg...

Register for the webinar: How to Outsource Your Search: Understanding Buy-Side Advisory - Jun 5th - https://bit.ly/44XWwX3 JD Hasley bought an upscale frame shop doing $600k. One year later, he's returned all his equity & grown it to $900k. Topics in JD’s interview: Finding his business on broker’s own website Buying a retail frame shop Why DFW is a great location for a frame shop Learning to...

Register for the webinar: How to Outsource Your Search: Understanding Buy-Side Advisory - Jun 6th - https://bit.ly/43q0JQR Kin Sio first tried real estate as he explored a path out of tech, but buying a business was his ultimate destination. Topics in Kin’s interview: Immigrating from China Pivoting from tech to entrepreneurship Wanting more flexibility to care for family Deciding against using RO...

Register for the webinar: Buy a Business, Not a Fantasy: Addressing This Month’s 7 Most Common Buyer Concerns - Wed May 28th - https://bit.ly/43u7oto When Julia Hensel decided to pursue entrepreneurship, husband Grant helped her find a remote business with a great team. Topics in Grant & Julia’s interview: Julia’s background at BCG Grant’s many zero-to-one businesses Key lessons learned from f...

Register for the webinar: Use an SBA Loan to Start a Roll-Up - TODAY May 22nd - https://bit.ly/4jgfQSY Covid forced Scott Alexander to pivot & rebuild the marketing agency he'd acquired just one year earlier. It worked. Topics in Scott’s interview: Buying a digital marketing agency Disappointment with the seller Understanding customer churn Post-transition surprises with bookkeeping Turning ar...

Register for the webinar: Use an SBA Loan to Start a Roll-Up - Thu May 22nd - https://bit.ly/4kj566X Devin Fitzgerald bought two businesses after one sentence changed his life: It's easier to buy revenue than create it. Topics in Devin’s interview: Business is just solving problems It’s easier to buy revenue than create it Losing 8 months to a dead deal Buying 2 declining businesses Turning around...