Acquiring Minds

Register for the webinar:  How to Run a 2-Year Search in 2 Months - Nov 1 - https://bit.ly/48sjkh9 Seattle-based Dan Drake & his wife wanted to raise their kids in Bend, Oregon. Buying a business allowed them to do it. Topics in Dan’s interview: His search in Bend, Oregon Understanding negotiation tactics Bundling the real estate with the business His seller-financed deal Renegotiating after s...

Register for the webinar: How to Run a 2-Year Search in 2 Months - Friday, Nov 1 - https://bit.ly/3YEN9YE 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: Working for the legendary Sam Zell Acquiring a furniture manufacturer in 1996 You’re better off with smart competitors than dumb competitors Cutti...

Register for the webinars: Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/3UihUQG How to Run a 2-Year Search in 2 Months - Friday Nov 1 - https://bit.ly/3UfYJqz 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: Tragedy that ignited his passion for hospice...

Register for the webinars: Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/4dR5CWq How to Run a 2-Year Search in 2 Months - Friday Nov 1 - https://bit.ly/4dQifkn 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: Her career working for start-ups He...

Register for the webinar: Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/3zTykbc 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: Skills he acquired during 10 years at Amazon Moving from Seattle to Alabama to buy a business Red flags in business listi...

Register for the webinars: Due Diligence Office Hours - Wed Oct 16 - https://bit.ly/4h3R74o Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/3zT8sMA 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: Frustration with his consulting career Buying a constru...

Register for the webinars: Which Business Should You Buy? - Thu Oct 10 - https://bit.ly/3TYdVZ8 Due Diligence Office Hours - Wed Oct 16 - https://bit.ly/3BznZl0 As a banker Greg Bruns dealt with business owners, wanting what they had. When a friend bought a business, he saw a way. Topics in Greg’s interview: Leaving his banking career to buy a business Big risks of doing an asset sale How ownershi...

Register for the webinars: Which Business Should You Buy? - Thu Oct 10 - https://bit.ly/47TzaBc 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: Early attempts at launching companies in university Acquiring with 2 partners Their plan to build a holdco together Acquiring a 40 year old sign shop Financ...

Register for the webinars: Which Business Should You Buy? - Thu Oct 10 - https://bit.ly/4gQqKP5 Taylor Wallace & Tyler O'Connor return to discuss selling to private equity & the painful reality of managing people. Topics in Taylor’s interview: Evaluating the risk/reward of selling to private equity Selling to private equity but not exiting Good PE vs. bad PE Transition to a corporate struc...

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: Their dissatisfaction with the corporate ladder Calling on Acquiring Minds guests for search advice Acquiring a ServiceMaster Clean franchise location What changed their minds about franchises Firing their first employee before taking o...

Register for the webinars: Legal Office Hours (Deal Structure & Its Tax Implications) - Thu Sept 26 - https://bit.ly/4dhSAAX How to Hire an Operator to Replace Yourself - Fri Sept 27 - https://bit.ly/3MU6hLu Dustin Fusillo bought a struggling ATM parts & services business. Unhappily, the decline continued under his ownership. Topics in Dustin’s interview: Starting a private school in Flori...

Register for the webinars: Legal Office Hours (Deal Structure & Its Tax Implications) - Thu Sept 26 - https://bit.ly/4grubvD How to Hire an Operator to Replace Yourself - Fri Sept 27 - https://bit.ly/3zgUbJr Corey Robinson bought 4 locations in the legacy franchise Batteries Plus. He quickly bought 8 more, growing to $10m/yr. Topics in Corey interview: Leaving the security of his corporate job...

Register for the webinars: Due Diligence Office Hours - Thu Sept 19 - https://bit.ly/3B2oF29 How Much to Budget for a Self-Funded Search - Fri Sept 20 - https://bit.ly/4e4FWpV Legal Office Hours (Deal Structure & Its Tax Implications) - Thu Sept 26 - https://bit.ly/4emLEn1 How to Hire an Operator to Replace Yourself - Fri Sept 27 - https://bit.ly/3ZrbCl1 It was a revelation when Brittney Orell...

Register for the webinars: Due Diligence Office Hours - Thu Sept 19 - https://bit.ly/4d27MSA How Much to Budget for a Self-Funded Search - Fri Sept 20 - https://bit.ly/4gk4XPH Legal Office Hours (Deal Structure & Its Tax Implications) - Thu Sept 26 - https://bit.ly/3zl0H1w How to Hire an Operator to Replace Yourself - Fri Sept 27 - https://bit.ly/3TuzvEG Rory Tyer bought the nursery where he'd...

Register for the webinars: Thu Sept 12 - How Big a Business Should You Buy? - https://bit.ly/3XmtR8v Thu Sept 19 - Due Diligence Office Hours - https://bit.ly/4ghprZb Fri Sept 20 - How Much to Budget for a Self-Funded Search - https://bit.ly/4e1Qjeq 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: Sel...

Register here for the webinar , How Big a Business Should You Buy? https://bit.ly/4cSC6is Topics in Jackson’s interview: Fulfilling his dream of living on the beach Transitioning from real estate to restaurants Buying a nostalgic restaurant with his friend Unique aspects of owning a business in a tourist town Cashflow advantage in restaurants Lack of competition for acquiring restaurants Finding a...

Register here for the webinar , How Big a Business Should You Buy? https://bit.ly/4dPunmC 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: Being warned away from the asphalt industry Sisters who bought a construction business How the seller worked to ease the transition Acquiring with...

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: Pivoting from aerospace engineering to business ownership Selling his real estate investment to buy a business Beware turning your passion into your income Buying a business in his 40’s How risky is business ownership? The risk build-up model of valuing...

Register here for the webinar , Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues https://bit.ly/4dWmPxV 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: Two military buddies bought a scale business Demanding grind of the industry Downside of providing a mission-critical service Buildi...

Register here for the webinar , Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues https://bit.ly/3ySUJ7R Topics in Meredith & Michael’s interview: Buying an employment screening company The seller staying on as an employee Strict industry regulations serve as a moat Upgrading technology after acquisition How the seller eased clients through the transition Why they’re not worried about AI Mered...

Register here for the webinar , Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues https://bit.ly/3YQP2lp 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: White collar buyers of blue collar businesses Desirable traits for searchers Balancing investor returns and personal gains 3 common...

Register here for the webinar , Legal Office Hours: Common Legal Diligence Issues https://bit.ly/46OH4LN 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: “Moneyball approach” to buying businesses Making a career change at 48 Why it’s hard to find a good business Buying and holding manufacturing b...

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: Role of personal guarantee in SBA loan Why valuations remain high Rising amount of equity in deals How to find the right lender Industries: what’s hot, what’s not Financing for fast-growth businesses Increase in forgivable seller notes More re-trading...

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: The role Acquiring Minds played in their acquisition Acquiring a cold storage manufacturer Paying a premium for a growing company Buying a business three hours away Risks of taking on big projects Implementing video conferencing  Impact of...

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: Getting experience in the food industry Doing outreach while working full time Hiring a buy-side broker to search for him Going through years of “search purgatory” Writing a personal letter with his LOI Buying a food ingredient manufacturer The...