• Buying Blue Collar (But Automated & Asset Light)
    Nov 21 2024

    Register for the webinars:

    • Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 21 - https://bit.ly/4ftXfl8


    Carley Mitus bought a home inspection business doing $380k SDE that runs leans & requires only 10 hours per week.

    Topics in Carley’s interview:

    • Her goal to retire at 35
    • Partnering to do a search (maybe too quickly)
    • Building relationships with brokers
    • Buying a home inspection business
    • Rocky transition to ownership
    • Taking existing clients to dinner (25+ times)
    • Getting referrals from real estate offices
    • How they keep great inspectors
    • Tricky relationship with the seller
    • Earning the respect of their older colleagues

    References and how to contact Carley:

    • Instagram
    • Insight Home Inspection Services

    Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

    • Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HR

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

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Matthias Smith of 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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 19 mins
  • How 2 Entrepreneurs are Rolling Up a New Market
    Nov 18 2024

    Register for the webinars:

    • 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:

    • Vetting each other before partnering
    • Teaming up to roll up vet clinics in Chile
    • Pitching themselves to clinic owners
    • Searching during strict Covid lockdowns
    • Educating owners about business valuation
    • Understanding the seller’s perspective
    • Making variable compensation work
    • Teaching receptionists to use sales scripts
    • Finding investors and growing the business
    • Vision to expand to neighboring countries

    References and how to contact Francisco & Diego:

    • Diego Silva LinkedIn
    • diego@latamvet.com
    • Francisco del Rio LinkedIn
    • francisco@latamvet.com
    • Latam Vet

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

    • Book a call with Tim or email 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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 46 mins
  • How to Become an Independent Sponsor
    Nov 14 2024

    Register for the webinars:

    • Where Searchers Go Wrong - Thu Nov 14 - https://bit.ly/3O0im2a

    • Legal Office Hours: Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 21 - https://bit.ly/3O3zqo2

    Sam Rosati & partners built the Sunbelt's largest commercial fencing contractor in 3 years. But the origins were modest.

    Topics in Sam’s interview:

    • His background in accounting and law
    • Being inspired by Chenmark and Brent Beshore
    • Acquiring Alpha Dumpsters with his brother
    • Birth of SMBash
    • Origin story of SMB Law
    • How an independent sponsor differs from a self-funded searcher
    • Investing in a commercial fencing business
    • The role of luck in success
    • Acquiring and consolidating fence businesses
    • Partnering with private equity

    References and how to contact Sam:

    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • SMBootcamp
    • Chandler Reed on Acquiring Minds: Boom, Bust, Boom: Buying a Whiplash Business
    • John Hubbard on Acquiring Minds: Why Buy a Small Manufacturing Business? and Time to Sell? Growing EBITDA from $750k to $2m

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

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

    Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

    • Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HR

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 43 mins
  • The 2 Professors Who Helped Start the ETA Movement
    Nov 11 2024

    Register for the webinars:

    • Where Searchers Go Wrong - Thu Nov. 14 - https://bit.ly/40HZtZK

    • Legal Office Hours: Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 24 - https://bit.ly/4hEzVTh


    The story behind "Rick & Royce", who've probably done more to grow entrepreneurship through acquisition than anyone.

    Topics in Rick and Royce’s interview:

    • How they met in academia
    • Growth of their ETA class at Harvard
    • Unexpected success of their book
    • Satisfaction of changing students’ lives
    • Thoughts on their sons searching for businesses
    • Partner/family perspectives on search
    • Value of learning about failed acquisitions
    • How attitudes about small business have transformed
    • Using their podcast to educate about small business
    • Thoughts on pursuing wealth

    References and how to contact Rick and Royce:

    • The book: HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business
    • The podcast: Think Big, Buy Small

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

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    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

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Buying a Job to Build a Business
    Nov 7 2024

    When he realized he was willing to do the work himself, Matthew Railla bought a $500k SDE termite inspection business.

    Topics in Matt’s interview:

    • His family’s culture of entrepreneurship
    • His background running a winery
    • Becoming a business broker
    • Buying his own listing
    • Buying a tough-to-sell business
    • Getting an SBA loan using the new partial buyout rules
    • Crawling under houses himself to learn the trade
    • Seller agreeing to teach him for 2 years
    • The 3 branches of pest control
    • His plan to expand the business

    References and how to contact Matt:

    • LinkedIn
    • matt@toptermiteco.com
    • https://www.toptermiteco.com

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

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

    • Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HR

    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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • $6m Business, 3 Minutes From Childhood Home
    Nov 4 2024

    Iris Levine bought a 30-year-old construction firm just steps from the rough Nashville neighborhood where she grew up.

    Topics in Iris’s interview:

    • Working 3 jobs to pay for college
    • Background in high-growth startups
    • Forming her own acquisition mastermind group
    • Finding an unlisted business through a broker
    • Buying a porch construction company
    • Putting 5% down without outside investors
    • Choosing to forego a quality of earnings
    • Adding technology for project management
    • Motivation to find work-life flexibility
    • Possibility of expanding their offerings

    References and how to contact Iris:

    • LinkedIn
    • Episode #233 with Alan Lochridge

    Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

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

    • Book a call with Tim or email 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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Buying a Business to Build a Life
    Oct 31 2024

    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 sales dipped 20%
    • Pros and cons of having experienced staff
    • Explaining balloon payments
    • Giving back to Central Oregon
    • Meeting with top customers to understand their needs
    • Improving inventory management and website

    References and how to contact Dan:

    • LinkedIn
    • Industrial Applied Electric
    • Negotiate Without Fear by Dr. Victoria Medvec

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

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

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

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

    • Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HR

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Buying & Building a $60m Manufacturer
    Oct 28 2024

    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
    • Cutting his lead time in half the first year
    • Implementing lean manufacturing
    • Owning the business with his dad
    • China devastated US furniture manufacturing
    • Joining John Bassett to sue China for breaking trade laws
    • The evolution of “Made in America”
    • How to evaluate a furniture manufacturer

    References and how to contact Gat:

    • LinkedIn
    • Gat Creek
    • Factory Man by Beth Macy
    • The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox

    Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

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

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

    • Book a call with Tim or email 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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 53 mins