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PODCAST

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

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

102:08

ETA Unicorn: $1 Billion in Revenue in 5 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/12/04

Steve Carroll started as an SBA searcher before pivoting to a PE-backed roll-up. It's gone better than he ever expected.Register for the webinars: How to Run the SBA Deal Race - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/3Xh3WQbHow to Invest In SMBs (Without Buying One Yourself) - Dec 9th - https://bit.ly/44Gylv1Topics in Steve’s interview:Experience working for WalMart corporateSearching while working full timeMyth of passive incomeLarge dead deal costs from a failed acquisitionPartnering with his childhood

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100:56

Buying for $600k, Selling for $35m

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/12/01

Jake Bittner bought an unprofitable carve-out doing $3m. A key pivot grew revenue to $20m and got the attention of PE.Register for the webinar: How to Run the SBA Deal Race - Dec 4th - https://bit.ly/44whqv6Topics in Jake’s interview:Building a nest egg before leaving his jobFallout from his father’s failed businessesCalculating the value of a business losing moneyDisliking the bureaucracy of large companiesJoining his friend to run a distressed companyEmployee war storiesChanging the

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75:18

When a $2.8m Acquisition Is More Like Zero-to-One

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/26

Dave Gilbert spent 2 years fixing the model and customer concentration of the $750k SDE family business he bought with SBA debt.Topics in Dave’s interview:Leaving tech to buy a white collar businessMeeting with 120 owners while searchingBuying a business he initially passed onRisks of family members as employeesFinancial surprises after the transitionLosing 23% of revenue when clients leftAccountants do not like changeRecruiting top talentImportance of listening to employeesTransferring his

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81:12

When to Buy a Large Consumer Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/24

Taylor Mattingly found high-quality revenue in an unusual and sizable B2C business that he happened to be a customer of.Topics in Taylor’s interview:Being Co-CEO with his best friendBuying a business he was a customer ofAcquiring a business in his hometownConfusing, deregulated Texas energy marketHow Energy Ogre differs from a typical brokerKeeping his call center in Texas“Set it and forget it” model“Listening tour” in the first 100 daysAdopting the EOS modelHigher leverage deal

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113:59

The Dream Outcome: From $300k to $5m EBITDA

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/20

From the acquisition of a tiny refrigeration business, Linh Tran has built an enterprise that earns millions annually.Register for the webinar: What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like -TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/3LYM4H2Topics in Linh’s interview:The "Three Rs" search criteriaBeing an undercover owner for 18 monthsEliminating 70-hour workweeks for his techsStruggling with work-life balanceImplementing value-based pricing80% rule for delegationWhy he doesn’t want to exitFostering deep employee

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96:06

Buy Well, Exit Better: A $67m Win in 4 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/17

Greg Geronemus bought a highly-profitable travel business at favorable terms, helping to ensure a great return on exit.Register for the webinar: What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like - Nov 20th - https://bit.ly/47YbVXjTopics in Greg’s interview:Challenges of searching in New YorkCobbling together a search fund in earlier days of searchStrategy of cold email outreachAcquiring at age 26Partnering with a friendSignificant challenges of running a tour operatorDigital marketing did not move the

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116:16

Buying to $4m Across 7 Sites in 3 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/13

Gail Azodo discovered a method of buying audiology practices with 100% financing. She's moving quickly to buy and build.Register for the webinar:Financing Your Deal: SBA vs. Non-SBA - TODAY - https://bit.ly/4p4J2Q7Topics in Gail’s interview:Managing brands at Proctor and GambleHer vision to run her own companyLife changing power of hearing aidsSwitching her search from Vision to AudiologyConsequences of untreated hearing lossFinancing through hearing aid manufacturersCross-licensing her

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87:12

Why Choose Ownership Over Being a CEO

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/10

After chafing under the constraints of being a CEO, Katherine Butler-Dines & Rahul Desai bought a business of their own.Register for the webinar:Financing Your Deal: SBA vs. Non-SBA - Nov 13th - https://bit.ly/47OQpUATopics in Katherine and Rahul’s interview:Katherine’s early CEO experienceBoard conflicts pushed her toward majority ownershipAcquiring without a traditional bank loanConvincing the seller to do a seller notePaying the seller note with float from advance bookingsRahul built

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90:51

How to Build a $5m Media Business Into a $20m Flywheel

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/06

Clayton Collins acquired HousingWire with a big vision for the small media business. 9 years later, it has come to life.Register for the webinar:Overcoming Risks from a Lender’s Perspective - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/3WxDKAsTopics in Clayton’s interview:Hire for your skill gapsFlying around the country to meet investorsAsking for warm introductionsSelling investors on his strategic visionWhat to look for in a media companyDirect relationships with advertisers vs. programmatic adsRebuilding

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117:25

Timing is Everything: Buying a $30m Tutoring Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/03

Both buyer Jared Lenner and seller Dave Serwitz share their perspectives on the acquisition of a 20-year-old business.Register for the webinars: Investor-Backed Search and SBA: Buy Bigger, Keep Control - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/4qABMgnOvercoming Risks from a Lender’s Perspective - Thu Nov 6th - https://bit.ly/4qDoJdVTopics in Jared & Dave’s interview:Jared buying Dave’s tutoring businessDave’s motivation to sellChoosing to work with Search Fund AcceleratorTheir agreement to “assume

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96:57

Started Mid-Career, Grew to $38m in 3 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/30

Shaun Stimpson had worked for two decades before pivoting to buying businesses in a different industry. He's moved fast.Register for the webinar: Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - TODAY! - http://bit.ly/47CVZuiTopics in Shaun’s interview:Staying in corporate was the riskier choiceCalling 1200 businesses during his searchGoing back to school to learn more about acquisitionAcquiring with his partner, Robert WolfRaising $6m from outside investorsLeaning on his professional

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89:07

Buying a Wide Moat in a Consolidating Industry

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/27

Ania Aliev was so eager to buy her business, she worked the deal while in labor at the hospital. It's been worth it.Register for the webinar: Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - Thu Oct 30 - http://bit.ly/43tlhIPTopics in Ania’s interview:Rushing to get a deal closed before giving birthUsing her people skills to connect with sellersSearching only in the Eastern USBuying an AED sales and service companyMyths about AEDsFiguring out the best pricing modelLack of competition in the

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95:13

From €4 Million, to Zero, to €12 Million

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/23

Despite skepticism from her US investors, Ivona Butcher bought (and tripled) a business in her native Czech Republic.Topics in Ivona’s interview:Doing business in a post-Soviet cultureDetermination to acquire in the Czech RepublicBuying a business as a married coupleGetting into exhibition services right before CovidLosing all revenue at onset of CovidPivoting to virtual eventsFinding work for their carpenters and metalsmithsAggressively re-negotiating their loan with the bankBuying back

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84:54

Building Trust as New Owner of a $3m Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/20

Ruchik Gandhi was a diligence CPA when he decided to get in the game himself. Becoming an owner has been an education.Topics in Ruchik’s interview:India > Australia > US immigrationDiscovery of the wonders of multiple arbitrageReceiving the deal from another searcherPaying a $20k finder’s feeBuying a fabrics and upholstery workroomLearning how to manage a blue-collar workforceMishandling employee relationshipsTaking feedback from his managersEarning the employees’ trustHis plan for

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81:28

Buying a $1.6m Business for the Inventory Value

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/16

Undeterred by self doubt, Danyelle Nys bought a $400k SDE business at a fantastic price. She's grown it 25% in year one.Topics in Danyelle’s interview:Working in her family’s asphalt businessLearning about ETA from a masterclassHiring a coach for the search processBuying a business for the price of inventory + working capitalThe seller was running it remotelyRaising prices and salaries after acquisitionDealing with an obstinate commercial landlordMoving 14,000 sq ft of inventory to a new

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105:41

Buying 2 Rivals to Create a Dominant Leader

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/13

When his deal died the first time, Kyle Poll was devastated. But then it came back around, larger and more interesting.Topics in Kyle’s interview:Skills he learned on his 2-year Mormon missionGrowing Gympass from $10m to $100mAiming for happiness at work and homeEarning the respect of brokersWatching his deals die and being outbidQ of E that drastically lowered the business valueEmotional rollercoaster of full-time searchCompleting his acquisition as CEO with equityFinding investors who

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70:06

Trades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/09

Brian Seeling sought a blue-collar business with a good manager in place. He found exactly that — with $2.6m in revenue.Register for the webinar: Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/46MlUhCTopics in Brian’s interview:Being an entrepreneurial kidMoving from IT to blue-collarGetting value from SMBootcamp“Riches are in the niches”Satisfaction of developing peopleNot all SBA lending is the same“Billionaires do business with billionaires”Tactfully bringing about

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88:11

Acquisition Unlock: €210m in 5 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/06

Nick Keegan owned a struggling software business doing just €1m/yr until an acquisition put it on the path to 9 figures.Register for the webinars: How PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/42jGpB2Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - Thu Oct 9th - https://bit.ly/48wqcMPTopics in Nick’s interview:10 years in the Irish Defense ForcesHis app idea that ultimately failedPivoting his failed business into Mail MetricsSuccessfully competing against larger

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89:04

$60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/02

Onu Okebie and Brian Boland wanted to retain 100% ownership when they began, so they used an SBA loan. It has paid off.Register for the webinars: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/481yThOHow PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - Tue Oct 7th - https://bit.ly/48FjAvqTopics in Brian and Onu’s interview:Forming a partnership in business schoolSearching for 2.5 yearsClosing on their first business while still in

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77:56

Founder Mode for ETA: $6m to $25m in 3 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/29

Aizik Zimerman bought a home services business to build a consumer brand into his life's work. It seems to be working. Register for the webinar: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - Thu Oct 2nd - https://bit.ly/46E2uv8Topics in Aizik’s interview:There is endless opportunity in home servicesHis goal of $1 billion in revenueAdvantage of his youthful energyGoing all-in on digital advertisingSmall business = big problemsFounder Mode theoryOrganic growth

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434 results

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