Description
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
Episodes
- 2026 / 5 / 7Buying Small to Build for the Long Term ($300k SDE)Brendan Duebner's goal is to build a healthy, long-term business of 20-40 people. Buying a $1.2m MSP was his first step.Topics in Brendan’s interview:Learning to lead in the ArmySummer internship with Josh...
- 2026 / 5 / 4A $800k Business to Start, $60m Portfolio TodayAndrew Blazenko has made 6 acquisitions over the last ten years. Pairing businesses with operators is key to his model.Topics in Andrew’s interview:Background as a business brokerWanted the exit joy for...
- 2026 / 4 / 30Buying Then Losing a $2.1m HVAC BusinessDan Burnside thought he got a great deal on an $800k SDE business. Instead he'd bought bad faith and years of struggle.Register for the webinar:Â Â Add-Ons and Carve-Outs: How to Get Banks on Board - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 4 / 27From $1m to $25m in 6 YearsJeff Flannery is a great example of how franchising complements ETA, having rolled up 17 units since starting in 2019.Register for the webinars:Â Advanced Deal Mechanics: NWC, Net Debt & Purchase Price...
- 2026 / 4 / 23The Searchers Building a $10m EBITDA PowerhouseNicolás Lulli bought a document storage business in Peru. 6 years later, it is a $25m leader in the Andean region.Register for the webinar: Advanced Deal Mechanics: NWC, Net Debt & Purchase Price...
- 2026 / 4 / 20Buying a $40m Business as a 49-Year-Old First-TimerGreg Hirsch wants more seasoned professionals to understand how valuable their experience can be to an ETA journey.Topics in Greg’s interview:Fifteen years learning systems at Sysco FoodsFailed startup...
- 2026 / 4 / 16How Business-Buyer Fit Led to 2.2x and No PGThanks to strong business-buyer fit, Joe Wynn negotiated great terms to acquire a $600k SDE sales & service business.Register for the webinar:Â Real Estate Issues When Buying a Business - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 4 / 13Buying a Business to Balance Ambition and KidsConstrained in her job and seeking more time for her kids, Ana Lia Barragan bought a $385k/yr, 30-year-old business.Register for the webinars:Â Your First Finance Hires After Buying a Business - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 4 / 9A Search Fund Journey to $350mJenna Whigham and her brother bought a large business for a search fund, then grew it 6x larger over the last 5 years.Register for the webinar:The Operator’s Perspective: Running a Business for an Owner -...
- 2026 / 4 / 6"Life is Just Brighter" in a $1.2m Distribution BusinessJoseph Cruz left a lucrative job in finance to pursue business ownership. Year 1 has gone well (despite losing his GM).Register for the webinars:Â What Type of Franchise Is Right for You? - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 4 / 2From Small Acquisition to $30m Industry LeaderIt took Robin Kovitz fours years to find her business, which she has built into an industry leader and her life's work.Register for the webinar:Quality of Technology (QoT) Report: Protecting Your Acquisition...
- 2026 / 3 / 30How to Acquire 25 Franchise Units in 2.5 YearsJack Foster & Jake McLaughlin raised $2.8m to buy 10 Meineke stores. That equity has taken them further than expected.Register for the webinars:Â Offshore Talent vs. AI for Business Buyers - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 3 / 26Turning $25k into a $3.2m Exit in Under 4 YearsCorey Mullins had worked in the trade over a decade when he bought a tiny, failing HVAC business for its phone number.Register for the webinars:What Actually Makes a Good Deal? Patterns from 1,000+...
- 2026 / 3 / 2340% Growth in Year 1 of a Paving BusinessEric Donahue quickly grew revenue to $6m thanks to operational enhancements, culture tweaks, and a little good luck.Register for the webinar:What Actually Makes a Good Deal? Patterns from 1,000+ Transactions...
- 2026 / 3 / 19Leaving Wall Street to Buy a $1m Manufacturing BusinessAfter 25 years on The Street, Brian Anderson discovered passion in buying small businesses — despite brutal challenges.Register for the webinar:How to Handle Common Employee Issues When Buying a Business -...
- 2026 / 3 / 16A $6.5m Business Worth Flying ToNaveen Vinta spends weekdays at the business he bought in Milkwaukee, away from home in Virginia. He's making it work.Register for the webinars:Â Add-Backs to Cash Flow for SBA Loans - Tue March 17th -...
- 2026 / 3 / 12Bricklayer to Blue-Collar EmpireAfter building a masonry business over 5+ years, Justin Escajeda bought his first company in 2018 and never looked back.Register for the webinars:Â Â From Owner to Owner: Business Transition Lessons - TODAY -...
- 2026 / 3 / 9No SBA Loan and $75k Out of PocketAfter Megan McGee pivoted her search fund to a self-funded approach, she bought a business where she wanted to settle.Register for the webinars:Â Â From Owner to Owner: Business Transition Lessons - Thu March...
- 2026 / 3 / 5Growing Profits 30% in the First 1.5 YearsJonathan Taylor has quickly grown revenue 40% at his acquisition through digitization, process improvement, and sales.Topics in Jonathan’s interview:Searching while working full-timeHis “now or never” moment...
- 2026 / 3 / 2Second Time's the Charm as Owner of a $4m BusinessAfter his first ownership experience ended badly, Joe Springsteen bought a $3.2m maintenance business that is thriving.Topics in Joe’s interview:Background in law and operationsDivorce as a catalyst for...
- 2026 / 2 / 26Taking a Single-City Acquisition NationwideEdward McDonnell bought a local services business via traditional search fund and grew it to 8 branches across 5 states.Register for the webinar:Â SMB Cybersecurity: Why Operators Need a Risk Assessment -...
- 2026 / 2 / 23Year 1 in a $300k SDE Services BusinessScott Crosby weathered the challenges that come with buying a 4.5-employee services business, and Year 2 is looking up.Register for the webinars:Â Common Legal Diligence Issues (and How to Handle Them) -...
- 2026 / 2 / 19How to 4x a Small ManufacturerTato Corcoran returns with updates on her ownership of a sink maker that had just $400k in revenue when she bought it.Register for the webinar:Â Red Flags That Kill or Reshape Deals - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 2 / 16Exiting for Millions vs. Long-Term HoldDon Grigg reflects on the different outcomes for 2 businesses he bought in his 30s, one of which became his life's work.Register for the webinar:Â Red Flags That Kill or Reshape Deals - Feb 19th -...
- 2026 / 2 / 12How to Own 20% of Multiple SMBsIn addition to buying his own business, Evan DiLeonardi trades buy-side services for equity in other SMB acquisitions.Topics in Evan’s interview:Entering the Airbnb spaceJoining Ben Kelly’s acquisition...
- 2026 / 2 / 9$20m Net Worth After 25 Years Buying BusinessesHe started by buying a small flooring business in 2000. Today Paul Lajoie takes home $1m a year and works how he wants.Register for the webinar:Why Deal Flow Isn’t Your Biggest Problem - TOMORROW! -...
- 2026 / 2 / 5SBA Deal Structuring to Manage Risk in a Cyclical IndustryAndrew Kurzrok connected with his seller over his manufacturing background, leading to a successful deal and transition.Topics in Andrew’s interview:Background in science and national labsSpending all his...
- 2026 / 2 / 2$250k SDE Acquisition: Limited Downside, Big UpsideSensing untapped potential, Ville-Matias Vilén bought a sub-million manufacturer with good IP and global distribution.Topics in Ville’s interview:Desire to “eat what he kills”1990’s Finnish RecessionAversion...
- 2026 / 1 / 29The Late 40s Pivot Into Business BuyingDespite success in corporate, Jarom Wren wanted more freedom, so he traded 5 figures of salary for 7 figures of revenue.Topics in Jarom’s interview:Realizing he was renting himself to a corporationMid-career...
- 2026 / 1 / 26The First Steps to a Family HoldcoFamily planning and entrepreneurship converged as Linh & Leo Van Deibel bought their first (and not last) business.Topics in Linh & Leo’s interview:Making the case for business acquisitionTaking...
- 2026 / 1 / 22Buying a Platform with an SBA LoanJacob VosWinkel searched in tertiary markets to find a successful flooring store, his platform to build something big.Register for the webinar:What You’re Really Paying: Net Working Capital & Net Debt...
- 2026 / 1 / 19The Contrarian Bet on a Digital AgencyGeorge Stern leaned into changing consumer search habits when he bought a digital marketing agency doing mid-7 figures.Register for the webinars:Â Which Franchise Industries Make Sense in 2026? - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 1 / 15Comfortable Concentration for a $800k SDE BusinessPhil Koller studied the concentration and key man risks in a distribution business well-suited to him — and went for it.Register for the webinar:From W2 to Owner Mindset: How to Think About Your Take-Home Pay...
- 2026 / 1 / 12Buying for Brand (Then Growing 4x)Matt Orley wanted to enter the short-term rentals space. Buying a business — and a brand he admired — was his way in.Register for the webinars:DO’s and DON'Ts of the LOI - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 1 / 88-Figure Exit After 5 YearsAdam Vandermyde had to be persuaded to acquire the $15m business that he ultimately professionalized and exited to PE.Register for the webinar:Â How to Present Your Deal for Maximum SBA Success - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 1 / 8$14.5m Exit After 5 YearsAdam Vandermyde had to be persuaded to acquire the $15m business that he ultimately professionalized and exited for 7x.Register for the webinar:Â How to Present Your Deal for Maximum SBA Success - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 1 / 5Complexity Hides Fragility: Losing a $20m BusinessJoe Odell and his partner acquired a business with over $4m in earnings and lots of green flags. It went sideways fast.Register for the webinar:Â How to Present Your Deal for Maximum SBA Success - Jan 8th -...
- 2025 / 12 / 31Buying Small to Then Buy Larger ($1m SDE)The first business Joe Soelberg bought did $400k SDE. The experience and cash flow enabled a second, larger acquisition.Topics in Joe’s interview:Leaving corporate for a chance to manage P&LHis toughest...
- 2025 / 12 / 29Passion & Profit in an American PastimeFormer pro bowler Mike Fagan bought a $2m bowling center with a plan to roll up and rejuvenate these legacy businesses.Topics in Mike’s interview:His professional bowling careerConnecting with a...
- 2025 / 12 / 18How to Buy a Generational Brand with $20m in SalesRespected consumer brands are not common in lower middle market acquisitions, but Philip Hussey and Chenmark bought one.Topics in Philip’s interview:Chenmark’s acquisition of Thomas MoserLeading a furniture...
- 2025 / 12 / 15Reward for 17-Month Deal: $1.8m of EBITDARobert Gayden worked for over a year to buy a home care business. Revenue kept growing but the price remained the same.Register for the webinar:Â What Killed Deals in 2025 - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2025 / 12 / 11The 7-Year Collapse of an SBA AcquisitionScott Duncan endured brutal ups & downs — and personal depression — during his ownership of a doomed tool & die businessRegister for the webinar: How to Model an Investor-Backed Search Acquisition -...
- 2025 / 12 / 8SBA Acquisition to $9m Cash Exit in 5 YearsAndy Rougeot launched remote territories of the blue collar business he bought, which led to $1.7m of EBITDA and an exitRegister for the webinars:Â How to Invest In SMBs (Without Buying One Yourself) -...
- 2025 / 12 / 4ETA Unicorn: $1 Billion in Revenue in 5 YearsSteve 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:Â How to Run the SBA Deal Race - TODAY!! -...
- 2025 / 12 / 1Buying for $600k, Selling for $35mJake 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:Â How to Run the SBA Deal Race - Dec 4th -...
- 2025 / 11 / 26When a $2.8m Acquisition Is More Like Zero-to-OneDave 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...
- 2025 / 11 / 24When to Buy a Large Consumer BusinessTaylor 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...
- 2025 / 11 / 20The Dream Outcome: From $300k to $5m EBITDAFrom the acquisition of a tiny refrigeration business, Linh Tran has built an enterprise that earns millions annually.Register for the webinar:Â What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like -TODAY!! -...
- 2025 / 11 / 17Buy Well, Exit Better: A $67m Win in 4 YearsGreg Geronemus bought a highly-profitable travel business at favorable terms, helping to ensure a great return on exit.Register for the webinar:Â What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like - Nov 20th -...
- 2025 / 11 / 13Buying to $4m Across 7 Sites in 3 YearsGail 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 -...