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
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Episodes
- 2026 / 11 / 5Growing a GC from $1m to $14m, RemotelyJason Leisey bought a two-truck federal contractor in Las Vegas from New Jersey, two months before COVID hit.Register for the webinar:Â Franchisor Diligence 101 for Searchers - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 11 / 2When the Business Is Just You: A $650k Garage BizMarco Hsu took over a Porsche upgrade maker run by one person, and now faces the same limits its founder did.Register for the webinar: Franchisor Diligence 101 for Searchers - Thu Nov 5 -...
- 2026 / 10 / 29Run It for 6 Months Before You Buy ItJeff Thompson took over an unprofitable elevator company as GM, with a pre-agreed right to buy it in pieces.Topics in Jeff’s interview:Why elevator companies attract private equityTurning operational chaos...
- 2026 / 10 / 26Zero to One, Then 1 to 4 by AcquisitionRahib Diwan started a short-term rental company, then bought another one 3x its size without having to use more cash.Topics in Rahib interview:From healthcare to short-term rentalsBuilding the business from...
- 2026 / 10 / 22Buying a 138-Year-Old Navy Bell MakerJon Hyatt was under LOI on a dental practice when a late-night Craigslist search turned up one he couldn't resist.Register for the webinar:Â Structuring LOIs: Competitive Enough to Win, Bankable Enough to...
- 2026 / 10 / 19Take Over the Business Before You Buy ItElias Youssef stepped into an unprofitable plumbing company as its GM, grew it 6x, then got an SBA loan to buy it.Register for the webinar:Â Structuring LOIs: Competitive Enough to Win, Bankable Enough to...
- 2026 / 10 / 15Buying a 1-Product Business, Building It to a Big ExitJay Boren bought a tiny grease tool business run out of a living room, then grew it into a brand with 250 products.Register for the webinar:The Small Things That Sink First-Year Owners - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 10 / 12Side Hustle Acquisition to $5m in RevenueBrendan Guerin was 21 when he and 3 friends bought a dog daycare on the side. Today: 6 Midwest locations.Register for the webinars:Â Debt Financing Your Deal (SBA & Independent Sponsor) - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 10 / 8The Roll-Up with No Investors & No ClockTyler Hoffman has bought 4 telecom companies with no outside equity, and works 15 hours a week to get to $50m.Topics in Tyler’s interview:Lessons from being fired repeatedlyFinding and acquiring Metro...
- 2026 / 10 / 5$33m Holdco: Teddy Bears to Insurance ClaimsColin King and his 50/50 partner have paid themselves little since 2018, reinvesting profits back into their businesses. Topics in Colin’s interview:Growing Circle City Capital’s business portfolioDon’t call...
- 2026 / 10 / 1The $150k Hiding in the Business He BoughtPatrick Dunphy acquired a low-seven-figure interpreter agency, then halved its collection times in year one.Topics in Patrick’s interview:From Army aviation to business ownershipWhy Patrick chose ownership...
- 2026 / 9 / 28How to Buy a $2.1m Business Without the SBAJack Rauch left politics for a niche Florida business no bank would finance. He's doubled revenue twice since.Register for the webinar:Â Sizing an SBA Loan to the Cash Flow - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 9 / 24Buying a $7.3m Golf Course with No Money DownKyle Holmes spent 8 years running Quail Ridge for its investor owners. Then they asked if he wanted to buy it.Register for the webinars:Protect the Business: How to Diligence Insurance Pre-Close - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 9 / 21Buying a $12.5m Contractor to Create 1,000 JobsManolo Diaz Corrada came home to Puerto Rico to build for decades and keep the wealth from leaving the island.Register for the webinars:Â Working Capital: What Buyers Need to Know Before Closing - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 9 / 17Losing a $1m SDE Business to BankruptcyMorli Desai bought an e-commerce brand with an SBA loan. Three years later: liquidation, Chapter 11, and gratitude.Register for the webinars:Equity Financing: From SBA Deals to Independent Sponsors - TODAY!!...
- 2026 / 9 / 14$340k to $1.3m of Earnings in 14 MonthsRob Brooks bought a $1.9m Sarasota HVAC shop, then ignored the advice to wait 90 days before changing it.Register for the webinar:Â Equity Financing: From SBA Deals to Independent Sponsors - Thu, Sep 17 -...
- 2026 / 9 / 10Buy a Business with Your Tax BillAdam Whelchel paid himself instead of the IRS, putting $35k down on an escape room doing $365k with room to grow.Register for the webinar:Â The Deal I Almost Bought (And Why I Passed) - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 9 / 7First-Timer Buys a $15m Business in DistressMike Bourgeois bought an HVAC company bleeding $3m a year, all cash and no SBA, then cut $1.4m of costs in 2 weeks.Register for the webinar:Â The Deal I Almost Bought (And Why I Passed) - Thu, Sep 10 -...
- 2026 / 9 / 3An Engineer's Mini Berkshire: 2 Auto Shops in 1 YearSujith Shankar left 25 years in corporate to buy cash-flowing businesses: a $1.2m repair shop and a $2m body shop.Topics in Sujith interview:How Rivian layoffs changed everythingFalling down the Warren...
- 2026 / 8 / 31Right-Tail Outcome for a Husband & Wife Search FundCourtney and Jonathan Dunn bought a fast-growing SaaS at 3-4x ARR, doubled it, then merged for a life-changing exit.Register for the webinar:Â Architecture of an Entrepreneurial Roll-Up - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 8 / 27The Ferrari of Signage: $9.5m Pipeline in 6 MonthsAndrew Sova and Alex Clark revived sales at a 40-year-old sign manufacturer, the first acquisition of their holdco.Register for the webinars:New SBA Rules: What Business Buyers Need to Know - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 8 / 2440 Schools to 130: The Roll-Up 2 Years LaterJeff Homer returns with an update: revenue past $100m, a new dance division, and 50% growth expected this year. Register for the webinars:Licenses & Regulatory Issues When Buying a Business - TOMORROW! -...
- 2026 / 8 / 20From $700k Purgatory to $3m: A Mosquito Joe UpdateNeil Finneran returns 3 years after buying a business so small it barely paid him a salary — now on pace for $800k.Register for the webinars: Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 8 / 173 Years, $80k In: An Honest UpdateJesse Sunquist put a GM in charge and stepped back to 5 hours a week — proud of the experience, restless about the outcome.Register for the webinar: Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - Thu, Aug...
- 2026 / 8 / 13$400k Profit Fixing Church PewsGreyson Boerner traded startup life for a 28-year-old niche business — now on pace to grow revenue 50% in year one.Register for the webinar:Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 8 / 10Surviving a 2-Month Revenue Freeze in Year 1Chibunna Chimezie's seller left $15k in the account. His post-acquisition liquidity is the only reason he made it. Register for the webinar:Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - Thu, Aug 13 -...
- 2026 / 8 / 6Second-Time CEO Buys a $30m Title CompanyRandy Rempp turned around a $17m insurance business as a rookie CEO, then used that track record to raise a search fund. Register for the webinar: The 3 Paths to Franchising for Acquisition Entrepreneurs -...
- 2026 / 8 / 3Acquiring Isn't Always a One-Way DoorGabriel Cruz Avila bought a $1.4M remodeling business, weathered a divorce and burnout, then sold it two years later. Register for the webinar: The 3 Paths to Franchising for Acquisition Entrepreneurs - Thu,...
- 2026 / 7 / 30How 1 SBA Loan Brought Down 2 BusinessesEdgar Galindo and his partner bought 2 businesses with SBA loans. Now he's facing the consequences of shuttering both.Topics in Edgar’s interview:Construction background in his family business“Google-funded...
- 2026 / 7 / 2760% Concentration That Killed an ExitRaj Mahajan bought a salon software business, tripled it to $11M ARR. Then his biggest customer launched a competitor.Register for the webinar:Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 7 / 23Product-Market Fit in the Trades: 4x in 2.5 YearsPatrick Beal left tech to buy an HVAC business with 90% seller financing, no SBA. He's on track to hit $3.5m this year. Register for the webinar: Working Capital: One of ETA’s Most Expensive Mistakes -...
- 2026 / 7 / 20No SBA, No Investors: The Liquidity Access LineBrian Jungles bought a $400k direct mail business in Atlanta and skipped SBA by pledging his portfolio as collateral.Register for the webinars:Don't Rush: How to Prepare for a Quality of Earnings Report -...
- 2026 / 7 / 16Acquiring a $7m Niche Marketing Agency with 50 EmployeesRob Belk networked his way to "the most caffeinated guy in town" searching for a local business — then found it online. Register for the webinars:From Working IN the Business to ON the Business: How Owners...
- 2026 / 7 / 13Escaping the J-Curve in a $700k SDE Ecom BusinessChris Farkas endured a 7-week fetal position moment when he finally found a website bug that had cost him $500k in sales.Register for the webinar:From Working IN the Business to ON the Business: How Owners...
- 2026 / 7 / 9Never Worked Harder, Never Been HappierAfter 25 years in corporate, Gina Rosen bought a jewelry wholesaling business with $635k in sales — now on track to $1m.Register for the webinar: Finance Essentials Before You Close - TODAY!! -...
- 2026 / 7 / 6Career Consultant Who Bought a 7-Figure ManufacturerBuying a metal fabricator with $1m in earnings pivoted Paul Callahan into the new entrepreneurial chapter of his career.Register for the webinar:Â Finance Essentials Before You Close - Thu, Jul 9 -...
- 2026 / 7 / 2(replay)Art of the Roll-Up: 40 Businesses in 4 YearsJeff Homer bought a small local music school as a fun side hustle. It turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime.Topics in Jeff interview:Switching from high finance to music schoolsBuying his first music...
- 2026 / 7 / 2(replay) Art of the Roll-Up: 40 Businesses in 4 YearsJeff Homer bought a small local music school as a fun side hustle. It turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime.Topics in Jeff interview:Switching from high finance to music schoolsBuying his first music...
- 2026 / 6 / 29Growing a $5m Metal Business 40% in Year 1Caleb Standafer believed in manufacturing and wanted to spend his career there. A multi-year pivot and ETA got him in.Topics in Caleb’s interview:Moving from tech to manufacturingManufacturing is important...
- 2026 / 6 / 25How to 4x EBITDA in 3 Years Without Growing SalesNed Tomasevic navigated an early crisis then grew EBITDA to $6m and exited at over 8x, four turns higher than he'd paid.Register for the webinar:Â Transferable Skills: Crafting Your Resume for SBA Lenders -...
- 2026 / 6 / 22Leaving $700s/Yr to Buy an Underperforming Printing BusinessDominick Smith left a lucrative track in PE to pursue a path that offered more meaning. Buying a business has delivered.Register for the webinars:Â Overcoming Common Deal Sticking Points - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 6 / 18From Software to Concrete Cutting (and $1.4m of SDE)When the owner refused a seller note in the $6m transaction to sell his business, Tom McCormick had to get creative.Register for the webinar:Â Understanding a Quality of Earnings Analysis: What's Included and...
- 2026 / 6 / 15Good Bones: Saving a $3m Business in DeclineDespite his love of operations, Himmat Singh intended to own his acquisition passively. Then the lead sales guy quit.Register for the webinar:Â Understanding a Quality of Earnings Analysis: What's Included and...
- 2026 / 6 / 11How to Buy a $20m Business as a First-TimerWhen Alan Turkus found a business with a mission, he knew he'd found the right fit for the final chapter of his career.Topics in Alan’s interview:Background in book publishingPost-MBA career in techTaking a...
- 2026 / 6 / 8How to De-Risk the Personal GuaranteeBrendan Burdette and Ryan Conner have launched personal guarantee insurance to enable more — and stronger — SBA buyers.Register for the webinar: Score It or Skip It: A Framework for Fast Deal Evaluation -...
- 2026 / 6 / 4The Origin Story of a Compounder ($80m and Counting)Greg Shapiro & Zach Cooper-Vastola are building a long-term, compounding business they see as the anti-PE of the trades. Register for the webinar:Franchising for the ETA Buyer: Resales, Roll-Ups, and Real...
- 2026 / 6 / 1Started as SBA Searcher, Built to a PE FundThe first business Joe Wechsler bought had $280k of SDE. Seven years later, he runs a fund with $50m of buying power.Register for the webinar:Â Franchising for the ETA Buyer: Resales, Roll-Ups, and Real Deals...
- 2026 / 5 / 28Buying $1.5m of Earnings Without an SBA LoanAs a South African in the US, Justus Luttig had to get creative to search then buy 2 trades businesses at the same time.Register for the webinar:Â New $10m Limit for SBA Loans: What You Need to Know - TODAY!!...
- 2026 / 5 / 25The Magic of Low Multiple + GrowthDavid Graf went after a business that had sat on the market, acquiring $750k of EBITDA for 2.7x. It's going well.Register for the webinars:Â Negotiating Working Capital in SMB Acquisitions - TOMORROW!! -...
- 2026 / 5 / 21Rolling Up an Industry with 1.5x MultiplesTruc Nguyen has acquired 2 nail salons, an overlooked but fragmented industry where businesses trade at low multiples.Register for the webinar:Negotiating Working Capital in SMB Acquisitions - Tue, May 26 -...