Shows / Acquiring Minds
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
Episodes
Acquiring MindsRun It for 6 Months Before You Buy It
Jeff 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…
Acquiring MindsZero to One, Then 1 to 4 by Acquisition
Rahib 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…
Acquiring MindsBuying a 138-Year-Old Navy Bell Maker
Jon 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: Structuring LOIs…
Acquiring MindsHow I Invested in 150+ Companies and Built a $2B AUM Private Equity Firm | James Andersen Interview
What does it really take to build a successful private equity firm from scratch, and what can 30 years and more than 150 transactions teach you about…
Acquiring MindsHow Marc Stad Raised $180M and Grew Dragoneer to $40 Billion in AUM
At 27, he had $0 in assets under management. By 32, he had raised $180 million. Today, Marc Stad's Dragoneer Investment Group manages over $40 billion. How did…
Acquiring MindsTake Over the Business Before You Buy It
Elias 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: Structuring LOIs…
Acquiring MindsBuying a 1-Product Business, Building It to a Big Exit
Jay 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…
Acquiring MindsHe's 30, Raised $25 Million, and Bought Two Boring Businesses | Giuseppe Balzano Interview
What does it take to acquire companies, build a serial acquisition platform, and never sell? My guest today is Giuseppe Balzano, founder of Novaterra, an…
Acquiring MindsSide Hustle Acquisition to $5m in Revenue
Brendan Guerin was 21 when he and 3 friends bought a dog daycare on the side. Today: 6 Midwest locations. Register for the webinars: Debt Financing Your Deal…
Acquiring MindsThe Roll-Up with No Investors & No Clock
Tyler 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…
Acquiring Minds$33m Holdco: Teddy Bears to Insurance Claims
Colin King and his 50/50 partner have paid themselves little since 2018, reinvesting profits back into their businesses. Topics in Colin’s interview: Growing…
Acquiring MindsI Met Roll-Up and Serial Acquisition Outliers. Here’s What I Learned
What does it actually take to build a world-class roll-up? After spending a day at the RollUpEurope Serial Acquirers Summit with some of Europe’s most active…
Acquiring MindsThe $150k Hiding in the Business He Bought
Patrick Dunphy acquired a low-seven-figure interpreter agency, then halved its collection times in year one. Topics in Patrick’s interview: From Army aviation…
Acquiring MindsHow to Buy a $2.1m Business Without the SBA
Jack Rauch left politics for a niche Florida business no bank would finance. He's doubled revenue twice since. Register for the webinar: Sizing an SBA Loan to…
Acquiring MindsBuying a $7.3m Golf Course with No Money Down
Kyle 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…
Acquiring MindsA Private Equity Approach to Public Markets | Deiya and Dean Pernas Interview
My guests today are Deiya and Dean Pernas, founders of Pernas Research, who have compounded capital at roughly 30% annually over the past nine years. We…
Acquiring MindsBuying a $12.5m Contractor to Create 1,000 Jobs
Manolo Diaz Corrada came home to Puerto Rico to build for decades and keep the wealth from leaving the island. Register for the webinars: Working Capital: What…
Acquiring MindsLosing a $1m SDE Business to Bankruptcy
Morli Desai bought an e-commerce brand with an SBA loan. Three years later: liquidation, Chapter 11, and gratitude. Register for the webinars: Equity…
Acquiring Minds$340k to $1.3m of Earnings in 14 Months
Rob Brooks bought a $1.9m Sarasota HVAC shop, then ignored the advice to wait 90 days before changing it. Register for the webinar: Equity Financing: From SBA…
Acquiring MindsHow to Scale a Services Business Like a Tech Company | Sam Allsopp Interview
My guest today is Sam Allsopp, co-founder of Neal Roofing and Waterproofing, a home services company he started with Andrew Neal in 2020 and has since grown…
Acquiring MindsBuy a Business with Your Tax Bill
Adam Whelchel paid himself instead of the IRS, putting $35k down on an escape room doing $365k with room to grow. Register for the webinar: The Deal I Almost…
Acquiring MindsFirst-Timer Buys a $15m Business in Distress
Mike 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: The Deal I Almost…
Acquiring MindsThe Roll-Up Playbook: From Zero to $100M Revenue | Felix Jander Interview
My guest today is Felix Jander, co-founder of Arsipa, a buy-and-build company focused on occupational health and safety. Felix and Stefan began exploring the…
Acquiring MindsAn Engineer's Mini Berkshire: 2 Auto Shops in 1 Year
Sujith 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…
Acquiring MindsRight-Tail Outcome for a Husband & Wife Search Fund
Courtney 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: Architecture of…
Acquiring MindsThe Ferrari of Signage: $9.5m Pipeline in 6 Months
Andrew 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…
Acquiring MindsThe Anti-Private Equity Playbook: Buy Great Businesses and Don’t Change Them | Justin Escajeda
My guest today is Justin Escajeda, an entrepreneur who owns 12 trade businesses around Pittsburgh, employing roughly 250 people and generating more than $50…
Acquiring Minds40 Schools to 130: The Roll-Up 2 Years Later
Jeff Homer returns with an update: revenue past $100m, a new dance division, and 50% growth expected this year. Register for the webinars: Licenses &…
Acquiring MindsFrom $700k Purgatory to $3m: A Mosquito Joe Update
Neil 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…
Acquiring MindsMasters of Private Equity: Warren Hellman, Tully Friedman and Joseph Rice
In 2010, Robert Finkel wrote the book The Masters of Private Equity and Venture Capital: Management Lessons from the Pioneers of Private Investing In this…
Acquiring Minds3 Years, $80k In: An Honest Update
Jesse 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…
Acquiring Minds$400k Profit Fixing Church Pews
Greyson 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…
Acquiring MindsHow Two First-Time CEOs Bought a $5M EBITDA Business | Greg Geronemus Interview
Greg Geronemus bought a ~$5M EBITDA business with no operating experience, financed half the purchase price with a seller note, and spent his first year doing…
Acquiring MindsSurviving a 2-Month Revenue Freeze in Year 1
Chibunna 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…
Acquiring MindsSecond-Time CEO Buys a $30m Title Company
Randy 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…
Acquiring MindsInside a Public 14-Acquisition Compounder | Eric Tan and Patrick Grove
Eric Tan and Patrick Grove are building one of Southeast Asia's most interesting serial acquirers. As CEO of Catcha Digital, they've completed 14 acquisitions…
Acquiring MindsAcquiring Isn't Always a One-Way Door
Gabriel 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…
Acquiring MindsHow 1 SBA Loan Brought Down 2 Businesses
Edgar Galindo and his partner bought 2 businesses with SBA loans. Now he's facing the consequences of shuttering both. Topics in Edgar’s interview…
Acquiring Minds60% Concentration That Killed an Exit
Raj Mahajan bought a salon software business, tripled it to $11M ARR. Then his biggest customer launched a competitor. Register for the webinar: Tax Issues…
Acquiring MindsWhy Buy-and-Build Is One of the Best Investment Opportunities | Frederik Brandis Interview
Frederik Brandis was one of the key minds behind Arsipa, a buy-and-build platform focused on acquiring occupational medicine and workplace safety…
Acquiring MindsProduct-Market Fit in the Trades: 4x in 2.5 Years
Patrick 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…
Acquiring MindsNo SBA, No Investors: The Liquidity Access Line
Brian 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…
Acquiring MindsSearch Funds, Buy-and-Builds & the Future of ETA | Greg Geronemus Interview
Greg Geronemus is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Footbridge Partners, where he backs entrepreneurs pursuing search funds and other forms of…
Acquiring MindsAcquiring a $7m Niche Marketing Agency with 50 Employees
Rob 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…
Acquiring MindsEscaping the J-Curve in a $700k SDE Ecom Business
Chris 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…
Acquiring MindsNever Worked Harder, Never Been Happier
After 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…
Acquiring MindsHow to Build a Roll-Up to 8-Figure Revenue | Nathan Lindley Interview
Nathan Lindley is the CEO of Lindley Home Services, an HVAC platform that has completed 11 acquisitions across Texas. But this story almost ended before it…
Acquiring MindsCareer Consultant Who Bought a 7-Figure Manufacturer
Buying a metal fabricator with $1m in earnings pivoted Paul Callahan into the new entrepreneurial chapter of his career. Register for the webinar: Finance…
Acquiring Minds(replay) Art of the Roll-Up: 40 Businesses in 4 Years
Jeff 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…
Acquiring MindsGrowing a $5m Metal Business 40% in Year 1
Caleb 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…
Acquiring MindsHow to 4x EBITDA in 3 Years Without Growing Sales
Ned 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: Transferable…
Acquiring Minds13 Acquisitions and Why Permanent Capital Beats Private Equity | Chris Rolls of PieLab Capital
Chris Rolls is the founder of PieLAB Capital, a holding company with nine portfolio companies built through 13 acquisitions. After building and selling…
Acquiring MindsLeaving $700s/Yr to Buy an Underperforming Printing Business
Dominick Smith left a lucrative track in PE to pursue a path that offered more meaning. Buying a business has delivered. Register for the webinars: Overcoming…
Acquiring MindsFrom 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: Understanding a…
Acquiring MindsA $6.5M Estimate in 23 Minutes: How AI Is Rewiring SMBs | David Flickinger Interview
In this episode, David Flickinger, founder of Vellm.ai, joins Mikk Markus to explain how his journey from Marine Corps officer to AI implementation shaped his…
Acquiring MindsGood Bones: Saving a $3m Business in Decline
Despite his love of operations, Himmat Singh intended to own his acquisition passively. Then the lead sales guy quit. Register for the webinar: Understanding a…
Acquiring MindsHow to Buy a $20m Business as a First-Timer
When 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…
Acquiring MindsHow to De-Risk the Personal Guarantee
Brendan Burdette and Ryan Conner have launched personal guarantee insurance to enable more — and stronger — SBA buyers. Register for the webinar: Score It or…
Acquiring Minds90+ Acquisitions, 30% Revenue CAGR, 35% Book Value Growth | Brett Kelly Interview
Brett Kelly is the founder and CEO of Kelly Partners Group. Since founding the firm in 2006, Brett has completed more than 90 acquisitions, compounded revenue…
Acquiring MindsThe 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…