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 MindsHow to Lead a Trades Business Without Knowing the Trade
Register for the webinars: 5 Stages of the Business Buying Process - Thu Feb 6 - https://bit.ly/4aNHmEz Legal Aspects of Debt Financing - Thu Feb 13 -…
Acquiring MindsHow to Move the Needle in a $600k SDE Trades Business
Register for the webinars: 5 Stages of the Business Buying Process - Thu Feb 6 - https://bit.ly/3En1vFu Legal Aspects of Debt Financing - Thu Feb 13 -…
Acquiring MindsAwakening to Entrepreneurship to Buy a Not-Boring Business
Register for the webinars: Legal Preparation for Your Search - Thu Jan 30 - https://bit.ly/4hlhlic 5 Stages of the Business Buying Process - Thu Feb 6 -…
Acquiring MindsHow We Bought 6 Businesses and Built a $80M Long Term HoldCo | Ryan Sullivan Interview
Ryan Sullivan is a risk-conscious entrepreneur who stepped into business ownership in his late 40s, proving that it’s never too late to take the leap. As the…
Acquiring MindsHow a Couple Left Tech to Buy a Business Together
Register for the webinars: Legal Preparation for Your Search - Thu Jan 30 - https://bit.ly/4heHi35 5 Stages of the Business Buying Process - Thu Feb 6 -…
Acquiring MindsHow to Survive Buying into a Terrible Industry
Register for the webinar: •Legal Preparation for Your Search - Thu Jan 30 - https://bit.ly/3CbswuP Months into his ownership, Ayo Phillips realized his…
Acquiring MindsHow We Bought 10 Businesses and Turned $20K Into a $200M HoldCo | Roman Khan Interview
Roman Khan is the co-founder of Peak21, a direct-to-consumer holding company that has scaled to an impressive $200 million in revenue—all while maintaining…
Acquiring MindsThe $50m Lifestyle Holdco
Register for the webinars: •Is It a Fair Multiple? The Art of Making Your Offer - Wed Jan 22 - https://bit.ly/4asGoxw •Legal Preparation for Your Search - Thu…
Acquiring MindsHow I Built and Sold a $16M Company to Invest In Search Funds | Christopher Hillier Interview
Christopher Hillier is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. He began his journey as the Co-Founder and…
Acquiring MindsHow to 4x a Contracting Business in 3 Years
Mike Heath bought a garage door installer from owners who didn't use email. He grew sales fast, but profits came harder. Topics in Michael’s interview: Passing…
Acquiring MindsHow to Buy a $13m Business with No PG, No Investors
Sale-leaseback and asset-based lending enabled Carlo Santelli to acquire and own 100% of a $3.5m EBITDA manufacturer. Topics in Carlo’s interview: Applying 3x…
Acquiring MindsHow I Bought 2 Businesses With Little Of My Own Money And No Investors | Santino DeFranco Interview
Santino DeFranco is a former UFC fighter turned entrepreneur who has successfully transitioned from the octagon to the world of business ownership. Santino has…
Acquiring MindsBullseye: Buying a $1m SDE Business in a Hot Industry
Pete Ciaverilla bought a $12m HVAC business, then grew earnings 50% in 3 years. His timing couldn't have been better. Topics in Peter’s interview: Combining…
Acquiring MindsTaking a Flower Shop from $600k to $9 Million
Michael Jacobson bought his uncle's barely-profitable 45-year-old flower shop in LA. In 4 years he's grown it 16x. Topics in Michael’s interview: Revamping his…
Acquiring MindsHow We Bought 14 Businesses and Built a $30M HoldCo in 6 Years | Joe Van Deman and Colin King Interview
Meet Joe Van Deman and Colin King Founders of Circle City Capital Group. Starting with a small amount of savings and an SBA loan, over the past six years…
Acquiring MindsThe Path to Becoming a Better Operator & Strategist
Tim Lahey has doubled the $1.6m company he bought, and buying small has prepared him well for the next phase of growth. Topics in Tim’s interview: Being…
Acquiring MindsFirst-Timer Buys 8-Figure Business 4 Hours Away
Nick Molina on how he found, acquired, & plans to manage a 275-employee business in Minneapolis from his home in Miami. Topics in Nick’s interview: Taking his…
Acquiring MindsHow I Raised Money (from 44 Investors) and Bought a 40-Year-Old 8-Fig Manufacturing Business | Jason Andrew Interview
Jason Andrew is the co-founder of a holding company Arbor Permanent Owners - team of operators and investors committed to growing businesses for the long-term…
Acquiring MindsHow to Buy Franchise Businesses, Then Sell to PE
After buying then exiting a 12-unit franchise portfolio, Alicia Miller became expert on how to attract private equity. Topics in Alicia’s interview: Leaving…
Acquiring MindsFrom Frustrated Searcher to $3.5m Owner to Holdco Builder
Dismissed by brokers, Simon Plummer bought & grew a manufacturer 75% in 3 years. Today he's building a long-term holdco. Topics in Simon’s interview: Creating…
Acquiring MindsHow We Bought 25+ Businesses and Built a $600M HoldCo at 34 and 33 | Iryna and Sameer Interview
Meet Iryna Dubylovska and Sameer Rizvi. Founders of RD Capital Partners (RDCP). Over the past eight years, they’ve made 31 investments that have been…
Acquiring MindsPerils in Partnership: Plumbing Acquisition Gone Wrong
Josh Key partnered with a master plumber from his church to acquire a plumbing business doing $1.25m. It ended badly. Topics in Josh’s interview: Buying a…
Acquiring MindsAdjusting to Life in a Nocturnal Business (with $525k SDE)
Tom & Dawson Matter bought a vent cleaning business operating out of a parking lot. The transition has been interesting. Topics in Tom and Dawson’s interview…
Acquiring MindsHow (and Why) to Buy an Electrical Business
Register for the webinar: Where Searchers Go Wrong, Part 2 - Thu Dec 12 - https://bit.ly/3VtCvC1 Fred McGill liked the trades and zeroed in on electrical. The…
Acquiring MindsFirst Acquisition in March, $200m by Year End
Register for the webinar: Where Searchers Go Wrong, Part 2 - Thu Dec 12 - https://bit.ly/4igqBVQ Jordan Dubin and his partners are rolling up a home services…
Acquiring MindsHow I Bought 35+ Businesses and Built a $240M HoldCo At 38 | Andrew Wilkinson Interview
12 ideas and observations from the 56-minute conversation with Andrew Wilkinson, the the founder of Tiny, on building a 30+ business holding company: Starting…
Acquiring MindsBuying in a Huge but Overlooked Market
Register for the webinar: Where Searchers Go Wrong, Part 2 - Thu Dec 12 - https://bit.ly/41ivxUl Fragmentation & an enormous TAM drew Jonathon Tupper to buy a…
Acquiring MindsThe Thrill & Validation of Becoming an Owner
Register for the webinar: • Where Searchers Go Wrong, Part 2 - Thu Dec 12 - https://bit.ly/4f0320C Michael Johnson started searching in April. Today he's…
Acquiring MindsMicro-Acquiring to $300k SDE on 5 Hours Per Week
Link Moser built a nearly-passive business portfolio by acquiring tiny web design & hosting shops on favorable terms. Topics in Link’s interview: Learning to…
Acquiring MindsHow I Started, Bought and Sold 6 Service Businesses (In $500k to $3M EBITDA Range) | Robert Lombardi Interview
Selling the very first flooring business for $30k turned into a career of starting, buying and selling B2B, B2C service businesses. A total of 6 different…
Acquiring MindsHigh Margin & Big Upside in Lice Treatment
Derek Croft bought a $1m SDE business with a national footprint in an unusual niche. Just don't call him The Lice King. Topics in Derek’s interview: Leaving…
Acquiring MindsHow I Built a 7-Figure Swim School HoldCo With 30-35% Margins | Josh Scott Interview
Forget HVAC and trade businesses… Private equity comes after your kids swim schools… Meet Josh Scott (with wife Annie): 5 locations 7 figures in revenue…
Acquiring MindsHow 2 Entrepreneurs are Rolling Up a New Market
Register for the webinars: • Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 21 - https://bit.ly/3AMj6Fk Francisco Del Rio & Diego Silva are 5 acquisitions into a…
Acquiring MindsHow to Become an Independent Sponsor
Register for the webinars: Where Searchers Go Wrong - Thu Nov 14 - https://bit.ly/3O0im2a Legal Office Hours: Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 21 -…
Acquiring MindsHow I'm Building a $15M EBITDA B2B Micro-SaaS Holdco | Kjael Skaalerud Interview
“Selling B2B SaaS is great, but owning assets is better - that's why I went and built Skaling Ventures on my own.” A portfolio of profitable niche vertical B2B…
Acquiring MindsThe 2 Professors Who Helped Start the ETA Movement
Register for the webinars: Where Searchers Go Wrong - Thu Nov. 14 - https://bit.ly/40HZtZK Legal Office Hours: Understanding the Waterfall - Thu Nov 24 -…
Acquiring MindsThis Grocery Store HoldCo Opened 32 New Stores in 90 Days | Research Episode on Tomasz Biernacki of Dino Polska
This gentleman and his grocery store holdco opened 32 new stores in 90 days. Tomasz Biernacki - a true capital allocator has cracked the code on how to…
Acquiring MindsBuying a Job to Build a Business
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…
Acquiring MindsHow I Left Goldman Sachs and Turned $25k Into an $11M Live Lobster Business | Alex Schultz Interview
Not too many folks are willing to quit their job at Goldman Sachs to start a holding company. It gets even better… He even decided to move from the US to Hong…
Acquiring Minds$6m Business, 3 Minutes From Childhood Home
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…
Acquiring MindsBuying a Business to Build a Life
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…
Acquiring MindsHow To Buy 5 Businesses and Build a $60m Holdco (No Investors) | Dan Tamkin Interview
Meet Dan Tamkin, co-founder of Resurgent Capital Partners: - Portfolio of 4 companies in different industries - $60M in revenue - $8M EBITDA - No LPs - Happy…
Acquiring MindsBuying & Building a $60m Manufacturer
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…
Acquiring Minds2 Years to Buy, Double & Exit a Medical Billing Firm
Register for the webinars: Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/3UihUQG How to Run a 2-Year Search…
Acquiring MindsLetter to a Friend Who May Start a New Investment Firm | Graham Duncan research
Graham Duncan from East Rock Capital is so generous that wrote a letter to his friend who was considering starting an investment company. Why listen to Graham…
Acquiring MindsSmall SDE, Big Upside: Buying a Business with 5 Employees
Register for the webinars: Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/4dR5CWq How to Run a 2-Year Search…
Acquiring MindsLeaving Amazon to Buy a $3m Apparel Brand
Register for the webinar: Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business - Thu Oct 24 - https://bit.ly/3zTykbc Tech industry vet Eric Bauer…
Acquiring MindsHow I Built and Sold a $31m Financial Media HoldCo | James Camp Interview
James started and built a financial media holdco to the point where it was acquired for $31 million. He did it in 5 short years… We discuss: - Founding HoldCo…
Acquiring MindsBusiness Collapse After Going All-In
Register for the webinars: Due Diligence Office Hours - Wed Oct 16 - https://bit.ly/4h3R74o Cap Tables 101: How Capital Structure Works When Buying a Business…
Acquiring MindsMargins in Mulch: Buying a $1m Erosion Control Business
Register for the webinars: Which Business Should You Buy? - Thu Oct 10 - https://bit.ly/3TYdVZ8 Due Diligence Office Hours - Wed Oct 16 -…
Acquiring MindsHow I Bought 8 Companies and Built a $200M HoldCo (100% Bootstrapped) | Jesse Tinsley Interview
Organic growth is great, but if you want to grow through M&A while beating almost every private equity firm in deal competition. Learn from Jesse. He became so…
Acquiring MindsThe Model for a 3-Way, Long-Term Holdco
Register for the webinars: Which Business Should You Buy? - Thu Oct 10 - https://bit.ly/47TzaBc Marc Nzojibwami and 2 partners bought a business in Calgary…
Acquiring MindsWhy Sell to Private Equity: Former Guest Has an Exit
Register for the webinars: Which Business Should You Buy? - Thu Oct 10 - https://bit.ly/4gQqKP5 Taylor Wallace & Tyler O'Connor return to discuss selling to…
Acquiring MindsHow I Bought Two Traditional Businesses with $4m EBITDA at 24 | Ethan Macdonald Interview
Imagine that for a moment… You are 24 years old and want to acquire a business… You pick up the phone and make your first cold call to the founder who owns two…
Acquiring MindsTurning Around a Blue Collar Business in Decline
George Tibil & Keith Fields bought a $1.1m janitorial business with falling revenues. 9 months later, sales are up 60%. Topics in George and Keith’s interview…
Acquiring MindsWhen the Business Can't Be Saved: Resilience
Register for the webinars: Legal Office Hours (Deal Structure & Its Tax Implications) - Thu Sept 26 - https://bit.ly/4dhSAAX How to Hire an Operator to Replace…
Acquiring MindsThe Appeal of Franchise Buying: $1m EBITDA in 2 Years
Register for the webinars: Legal Office Hours (Deal Structure & Its Tax Implications) - Thu Sept 26 - https://bit.ly/4grubvD How to Hire an Operator to Replace…
Acquiring MindsHow I Built a Portfolio of 6 SaaS Businesses With 170+ Employees | Philippe Willi Interview
"There is an ultimate way to build a group of software companies without having to follow the typical VC growth playbook." Philippe Willi is building a SaaS…
Acquiring MindsOne Year Into a Garage Door Business with $350k SDE
Register for the webinars: Due Diligence Office Hours - Thu Sept 19 - https://bit.ly/3B2oF29 How Much to Budget for a Self-Funded Search - Fri Sept 20 -…
Acquiring MindsBuying the Neighborhood Nursery (with $800k in Earnings)
Register for the webinars: Due Diligence Office Hours - Thu Sept 19 - https://bit.ly/4d27MSA How Much to Budget for a Self-Funded Search - Fri Sept 20 -…