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 first company public in 1998
• His unwillingness to retire
• The tremendous cost of start-ups
• Which state he won’t do business in
• Buying a business he doesn’t have to operate
• Importance of listening in sales
• Living in Miami while owning a business in Minneapolis
• What makes a good property management business
• Using a loan broker 
• Appeal of keeping a business in his family

References and how to contact Nick:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• [email protected]
• Endangered Investments

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

• Contact [email protected] or visit Aspen HR

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or email [email protected] and mention Acquiring Minds

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at [email protected], and tell him you’re a searcher

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 her corporate career to buy a franchise
• Acquiring a portfolio of Sylvan Learning Centers
• Turning around unprofitable locations
• Her tips for negotiating an acquisition
• How private equity has impacted franchising
• Acquiring existing franchise locations vs. de novo development
• Which brands attract private equity and why
• New brands that are disrupting their industries
• Why Subway has value despite closing locations
• How emerging franchise brands change as they grow

References and how to contact Alicia:

• LinkedIn
• Big Money In Franchising by Alicia Miller

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or email [email protected] and mention Acquiring Minds

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

• Contact [email protected] or visit Aspen HR

Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 the “BizBuySell” of Australia
• Buying a manufacturing business
• Difficulty of acquisition in Australia
• Running the machines himself for 18 months
• Learning from his cashflow mistakes
• Launching their brand in the UK, US, and Canada
• How a bricklaying YouTuber skyrocketed sales
• Finding and hiring a CEO
• Anxiety of owning a small business
• Building a long-term holding company

References and how to contact Simon:

• LinkedIn
• Arbor Permanent Owners
• BT Engineering USA
• BT Engineering Australia
• Rowan Grant
• Jason Andrew

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

• The Acquisition Lab

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at [email protected], and tell him you’re a searcher

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 plumbing business with a partner
• Quitting his job to go all-in
• Inadequate due diligence on his partner
• His partner’s wife getting involved in the business
• Emotional outbursts and threats from his partner
• Employees and clients leaving due to the partner
• Closing the business and filing for bankruptcy
• What he learned about due diligence
• How his mindset is guided by his faith
• What he wants to do next

References and how to contact Josh:

• [email protected]
• LinkedIn

Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

• The Acquisition Lab

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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:

• Teaming up to acquire Pro Duct Cleaning
• The nocturnal, detailed, messy nature of the work
• Tom keeping his W-2 while Dawson runs operations
• Maintaining a 42% margin
• Learning to deal with angry customers
• Upgrading the equipment and facilities
• Hiring Dawson’s wife to help with operations
• Switching from Google Calendar to a real CRM
• Trouble communicating with employees
• Chasing down payment from clients

References and how to contact Tom and Dawson:

• Pro Duct Cleaning
• [email protected]
• Dan Tagliatela on Acquiring Minds: Reward for a Brutal Transition: $760k EBITDA on 3 Hours/Week
• George Vallone on Acquiring Minds: When Buying Small Goes Right (3x Growth)

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at [email protected], and tell him you’re a searcher

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or email [email protected] and mention Acquiring Minds

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

• Contact [email protected] or visit Aspen HR

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 $3.2m business he bought is likely to grow 25% in year 1.

Topics in Fred’s interview:

• Founding a real estate start-up
• Comparing rental income to small business
• Acquiring an electrical company
• Reassuring employees during transition
• Learning how to hire electricians
• Compensation in the electrical industry
• Growth through digital marketing
• Miscalculating working capital
• Importance of making the phone ring
• Helping searchers through Blue Collar Advisory

References and how to contact Fred:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Bray Electrical Services
• [email protected]

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

• The Acquisition Lab

Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or email [email protected] and mention Acquiring Minds

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 industry. They blew by their 5-year goal in the first year.

Topics in Jordan’s interview:

• Partnering with his 2 friends
• Hand writing 200 letters to potential sellers
• Building a platform of garage door businesses
• Maintaining local brands
• Why private equity hasn’t picked over the industry yet
• How they chose the garage door market
• Building trust through honesty
• Hitting $20 million EBITDA in the first year
• Beachhead and tuck-in strategies
• The role of timing in acquisition success

References and how to contact Jordan:

• LinkedIn
• Guild Garage Group

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

• Contact [email protected] or visit Aspen HR

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at [email protected], and tell him you’re a searcher

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 30-year-old business in the asset-based lending industry.

Topics in Jonathon’s interview:

• Moving from politics to investment management
• Importance of liquidity
• Factoring: a form of asset-based lending
• What kinds of businesses benefit from factoring
• Buying a factoring business
• Acquiring without an SBA loan
• Paying 2x EBITDA
• Competing with banks and other lenders
• Running a Houston business from Southern California
• Challenge of hiring good employees

References and how to contact Jonathon:

• LinkedIn
• Jobe Services Inc.
• [email protected] 

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or email [email protected] and mention Acquiring Minds

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

• Contact [email protected] or visit Aspen HR

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at [email protected], and tell him you’re a searcher

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 having the time of his life as owner of a $1.2m printing business.

Topics in Michael’s interview:

• Marine Corps experience in Iraq
• Acquiring a vending machine
• Frustration with his W-2 job
• Acquiring a SpeedPro location
• Ups and downs of negotiation and funding
• Frustrating first day as owner
• High demand for printing car wraps
• Empowering employees to be autonomous
• Hiring his wife to work in the business
• What he loves about the franchise model

References and how to contact Michael:

• LinkedIn
• The one-pager Michael used during outreach
• SpeedPro NW Raleigh
• Dominick Blue on Acquiring Minds: Buying & Growing a Business While Keeping a Day Job
• Jesse Safir on Acquiring Minds: Surviving the Nightmare: Sales Plunge 95%
• Dan Verboski on Acquiring Minds: Candid Reflections on 7 Years of SMB Ownership
• Jarett Berke on Acquiring Minds: When a Restaurant is a Great Business to Buy
• Adam Markley on Acquiring Minds: Getting Reps: Helping Others Look at Deals Led to a Holdco

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

• The Acquisition Lab

Work with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital Advisory

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

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 build websites in the 90’s
• Starting a web design/hosting business
• Sending out letters to target businesses
• Acquiring other digital marketing agencies nearby
• Integrating the businesses he bought
• Customer attrition rates during transition
• Getting bored with passive income
• Considering buying a traditional, non-digital business 
• Willingness to sell his own business
• Pros and cons of remote work

References and how to contact Link:

• LinkedIn
• Windhill Design

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

• Contact [email protected] or visit Aspen HR

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or email [email protected] and mention Acquiring Minds

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter