Acquiring Minds

Register for the webinar: 

• Liquidity Options for Search Investors - Wed Sep 24th - https://bit.ly/48lptOc

Jack Saville was asked if owning a small business was underutilizing his talents. The question prompted a big decision.

Topics in Jack and Sam’s interview:

• Jack’s motivation to own something and take a risk
• You are always buying a job
• Linking up with Sam Rosati through SMBootcamp
• Buying a business far from his family
• Realizing that he didn’t want to operate a lifestyle business
• Difficulties of growing in a tourist town
• Selling the business to Perimeter Solutions Group
• Joining the leadership of Perimeter Solutions Group
• Continuously question your why
• Getting in the game unlocks opportunities

References and how to contact Jack and Sam:

• Sam Rosati LinkedIn
• Jack Saville LinkedIn
• Perimeter Solutions Group
• Sam Rosati on Acquiring Minds: How to Shorten Your Search: Big 3, Little 2
• Sarah Chiles and Matthew Ferguson on Acquiring Minds: Geography as Moat: Building a Hometown Holdco

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

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

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact [email protected]

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

Register for the webinars: 

• Liquidity Options for Search Investors - Wed Sep 24th - https://bit.ly/41WmQym
• Employee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - TODAY!- https://bit.ly/4nrvvkD

Mark Anderegg built the largest private daycare business in New England. He loved the model so much he's doing it again. 

Topics in Mark’s interview:

• Raising a search fund himself
• Being the “world’s worst searcher”
• Acquiring a 16-location childcare network
• Pressure of running an essential business
• The unsolved staffing conundrum
• Screening for culture
• Underestimating the cost of new locations
• Earning a high-integrity reputation
• Growing through acquisition
• Selling the business twice

References and how to contact Mark:

• LinkedIn
• Little Sprouts
• A.J. Wasserstein
• David M. Dodson

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

• The Acquisition Lab

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

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact [email protected]

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar: 

• Employee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - Thu Sep 18th - https://bit.ly/4mbU9EI

Jerod Pierce bought an HVAC business with $500k of SDE. Five years later, private equity was desperate to buy him out.

Topics in Jerod’s interview:

• Challenging upbringing in foster care
• Adaptability as a survival skill
• Joining the investment club in college
• Getting his MBA from Harvard Business School
• Learning about ETA from Rick and Royce
• Searching only in Seattle by cold calling
• Buying HVAC before it was cool
• Value of being there every day
• Exiting for $90 million-ish
• His nightmare second acquisition

References and how to contact Jerod:

• LinkedIn
• Olympic Holdings Investments

Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Pioneer Capital Advisory

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 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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar: 

• Buyer of Choice Series Pt 1: Building Your Personal Buyer Brand (in a Sea of Searchers) - TODAY!- https://bit.ly/46ntJLG

Doug Lepisto has partnered with 7 searchers to acquire businesses strictly in Western Michigan. Momentum is building.

Topics in Doug’s interview: 

• Having one foot in academia, one in business
• Place-based private equity model
• Delivering returns while elevating Western Michigan
• Competitive advantage through building local trust
• “Find the operator, find the deal” philosophy
• Investing in searchers with one-on-one education
• The tide is shifting to long-term hold strategy
• Western Michigan students intern at portfolio companies
• 5 elements of his private equity model
• Plenty of businesses, shortage of owner-operators

References and how to contact Doug:

• LinkedIn
• Sleeping Giant Capital
• Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy

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

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Pioneer Capital Advisory

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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar: 

• Buyer of Choice Series Pt 1: Building Your Personal Buyer Brand (in a Sea of Searchers) - Thu Sep 11th - https://bit.ly/4pcznI8

Jeremy Hunka bought a $2m cabinet business, and year one consumed him. Leadership had to evolve for things to improve.

Topics in Jeremy’s interview:

• Buying a business at age 27
• Rocky first day as owner
• Living 1.5 hours from the business
• Employees wanting him present every day
• Taking too long to fire an employee
• Watching sales drop dangerously low
• Facing resistance from employees
• Learning to balance empathy with boundaries
• Hiring a great sales leader
• Installing a CEO to run the day-to-day

References and how to contact Jeremy:

• LinkedIn
• Summit Mountain Coatings

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact [email protected]

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

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

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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar: 

• Love & Leverage: Lessons from Couples Who Acquired Together - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/4mBLyw5

Brett Maxam bought a concrete business with high 6 figures of earnings. Despite being a plane ride away, it's gone well.

Topics in Brett’s interview:

• His desire to “run the show” after watching acquisitions up close
• Involving his wife as a sounding board
• Buying a business a plane ride away
• Proactively negotiating for a seller note
• “Shut up and let them do a little more talking”
• Using ROBS to fund a 30% down payment
• Getting a 70% seller note with a sub 3x multiple
• 13-week cashflow forecast is critical
• Delegating management to the local team
• Deciding whether to grow the business or acquire again

References and how to contact Brett:

• LinkedIn

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

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

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

• The Acquisition Lab

Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• 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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar: 

• Love & Leverage: Lessons from Couples Who Acquired Together - Thu Sep 4th - https://bit.ly/47PpZ6L

Felipe Corcuera bought an automation company that didn't offer AI. Since ChatGPT was released, he has had to adapt.

Topics in Felipe’s interview: 

• Imperfect information in the lower middle market
• Pivoting from investing to operating
• Finding a partner with complementary strengths
• How he defines success during search
• AI threats to traditional SaaS businesses
• Testing for seller motivation
• Valuation based on revenue
• Aggressively reinvesting in the business
• Pros and cons of being an AI company
• Economics of sharing deals for a finder’s fee

References and how to contact Felipe:

• LinkedIn
• Beecker
• Relay Investments

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

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

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact [email protected]

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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

About fall conferences: 

• Southeast Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Conference
• 2025 Buy Then Build Summit
• McguireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference
• M &A Launchpad's Fall Show (use ACQUIRINGMINDS for a discount)

Despite tight search criteria, Daniel Batista found a business that excited him. The eye-popping margins were a bonus.

Topics in Daniel’s interview:

• His experience in the film industry
• Launching a Latino media brand
• Searching for a fun business
• Acquiring an indoor playground 
• LA demographics are perfect for this business
• High initial installation costs but 50% EBITDA margins
• Candeeland Kids’ unique franchising structure
• Surprisingly low maintenance costs
• Teenage hourly labor
• Adding an arcade to his location

References and how to contact Daniel:

• LinkedIn
• Candeeland Kids Downey
• Shell Zhang on Acquiring Minds: Awakening to Entrepreneurship to Buy a Not-Boring Business
• Sam Rosati on Acquiring Minds: How to Shorten Your Search: Big 3, Little 2

Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Pioneer Capital Advisory

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

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

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

• Book a call with Tim or [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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

About fall conferences: 

• Southeast Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Conference
• 2025 Buy Then Build Summit
• McguireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference
• M &A Launchpad's Fall Show (use ACQUIRINGMINDS for a discount)

Kyle Boyden & Jake Furfaro bought tiny cleaning companies, five times. While painful, it taught them ops & integration.

Topics in Kyle and Jake’s interview:

• Leaving a “cushy sales job” to buy a business
• Doing no due diligence on the first acquisition
• Cons of property management
• Trading property management for janitorial
• Buying very small cleaning businesses
• Losing faith in SBA loan underwriters
• Educating sellers about valuation
• Seller financing on all 7 deals
• Support from previous owners
• No more acquisitions for now

References and how to contact Kyle and Jake:

• Kyle Boyden LinkedIn
• Rainier Cleaning Solutions

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

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact [email protected]

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar:

• Overcoming Common Deal Sticking Points - Thu Aug 21st - https://bit.ly/4oB4zAk

Bryan Houck was fatigued of his search and broken deal costs when he finally closed on an award-winning creative agency.

Topics in Bryan’s interview:

• Losing everything in a startup at 41
• Discovering his personal talents
• Using a buy-side advisor
• Ups and downs of search
• Importance of meeting the owner
• Buying an in-person creative agency
• The “Superbowl winning” team at Extra Credit Projects
• Talking to clients about price
• Buying a business at 58
• The “Stoopid Framework” he invented

References and how to contact Bryan:

• LinkedIn
• Extra Credit Projects
• The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

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

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

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

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

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

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron