Phil Miller turned a tiny pet shop doing $100k in sales into a regional pet boarding brand — and the ideal PE platform.

Topics in Phil’s interview:

• Pivoting from real estate to the pet industry
• Slow renovation creating a financial mess
• Delegation is the key to growth
• The real cost of a cheap turnaround
• Building a pet resort brand
• Accelerating growth with Store Capital
• Why franchising is a poor option in his industry
• Dealing with tire-kicking searchers
• Partnering with private equity
• Emotional rollercoaster of combining cultures

References and how to contact Phil:

• LinkedIn
• Pawville
• Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
• Taylor Wallace - first appearance on Acquiring Minds: Buying Doggy Daycares After 10 Years in Tech
• Taylor Wallace -  second appearance on Acquiring Minds:Why Sell to Private Equity: Former Guest Has an Exit
• Store Capital

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

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

Register for the webinar:

• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

Matt Brunnig hired aspiring SMB owner Kevin Peer for special projects, strategy & more at his $3m manufacturing holdco.

Topics in Matt & Kevin’s interview:

• Searching for a wife and a business
• Overcoming the fear of uncertainty
• Locally searching in St. Petersberg, FL
• Long term payoff of bringing donuts
• Quickly growing through marketing
• Using Pinterest to stoke demand for their product
• Introducing the Searcher in Residence concept
• Trade-offs and benefits for the SIR and owner
• Additional acquisitions in manufacturing
• Running the holdco with Traction

References and how to contact Matt & Kevin:

• Matt’s LinkedIn
• Kevin’s LinkedIn
• Sunrise Yacht Products
• JJ Plastics
• Custom Quality Covers
• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Kevin's one-pager

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

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

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:

• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

A friend pressed Grania Michel to change her search as if she had to close in 4 months. She was under LOI 2 weeks later.

Topics in Grania’s interview:

• Operating a business in Ecuador
• Emotional ups and downs during the search process
• Keeping her search private in the beginning
• Sending LOIs as quickly as possible
• Acquiring a commercial printing business in Miami
• Managing the deal process, debt consolidation, and equity structuring
• Translating her day one speech to Spanish on the fly
• Losing key employees after transition
• Why she recommends buying all the accounts payable
• Building a long-term legacy for her daughters

References and how to contact Grania:

• LinkedIn
• Associated Photo & Imaging
•  Tripp Lawson and Mike McCoy at Viking Mergers
•  Joe Spina and Taylor Gorman at Cullen and Dykman
• AppleTree
• Josh Richman at NewCo Risk
• Aspen HR
• Jared Johnson of First Internet Bank
• Search Fund Coalition
  
  

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:

• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

Brian Hartman 3x'd revenue in 2 years at the tree business he bought, then partnered with an investor to grow even more.

Topics in Brian’s interview:

• Picking up the phone is crucial
• Growing so fast the wheels nearly came off
• Hiring top-tier managers and ops staff early
• Managing cash flow and receivables through growth
• Expanding via acquisition, starting in Dallas
• Ensuring safety for employees
• Partnering with another Acquiring Minds guest
• Aiming for $55–70M in revenue by 2030
• Buying a business with baby #3 on the way
• How landscaping is different from tree service

References and how to contact Brian:

• LinkedIn
• Northside Tree
• [email protected]
• Webinar with Brian: Should You Buy a Business?
• Adrian Pinto and Mike Botkin on Acquiring Minds: One Acquiring Minds Guest Buys Another
• Adrian Pinto #2: Building a Blue Collar Empire
• Adrian Pinto #1: How to 2x Sales in a Service Business You Buy
• Will Gano on Acquiring Minds: After 4 Years of Part-Time Searching, Success
• John Wilson on Acquiring Minds: Buying Small, Growing Big: From $1m to $26m
  
  

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

Register for the webinar:

• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

With no PE background, Nick Huber had to learn quickly as he raised money to acquire a fast-growing offshoring agency.

Topics in Nick’s interview:

• Origin of the Sweaty Startup guy
• Nick’s role in Support Shepherd’s growth
• Backstory of the Support Shepherd deal
• How Nick structured incentives to make it worthwhile
• What turned off investors
• Inbound leads collapsing in year 1
• Is building a Twitter following worth it?
• Big changes to the business since acquisition
• The value (or not) of distribution
• Annual cost and org chart of Nick’s media team
• Why write a book

References and how to contact Nick:

• LinkedIn
• [email protected] 
• Sweaty Startup by Nick Huber
• Somewhere.com
  
  

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 webinars:

• DO’s and DON'Ts of the LOI - Jun 17th - https://bit.ly/441EocM
• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://acquiringminds.co/hiring

Kevin Ramsier bought a "guy in a truck" business for radon mitigation. 10 years later it was a multi-state franchise.

Topics in Kevin’s interview:

• Finding ways to earn money as a kid
• Bouncing back from early career setbacks
• The Wall Street Journal ad that changed everything
• Turning around a bankrupt concrete business
• Building and scaling a radon mitigation company
• Using franchising to manage growth and quality control
• 3 questions that transformed his life
• Transitioning into the role of an independent sponsor
• Investing in people instead of public markets
• How he teaches his kids to value money

References and how to contact Kevin:

• LinkedIn
• Sier Capital Partners

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:

• SBA Loans 101 + Program Updates - Jun 12th - https://bit.ly/3FGQIqB

Sarah Chiles & Matthew Ferguson left careers in VC to buy the only auto repair shop for 35 miles in their native Aspen.

Topics in Sarah & Matthew’s interview:

• Backgrounds in engineering and VC
• Preserving local fabric by buying businesses
• The “tackle shop” nature of businesses in small towns
• Seasonality in a small resort town
• Gaining the respect of employees
• Vision of a hometown holdco
• Crisis management when their operator left
• Modernizing and restructuring the auto repair business
• Finding out what each employee wants
• Long-term commitment to Aspen 

References and how to contact Sarah & Matthew:

• Sarah’s LinkedIn
• Matthew’s LinkedIn
• Aspen Total Automotive
• Shop Fix Academy
• STM Holdings
• Adam Markley on Acquiring Minds: Getting Reps: Helping Others Look at Deals Led to a Holdco
• Cassi Niekamp on Acquiring Minds: Buying a $1.2m Fencing Business & Earning Trust Quickly
  
  

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

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

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

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
Producer by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar:

• SBA Loans 101 + Program Updates - Jun 12th - https://bit.ly/4jG0FSV

After Evan Stewart found his footing in his printing business, he pushed it from $1.8m to $3.2m EBITDA in under 2 years.

Topics in Evan’s interview:

• Experience in the Acquisition Lab
• 6 months of imposter syndrome
• Earning the right to be heard
• Changes in direct mail printing technology
• Standing out amongst fierce competition
• His wife joining the business
• Moving his family to be closer to the business
• Accepting investment from friends and family
• Putting a lien on his house to get the loan
• Buying into a shrinking industry

References and how to contact Evan:

• LinkedIn
• Direct One
• Alex Holley on Acquiring Minds: Networking His Way to $800k SDE

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

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

• From this page or contact [email protected]

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:

• How to Outsource Your Search: Understanding Buy-Side Advisory - Jun 5th - https://bit.ly/43PpR4R

Christine Traylor is bringing entrepreneurial ambition to a business often dismissed as a side gig for retirees

Topics in Christine’s interview:

• Pivoting from international development to business owner
• Acquiring a historic B&B in Dupont Circle 
• A seller who refused to negotiate on price
• Living on site with her family at the B&B
• Calculating the value of the real estate
• Raising 2 small children in their business
• Long, frustrating buying process
• Combining SBA, conventional loan and seller note
• Difficulty in hiring an innkeeper
• Standing out amongst the hospitality competition

References and how to contact Christine:

• LinkedIn
• [email protected]
• Swann House
• Instagram

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:

• How to Outsource Your Search: Understanding Buy-Side Advisory - Jun 5th - https://bit.ly/44XWwX3

JD Hasley bought an upscale frame shop doing $600k. One year later, he's returned all his equity & grown it to $900k.

Topics in JD’s interview:

• Finding his business on broker’s own website
• Buying a retail frame shop
• Why DFW is a great location for a frame shop
• Learning to do the framing himself
• Standing out by answering email quickly
• Getting customers to pay in full up front
• 50% growth in the first year
• Online marketing to drive revenue
• How frame shops scale
• Empowering employees to implement change

References and how to contact JD:

• LinkedIn
• [email protected]
• Uptown Frame

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