Most online business owners have a complicated relationship with conferences. Some leave feeling energized and full of new ideas. Others leave wondering if they just paid a lot of money for bad coffee and small talk.In this episode of the Opportunity Podcast, Greg breaks down when conferences are actually worth your time and when they're not.

He starts by outlining the difference between attending as a practitioner versus a vendor. Practitioners tend to gain the most from learning new strategies, seeing how others operate, and uncovering ideas that can indirectly unlock new revenue. Vendors have a tougher time finding success. Without a clear plan to justify the investment and a proven offer, sponsorship can be expensive and risky. Greg explains why aggressive selling almost always backfires and why trust, education, and long-term relationship building are what actually drive results.

Greg also shares practical advice on how to make conferences work without massive budgets. Most importantly, he reveals where the real value of conferences shows up, not in the talks and workshops, but during dinners, drinks, and informal conversations.

If you want a clear, honest take on how to approach conferences and actually make them work for your business, this episode is worth a listen.

• Assessing the value of conferences for sellers vs vendors (01:25)
• The real cost and risk of sponsoring conferences (03:54)
• Getting the best ROI as an event sponsor (09:00)
• Where the real business happens at conferences (12:44)
• Final verdict: Are conferences actually worth it? (18:36)

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Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to get the most value out of conferences!

AI tools are already answering your customers' questions. The real question is, how do you ensure your business is part of those answers?In this episode, we sit down with Sergey Lucktinov, an AI search visibility expert who has spent more than a decade navigating algorithm shifts and rethinking how businesses get discovered online. Sergey breaks down how visibility works in the age of AI and what business owners need to do to make sure their brand is actually being mentioned, not silently skipped.

We explore how AI has fundamentally changed SEO. The focus is no longer on keywords and backlinks alone, but on meaning, trust, and whether your content is eligible to be retrieved by AI systems in the first place. Sergey shares how years of surviving major search changes led him to develop Semantic Retrieval Optimization (SRO), a framework built specifically for how AI systems retrieve, evaluate, and surface content today. He explains how to format content so large language models (LLMs) can easily understand and reuse it, and why AI has quietly leveled the playing field, giving smaller companies new opportunities to compete with much larger brands in search.

We also break down Semantic Entity Networks (SENs) and how they fit into modern on-page optimization, as well as the biggest mistakes and misconceptions businesses have about LLM optimization.If you want to understand how to increase your visibility in AI search, this episode is a must-listen.

• How Sergey developed his Semantic Retrieval Optimization (SRO) strategy (02:35)
• How AI has transformed SEO and how this affects visibility (06:18)
• Understanding how to format your content to suit LLMs (08:29)
• AI has leveled the playing field for smaller companies in search (13:57)
• Explaining SENs and how they fit into on-page optimization (17:09)
• The biggest mistakes and misconceptions about LLM optimization (22:11)
• Cost optimizations you can use to increase your retrieval rate (24:38)
• Calculating leads and audience size that come from LLMs (30:38)
• The future of SEO and AI (32:26)

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  • Semantic Vector
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  • Sergey's book about semantic SEO, SRO & AI

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to dominate AI search visibility!

You don't need to drain your bank account to buy a business. In fact, many of the best deals are done with very little personal capital. In this episode, Greg breaks down how buyers structure acquisitions using financing instead of their own money.

There are two buckets of money you can draw from when buying a business: your own personal funds and external financing. One of the most powerful external financing tools Greg highlights is seller financing. This approach allows you to structure deals where the seller essentially lends you the money, often interest-free, and can be combined with earnouts to maximize your buying power without draining your personal savings.

Debt isn't always the enemy, either. Greg shares how it can be a friend when structured correctly, but he also warns about the dangers of over-leveraging and how too much debt can make a business fragile.

Whether you're stepping into acquisitions for the first time or are a seasoned entrepreneur, this episode is packed with practical strategies and insights for buying a business with limited upfront capital.

• Financing the deal with your personal money vs external financing (03:43)
• Debt is your friend when buying a business (08:05)
• Seller financing and earnouts (12:04)
• Combining traditional funding with seller financing and earnouts (18:14)
• The more debt you put on a business, the more fragile it becomes (22:28)
• How brokers can help you get the best deal (25:32)

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Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to buy a business without emptying your pockets!

Buying an online business can feel overwhelming, especially if you are new to acquisitions. In this week's podcast episode, we sit down with Matt Raad, a seasoned digital business buyer and coach who has helped countless first-time buyers navigate the acquisition process with confidence.

Due diligence takes center stage as Matt explains what really matters when evaluating an online business and how skipping this step can turn a promising deal into an expensive mistake. For beginners, he breaks down the types of businesses that are best suited for first-time buyers and why simpler models often outperform flashy ones.

We also cover beginner-friendly deal structures, including how to reduce risk and preserve capital when buying your first site. After the deal closes, Matt shares practical post-acquisition growth strategies for smaller websites that don't require huge teams or budgets.We also dig into a topic many new buyers underestimate: why you should never sell a business yourself and instead work with a broker who understands deal structure, negotiations, and risk.

Finally, we address a common myth head-on: online businesses are no longer as passive as they once were, and Matt explains what buyers should realistically expect today.

If you're thinking about buying your first online business or refining your acquisition strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights you can use immediately.

• Pivoting from buying brick-and-mortar businesses to digital businesses (01:53)
• Never sell a business yourself; always use a broker (09:54)
• The importance of doing good due diligence (14:04)
• The best kind of businesses for newbies to buy (15:46)
• Deal structures for beginners (30:41)
• Post-acquisition growth strategies for small sites (35:50)
• Online businesses are not as passive as they used to be (42:05)

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  • eBusiness Institute
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Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to buy your first online business with confidence!

Buying a business is one of the biggest financial decisions most entrepreneurs will ever make. For many first-time buyers, it's terrifying. You're putting a meaningful chunk of your net worth on the line and hoping you've chosen wisely. So what actually makes a business safe to buy?

In this episode, Greg Elfrink breaks down the realities of business risk and shares practical criteria buyers can use to separate stable, reliable businesses from the ones that keep you up at night.Greg starts by reminding us that there's no such thing as a risk-free business. But some businesses are undeniably safer than others, and the patterns are surprisingly consistent.

One of the strongest signals of safety is age. An older business has weathered economic cycles, algorithm changes, and industry shifts. If it has survived for years, there's usually a reason. Diversified revenue and diversified traffic are non-negotiables. If the business relies on one product, one client, or one traffic source, it only takes one disruption to put everything at risk.

We also dig into how risk levels differ between online businesses and brick-and-mortar operations, and why size matters more than most buyers expect. Bigger businesses often come with stronger systems, cleaner financials, and teams that keep things running, even when the owner steps away.

Finally, Greg outlines the advantages of working with a business broker, especially for first-time buyers navigating due diligence, negotiations, and valuation questions.

If you want a clearer picture of what a safe acquisition really looks like, and how to confidently choose your next business, this episode is for you.

• There's no such thing as a risk-free business (01:35)
• The older the business is, the safer it tends to be (04:20)
• Diversification of revenue (07:49)
• Look for multiple sources of traffic (10:27)
• Online businesses vs brick and mortar businesses (12:23)
• Size of the business (15:30)
• Benefits of using a business broker (17:50)
• The bigger the business, the less risky it becomes (21:55)

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Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to separate safe businesses from risky ones.

If you want to squeeze more revenue out of your existing traffic, this week's podcast episode is a must-listen. We're diving deep into one of the most misunderstood, yet most profitable, parts of ecommerce growth: conversion rate optimization.

CRO expert Jasper De Munyk joins Greg to break down the fundamentals of Shopify CRO, including what a healthy optimization process actually looks like and why it's far more than "changing button colors." If you're wondering where to even begin, we cover what to tackle first when doing CRO, plus the stage of growth when investing in CRO makes the biggest impact.

We explore the biggest CRO mistakes and misconceptions that cause businesses to waste time, chase vanity metrics, or ignore easy wins hiding in plain sight.

We also dig into the future, discussing how AI is reshaping CRO, from rapid data analysis to automated testing, and where human judgment still plays an essential role.

If you're serious about growing your ecommerce business sustainably, without simply spending more on ads, this episode will be your new playbook.

• The fundamentals of eCommerce CRO (05:59)
• Common CRO mistakes and misconceptions (11:21)
• What to tackle first when doing CRO (14:31)
• What stage of growth should you be at when investing in CRO? (20:03)
• How AI is changing CRO (28:26)
• Exploring the mechanical side of CRO (33:56)
• How to turn customer data into actionable insights (39:18)
• How to make CRO a routine part of your business (42:17)
• How often businesses should revisit their CRO (46:14)

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  • Golden Web

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to unlock rapid growth through conversation rate optimization!

If you know exactly what problems your customers face before and after they buy from you, you could build offers that practically sell themselves.In this episode, Greg breaks down his simple but powerful "before and after" formula. It starts by understanding the before: the frustrations, questions, and roadblocks your customers face long before they make a purchase. Solve that, and you earn the sale. But once you've solved it, new problems appear, and that's your opportunity to build trust, add value, and guide customers deeper into your ecosystem.

We also look at how to map the entire customer journey so you can clearly see each problem in sequence. When you know the full chain of needs, you can build a product lineup that supports your customers at every step.

Finally, we explore vertical integration: how smart businesses automate this whole process by owning more steps in the value chain.

If you want a simple, repeatable way to grow, this episode is for you.

• The before and after formula (What problems are your customers facing?) (01:52)
• Implementing the formula by mapping out the customer journey (05:44)
• Curating your product offering (07:28)
• Examples (10:47)
  • eCommerce (10:47)
  • SaaS (13:37)
  • Marketing Agencies(16:55)
  • Course Creators (21:16)
• Using vertical integrations to automate this problem-solving process (23:58)

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Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to increase customer lifetime value, expand your offer stack, and build a business that people stick with!

Your revenue may be rising… but your business value might not be. And for founders planning an exit, that's the only number that matters.

In this week's podcast, Greg is joined by Mark Osborne, author of Are Your Leads Killing Your Business? and one of the only Certified Exit Planning Advisors focused specifically on sales and marketing.

Mark breaks down the most common exit-planning mistakes founders make long before they think about selling. We dive into why sales, marketing, and customer success shouldn't operate as silos, but as a single value-building engine, plus the quickest operational "wins" founders can implement to free up resources and accelerate growth.Mark also outlines the key systems buyers care about most, and reveals the crucial difference between chasing more revenue and building true enterprise value.

If you're planning an exit or want to build a business worth more tomorrow than it is today, this episode is essential listening.

• Mark's background - From managing unknown bands to helping businesses grow (02:13)
• How to choose the right software to aid your growth (07:32)
• Most common exit planning mistakes entrepreneurs make (10:40)
• Combining sales, marketing, and customer success(20:15)
• Big wins that free up resources to focus on growth (28:02)
• Key systems founders should focus on when exit planning (30:42)
• The difference between growing revenue vs growing business value (36:25)
• Are your leads killing your business? (40:40)

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  • Free copy of Are Your Leads Killing Your Business?
  • Mark's LinkedIn

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to transform your business into an asset that buyers will fight over.

What you do after buying a business determines whether it becomes a winner or a money pit.The best way to ensure success? Copy what private equity does. After all, they're the most experienced post-acquisition growth specialists in the business. In our latest podcast episode, Greg explores the PE strategies that turn acquisitions into scalable, profitable ventures.

Greg starts with the golden rule: stabilize cash flow before making any big moves. Once the foundation is solid, you can dive into creating leverage through efficiency and eliminating redundancies across departments. This ensures every part of the business is running lean and smart.

Pricing is another critical lever. Greg explains how testing price elasticity and optimizing pricing strategies can unlock hidden revenue potential. He also guides listeners through operational deep dives to remove bloat and streamline processes, helping business owners maximize profitability.

Of course, no growth plan works without clear financial control. Greg explains how truly understanding your numbers sets the stage for smarter decisions and faster scaling. And for those ready to push further, he explores inorganic growth opportunities like strategic partnerships and bolt-on acquisitions.

Whether you've just closed your first deal or your fiftieth, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you turn your acquisition into a powerhouse business.

• Why you should take a private equity approach to post-acquisition growth (03:19)
• Stabilize the cash flow before making any big changes (06:05)
• Build leverage through efficiency (06:58)
• Redundancy elimination across different departments (08:32)
• Pricing Optimization and testing price elasticity (16:14)
• Doing an operational deep dive to remove bloat (23:29)
• Getting a good grip on the business's financials (29:00)
• Look for inorganic growth opportunities (32:37)

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Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to turn any acquisition into a sustainable growth machine.

If you're thinking about selling your online business, there's one part of the process that can make or break your deal: due diligence. Many sellers underestimate how important it is, and how much control they actually have over the process.

In this week's podcast episode, Greg sits down with Ahmed Raza, founder of Rapid Diligence, to unpack the realities of due diligence and how sellers can prepare to maximize their exit.

Ahmed starts by breaking down what due diligence really is and the steps sellers should take long before they go to market. He explains which diligence requests sellers can push back on, and the most common due diligence myths and misconceptions.

Ahmed shares how buyer habits have evolved over the past few years and how, in some cases, due diligence can actually help sellers negotiate a higher sale price.

We also dive into due diligence success rates, negotiation strategies when diligence turns tricky, and the typical timeline sellers should expect as their business works its way through the due diligence process.

If you're planning an exit, this episode will help you avoid costly surprises, protect your leverage, and position your business for a smoother, more profitable sale.

• What is due diligence, and how sellers should prepare for it (03:53)
• How due diligence changes over different business models (11:16)
• Analyzing key man risk and team diligence (17:33)
• Due diligence requests that sellers can push back on (26:14)
• Biggest due diligence myths and misconceptions (29:17)
• How buyer habits have changed over the last few years (34:26)
• When due diligence can help you sell your business for more (39:08)
• Due diligence success rates (41:50)
• How to negotiate better deals and work around due diligence issues (46:07)
• How long the due diligence process takes on average (49:21)

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  • Rapid Diligence

Sit back, grab a coffee, and get the insider's perspective on what really happens during due diligence.