In this episode, Alex Bridgeman sits down with Kyle Baer to reflect on his journey from Accruent to Datacor and now leading Crystal. Kyle shares the lessons he learned sourcing acquisitions, scaling a software business, and ultimately transitioning into his first CEO role. Their conversation highlights the importance of patience, building trust, and embracing the challenges of leadership, while also diving into the practical realities of acquiring and running a company.

They discuss:

• Kyle's career path from Accruent into Datacor and the operational experience he gained
• The core lessons learned at Datacor, including persistence, compounding growth, and the impact of key hires
• The long process of building trust with Crystal's founders and closing the acquisition
• The challenges of moving from operator to CEO and learning to lead through others
• Insights on patience, continuous improvement, and choosing the right partners and investors

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Learn more about Alex and Think Like an Owner at https://tlaopodcast.com/

Links:

Kyle on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylebaer/

Crystal Practice Management - https://www.crystalpm.com/

Pacific Lake Partners

Trilogy Search Partners

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro (00:05:20) - Kyle's background and career path (00:13:08) - The search fund decision (00:17:59) - The long road to acquiring Crystal (00:23:31) - Navigating the acquisition process (00:26:25) - Building relationships and support systems (00:31:06) - Challenges and learnings as a new CEO (00:42:26) - The importance of patience and continuous improvement (00:50:11) - Hiring the right people and building a strong team (00:51:24) - Final reflections and podcast conclusion