Importance of Due Diligence in Buying Small Businesses

Recording of a live panel hosted by EO Silicon Valley with Acquiring Minds host Will Smith moderating. 

Topics discussed:

• 3 stories of buying businesses
• What the search, due diligence, transition was like for each of the 3 entrepreneurs
• Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship vs. entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA)
• The napkin math of a business acquisition with an SBA loan
• Moving from white collar to blue collar environments
• Is there a "type" who buys a business?
• Graduating from buying your 1st business to your 2nd, 3rd, and beyond
• How buying a first business can quickly lead to more acquisition opportunities
• Inorganic growth vs. organic growth
• What being an investor in search deals looks like
• Scariest moment from each entrepreneur's journey
• Question: How do you think about due diligence?
• Question: Does the softness in the macro M&A market affect activity in search?
• Question: Thoughts on roll-ups.

References and how to contact George, Corey, or Nick:

• LinkedIn for the panelists: George Goates, Corey Veverka, Nick Haschka
• George Goates’ previous interview on Acquiring Minds: The Joys & Pain of Owning a $10m City Bus Business
• Corey Veverka’s previous interview on Acquiring Minds: How to Buy the Business Where You Work
• Nick Haschka’s previous 2 interviews on Acquiring Minds:
  • How One Small Acquisition Led to 9 More in 5 Years
  • 6 Ways Buying a Business Has Changed Since 2016
• EO Silicon Valley
• Club Sportiva in San Jose, site of the panel

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

• Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HR

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