JackQuisitions - Small Business Acquisitions in Home Service #16 How to Buy a Profitable Company with Almost No Cash
Aug 15, 2025
Matthew Railla, a former wine industry operator, now runs Top Termite, a termite inspection company. He shares how he creatively acquired the business using SBA financing after realizing buyers were hesitant due to its unique model. Matt emphasizes the importance of trust, relationships, and having a solid team for first-time buyers. He discusses the shift from doing everything solo to leveraging experts and outlines strategies for expanding service areas while navigating the complexities of business acquisitions.
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From Winery To Business Broker
- Matthew moved from running his family winery to becoming a business broker after selling the wine business and relocating to LA.
- He used his broker role to list Top Termite and eventually decided to buy it himself after working the listing.
Profit Does Not Guarantee Buyer Fit
- Top Termite was highly profitable but not attractive to many buyers because it was project-based, relationship-driven termite work rather than recurring pest-control routes.
- Private equity and many buyers prefer recurring revenue, which made this business harder to sell despite strong profits.
Ride-Along Moment That Triggered The Purchase
- After five months marketing the listing, Matthew did a ride-along with the seller and experienced tough crawl-space inspections firsthand.
- That hands-on day convinced him he could handle the physical work and motivated him to pursue buying the company.