Ann Pells shows aspiring entrepreneurs how to acquire already profitable, professionally managed small businesses that can net $10K/month—while requiring only about an hour a week to oversee. Drawing on her own journey from financial crisis to portfolio business owner, Ann explains how to find, fund, and operate recession-resistant companies without becoming a full-time operator yourself.

On this episode we cover:

From pink slip to passive ownership
Years ago, Ann’s family was blindsided when her husband was laid off—their only income source at the time. With three young kids, she vowed never to rely on one job again. After trying time-intensive real estate investing, she realized she needed teams and systems to create income without 60–80 hour work weeks.
The turning point
Five years ago, she discovered a funding and management team (via a 5‑minute YouTube video) that helped her pay off her house in five years and access $200K for business acquisitions. That same team now helps her—and her clients—find, vet, fund, and manage those businesses.
First acquisition
- Type: Water delivery service (home essentials niche)
- Structure: Partnered with ~10 existing investors, stepped into a deal mid-process with management team in place.
- Why that industry: Recession-resistant necessity (like plumbing, HVAC, medical, funeral homes, etc.).
Deal sourcing
- Common public marketplaces: BizBuySell, Website Closers, etc.
- Ann’s management team does the research, shortlists candidates that match her criteria, and later operates the business post-close.
- Location can be local or remote if a strong manager is in place.
Buyer criteria
- Target: ~25% profit margin
- Industries with steady demand regardless of economy.
- Prefer businesses already running well—opportunities to add tech or optimization for increased value at resale.
- Always buy with an exit strategy in mind (3–5 year horizon), even if planning to hold long term.
Financing approaches
- Revenue-based financing: Loans underwritten on the target business’s financials, not the buyer’s personal credit.
- Seller financing where possible.
- Partnering to share risk and split profits.
Her current portfolio
- 4 operating businesses
- Purchasing 2 more now
- Leverages same management/funding network for all deals

Practical Advice for Aspiring Acquirers:

Think recession resistance: Focus on “needs” industries like home services, healthcare, essentials.
Use other people’s expertise: Partner with existing managers and acquisition pros—don’t try to play every role.
Let the numbers guide you: Profit margin, stable cash flow, and solid P&L history matter more than “charm” or trendiness.
Ask “How can I?” not “Can I?” — Shifts your brain into solution-finding mode.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Buying beats building: Acquire something already working with cash flow and processes in place.
Partnering & management = leverage: You don’t need to personally operate the business to benefit from it.
Funding is out there: Revenue-based and seller financing can drastically reduce or eliminate upfront out-of-pocket costs.

Notable Quotes:

“Instead of telling ourselves we can’t, ask: How can I?”
“We don’t buy to give ourselves another job—we buy with management teams in place so it’s hours a week, not hours a day.”
“Recession-resistant means: people need it whether the economy booms or busts.”

Connect with Ann Pells:

Website: lifegiverlegacy.com

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