Acquiring Minds

Luis Aguilar shares his journey of acquiring and growing a commercial laundry business, discussing geographical search in Florida, working with Search Investment Group to raise capital, negotiating a dead deal back to life, acquiring a linen rental business, and increasing profit in both businesses.

Philip Blackett shares his struggles and reflections on owning a cemetery services business, including dealing with increased expenses, COVID-19 impacts, and the decision to close. The podcast also discusses negotiating deals, tax strategies, building trust with buyers, and the unique challenges of cemetery services management. The speaker emphasizes the importance of support and mentors in overcoming challenges and not giving up.

Entrepreneurs Tyrel Sulzer and Bob Boniface discuss the benefits of buying a trade school that trains truckers. Topics include partnered searches, potential in blue collar businesses, buying a CDL school, job opportunities for graduates, competition in CDL training, and the future of trade schools.

John Mahony, an entrepreneur who bought an HVAC business in rural Appalachia, discusses his vision to build a holding company, transferring skills from the Marines, hiring veterans, and preserving traditions. He shares insights about revenue growth, cyclicality of HVAC, and attracting employees beyond compensation.

The podcast discusses the appeal of buying a food product business, including topics such as starting a business while searching, similarities between food and dropshipping businesses, the role of co-packers in the food industry, challenges and risks in the food business, the psychology of having an SBA loan, and reflections on owning multiple small businesses.

Sam Turner shares his experience and strategies in building a holdco of HVAC businesses in the UK. He discusses the benefits of buying small businesses over real estate, the value in acquiring businesses in a fragmented industry, and the challenges and goals of his acquisitions. Turner also explores the differences between the HVAC market in the US and UK, and the considerations involved in acquiring businesses with new construction or maintenance revenue. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of developing people and managing performance in the success of his holdco.

Overcoming reservations about being a franchisee, benefits of franchising, B2B sales process, appeal of home service businesses, managing people, sophisticated funnels, financing challenges with high growth, using ROBS, importance of DSCR, tips for choosing an SBA lender, value of face-to-face meetings in acquisition process

Jack McCarthy discusses his acquisition of 27 pistachio & almond farms, the appeal of farmland as an asset, using technology to farm efficiently, converting farms to organic, and the long-term nature of agriculture. They also explore the challenges in the farming industry, the impact of debt on investment, investment opportunities in agriculture, and the importance of hiring great talent and building a positive company culture.

Ben Jasper shares his journey of leaving finance to buy a plastic bag manufacturer, starting work at 3:30 AM, challenges of maintaining old machinery, understanding employees' values, hiring an operator, negative revenue growth in manufacturing industry

Eddy Zakes shares his success in scaling a snow removal brokerage and the challenges of acquiring a highly seasonal business. Topics include unique business model, acquiring during Covid, negotiating with anxious seller, convincing key employee to stay, managing across multiple states, and quadrupling staff for better management and redundancy.