

Acquiring Minds
Will Smith
Buying a business is an amazing path for many successful entrepreneurs. Learn how to buy a business from the entrepreneurs who have already done it. 2x per week: stories, insights, & valuable advice about acquisition entrepreneurship. Hosted by Will Smith, who is on his own path to acquire a business.
Also on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@AcquiringMinds
Sign up for episode summaries at:
https://acquiringminds.co
Also on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@AcquiringMinds
Sign up for episode summaries at:
https://acquiringminds.co
Episodes
Mentioned books

4 snips
Jan 29, 2024 • 1h 44min
Taking the Plunge into Extreme Ownership
Morgan McCauley talks about working in a family office, challenges with healthcare regulations, decision to invest in business growth, and evaluating the lifetime value of clients in the home care industry.

Jan 25, 2024 • 1h 31min
Finding a Good Business After 2+ Years of Searching
Ryan Doyle shares his 2-year search for a business and his rewarding self-discipline. He discusses failed deals, the value of thorough investigations, and the dangers of 'stupid good margins'. He talks about buying a pool business, being ghosted by his bookkeeper, and the importance of seasonality. He shares his plan to own the Georgia coast and the support he found through WhatsApp. The podcast also covers decision-making, red flags, managing employees, choosing stock deals vs asset sales, navigating challenges after acquisition, targeting higher-end homes, and the challenges and advantages of owning a pool service business.

Jan 22, 2024 • 1h 54min
Buying a Business to 20x a Real Estate Empire
Brandon Laughridge shares his experience of buying a property management business and doubling his real estate portfolio. Topics include changing mindset about service businesses, growing from 12 to 25 employees, pros and cons of property management, managing tenant relationships, and who should buy a property management business.

Jan 18, 2024 • 1h 17min
4 Acquisitions In, Holdco Builder's Goal is £150m
Sam Turner, owner of Advantos, shares his vision of building the leading platform for independent M&E businesses in the UK. He discusses the importance of patience and flexible timelines, lessons from his first acquisition, and change management in blue collar businesses. He also talks about increasing the holdco revenue target from £60m to £150m, extending his 5-year plan to 10 years, and improving the lives of 30,000 people. In addition, he explores shared services among his four businesses and the success of cross-selling in the HVAC industry.

4 snips
Jan 16, 2024 • 1h 45min
14 Months from Searcher to $5.5m EBITDA
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.

Jan 11, 2024 • 1h 29min
Shutting Down After a 4-Year Struggle
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.

Jan 8, 2024 • 1h 37min
Buying a Big $7m Trade School
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.

Jan 4, 2024 • 1h 40min
Moving to a Small Town to Buy an SMB
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.

Jan 2, 2024 • 1h 41min
The Appeal of Buying a Food Product Business
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.

Dec 28, 2023 • 1h 29min
Building an HVAC Holdco to £60m in Revenue
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.


