Acquiring Minds

Amir Haboosheh was drawn to the double-opportunity in acquiring home services businesses: the financial, and the impact. Topics in Amir’s interview:Why Amir wasn’t interested in a digital businessOffering blue collar employees shares in the companySnowball’s plan for going publicSnowball’s playbook for operating businessesHow to hire a good GM for your businessHow to incentivize operatorsAcquiring a marketing companyWhy SDE isn’t everythingHow Anderson Air doubled revenue in 3 yearsRetaining the brands post-acquisitionLinks and how to contact Amir:LinkedInTwitterSnowballAcquiraEnduring VenturesThe Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice SchroederAnderson AirDigitally SavvyTraction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino WickmanGet A Grip: How to Get Everything You Want from Your Entrepreneurial Business by Gino WickmanGet a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HRGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

Mark Sinatra returns to explain what to diligence from an HR perspective when buying your business. Topics in Mark’s interview:Top 3 things to diligence in your acquisition when it comes to HRHow industry associations can be a source of deal flow (once you're already acquired)"Book of business" acquisitionsBest type to execute add-on acquisitionsHow to prioritize what to integrate in an add-on acquisitionHow to recover from losing a big customerValue of personality profiling tools in hiringLinks and how to contact Mark:LinkedInmark@aspenhr.comETAequity.comAspenHR.comConnect with A-players who can run your business remotely:More StaffingLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

Sam Rosati shares a framework to clarify your search criteria & reduce the months it takes to find a business to buy. Topics in Sam’s interview:The reason search takes so long How to speed up your search processUnderwriting criteria of SBA lendersKnowing how to kill a dealConsidering the fit of the searcher as CEOUnderstanding SBA loan frameworkImportance of recurring or repeating revenueOpportunities and risks in buying smallManaging criteria to get enough deals in the pipelineCommon mistakes searchers makeLinks and how to contact Sam:TwitterLinks to all Sam’s projectsPursuant CapitalNick HaschkaSam Rosati’s investor listRaise $800k to Buy an $8m Business  | Kevin Bibelhausen InterviewGet a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HR Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

James Bloom has 8x'd a small mechanical contractor he bought only 4 years ago, despite it being a competitive industry. Topics in James’s interview:How his background in M&A informed his due diligence processHow he ensured a smooth transitionCommercial HVAC vs. residential HVACWhy he funded growth out of his own pocketReducing his weekly work hours from 100 to 60How his business differentiates itself in the construction industryGrowing his staff from 8 to 80Growing revenue from $3M to $25MWorking with unionsBringing in outside capital to growLinks and how to contact James:jbloom737@gmail.comLinkedInExcel Mechanical ContractorsBuy your ticket to the ETA conference devoted to self-funded search:The Self-Funded Search Conference (Sep 30 & Oct 1 in Dallas)Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

3 days into Monte Marcum's acquisition of an established franchise, key equipment breaks. Then the crises kept coming. Topics in Monte’s interview:Buying 2 existing & adjacent franchise businesses at onceHow Filta’s customer pricing is structuredWhy commercial kitchens love his businessCombining two businessesEquipment starts breaking on day threeMonte’s series of fetal position momentsWhat exactly is hard about running a businessHow one rockstar employee guided him through a season of crisisThe biggest risk of buying smallThe importance of a support systemLinks and how to contact Monte:LinkedInmonte@marcumbrick.comCodie Sanchez: These “Boring Businesses” Will Make You RichFilta Environmental Kitchen SolutionsJohn Schooler update episode on Acquiring MindsGet a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HRGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

Niklas James started off as a self-funded searcher, but evolved into being an independent sponsor of 7 acquisitions. Topics in Niklas’s interview:Why he returned the funds raised for his traditional search fundHow the painful challenges of his first acquisition set him up for success on later dealsWhy SaaS isn’t as sexy as it seemsEvolution from self-funded searcher to independent sponsorDefinition of an independent sponsorWhy HVAC is so attractiveGrowing his home services businessWhat type of person should consider independent sponsorshipThe difference between searchers and independent sponsorsThe difference between a holdco and independent sponsorshipLinks and how to contact Niklas:niklas.james@gmail.comLinkedInMcGuireWoods Independent Sponsor ConferenceBuy your ticket to the ETA conference devoted to self-funded search:The Self-Funded Search Conference (Sep 30 & Oct 1 in Dallas)Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

Martin Bispels updates us on the DTC ecommerce business he bought in 2020 and had grown to almost $2m/yr one year later. Topics in Martin’s interview:Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)Building and managing a great remote teamWhy he doesn’t sell on AmazonThe difference between buying and shoppingOpportunities for bolt-on productsMarks of a good ecommerce businessThe power of story to differentiate your productMoving his supplier from China to VietnamFinding a good 3PLKeeping the founder in the businessLinks and how to contact Martin:Martin@upperparkdiscgolf.comLinkedInUpper Park Disc GolfCarro appFrangiosa FarmsKeith Linebach: 8 Figure Exit, 2 Years After Buying the BusinessGet a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HRLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

Derek Turner has done both a traditional search fund and self-funded. We hear both stories & explore the differences. Topics in Derek’s interview:The advantages of a geographically-focused searchHis method for pitching business owners doing cold outreachChallenges within the laser van businessBeing a good soldier vs being a suckerThe downside of growthThe perils of buying from unpleasant ownersHow the company grew with no marketingHiring a GM to run the businessWhy have a board with a self-funded acquisitionWhy self-funded search feels different than traditional search fundsLinks and how to contact Derek:TwitterLinkedInRoll-a-ShieldDerek’s Twitter thread “When does a ‘good soldier’ become a ‘sucker’?”Derek’s thread on traditional search (being a CEO) vs. self-funded search (being an owner)With SIG, you can buy your own business and retain majority ownership:Search Investment GroupGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

2 previous guests, Mike Botkin & Adrian Pinto, are joining forces to grow a landscaping empire throughout the Southeast. Topics in Adrian and Mike’s interview:Adrian and Mike meeting through Acquiring MindsWhy it was difficult for Adrian to get a line of credit for his businessMike’s holding company acquired Adrian’s landscaping companyThe pros and cons of buying assets vs. stockHow an SBA loan can hamper growth in some situationsWhy Mike says acquisition is a talent gameHow they structured their acquisitionAdrian’s role as CEO post-acquisitionHow rolling equity can benefit the sellerMike’s holdco origin storyLinks and how to contact Adrian and Mike:Mike’s LinkedIn & TwitterAdrian’s LinkedIn & TwitterAdrian's recent episode: How to 2x Sales in a Service Business You BuyOneOutdoorGeorgia ScapesWith SIG, you can buy your own business and retain majority ownership:Search Investment GroupGet a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:Contact mark@aspenhr.com or visit Aspen HRConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

With no finance background, Kevin Bibelhausen learned to raise money from investors & buy a 20-year-old fabric business. Topics in Kevin’s interview:His health crisis that led to a career changeLosing funding at the last minuteRaising $800k in 5 weeksAutomating his money-raise process with investorsThe value of being active on TwitterAcquiring a $8m business using very little of his own moneyThe ideal number of investorsWhat attracted Kevin to Heritage FabricsManaging working capital with a long sales cycleHis investment fund, Fruition CapitalLinks and how to contact Kevin:LinkedInTwitterFruition CapitalSam Rosati’s Investor ListNick Haschka’s episodes on Acquiring Minds:How One Small Acquisition Led to 9 More in 5 Years6 Ways Buying a Business Has Changed Since 2016HBR Guide to Buying a Small BusinessLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition Lab Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter