Will Smith interviews acquisition entrepreneurs who have bought small businesses. We dove into every deal and matched them to real SBA loan records.
Robert Gayden · Bright Star Care of Greater Waukesha and Lake Country
High-margin service industry with low CapEx and demographic tailwinds, aligned with personal military/veteran background.
"Buy a larger business if possible; the operational effort is similar regardless of SDE size, so pursue maximum viable opportunity"
Among 349 guests who disclosed a sourcing channel. 174 (33%) didn't specify.
Jack McCarthy
Acquired 12,000 acres; transitioned 57% to organic/developing stages; top 25 global grower in specific crops.
Sandy Paige · Explora BioLabs
Grew EBITDA from $2.5M to $18M over 46 months. Exited for $295 million.
Nick Huber · Support Shepherd
Nick Huber · Somewhere.com
Experienced initial challenges including SEO collapse from rebranding and Twitter algorithm changes that reduced leads from 1500 to 700 monthly, requiring operational restructuring of recruiter compensation and sales team. Despite setbacks, Q1 revenue grew 26 percent through improved customer experience and repeat business expansion from 1.2 to 3 placements per client, with diversification from Philippines-heavy model to 40 percent South Africa, 40 percent Latin America, less than 15 percent Philippines.
Greg Hirsch · Pella Windows and Doors DFW
Bakari Akil · Burlap bag manufacturing
$5M EBITDA; 80 employees.
Greg Hirsch · Pella Windows and Doors DFW
Joseph Cruz · A&A Equipment and Supply Co.
Eric Donahue · Peninsula Paving
40% revenue growth in Year 1, increasing from $4.1M to nearly $6M.
Naveen Vinta · Bailey Cranes
Revenue around $6.5M; implemented ERP and updated branding to modernize.
Megan McGee · Virginia Guesthouses
Scott Crosby · American Services
Implemented CRM and paperless systems; profitable by end of year one despite team turnover.
Will Wright · Peerless Events and Tents
Doubled revenue from twelve million to twenty-four million over five years despite fire destruction and COVID-19 pandemic through aggressive talent acquisition, culture transformation, and market share capture from weakened competitors; achieved four times multiple and thirty-eight to thirty-nine percent IRR.
Christine Traylor · Swan House
Operating successfully in early stage with conservative first-year revenue projections of approximately $1 million and $100,000 EBITDA; targeting 5% annual growth reaching $350,000+ annual profit by year five while building equity in six-million-dollar property.
Evan Stewart · Direct One
Almost doubled EBITDA from 1.8 million to 3.2 million in two years while growing service revenue from 15 million to 18.7 million and increasing employee count from 75 to 84 through organizational restructuring, equipment investment, and cultural integration.
Robert Gayden · Bright Star Care of Greater Waukesha and Lake Country
Revenue grew from $3.1M to $5M by close; on pace for $5.7M with 15% growth; expanding sales team and benefits.
Juan Aguilar · Door manufacturing business (unnamed in transcript)
Business doubled EBITDA from $3 million to $6 million over six years through team restructuring, product focus, geographic expansion, and significant price increases; successfully completed dividend recapitalization in 2021-2022 returning capital to investors while retaining ownership.
Jeff Horn · Benchmark Business Solutions
Revenue grew from $5.5 million to $30 million in five years through three primary drivers: agent-to-dealer transformation generating higher margins and recurring revenue, five platform and bolt-on acquisitions expanding geographic footprint, and ancillary service additions including internal financing and managed IT services, resulting in EBITDA growth from $1.1 million to $3-4 million.
Scott Duncan
Initial loss of major customer; COVID-led decline; moved to new facility in 2023 but went to zero and liquidated in 2025.
Bryan Houck · Extra Credit Projects
Functioning as a high-quality team; focused on growing "secret sauce."
Scott Alexander · Jairus Marketing
Revenue collapsed by 80% during COVID; business pivoted from DTC to B2B healthcare; now mid-seven figures revenue.
Keegan Dum · eGenuity
Justin Willess
Revenue grew from $12M to $18M; business forced to close in 2023 due to accounts being garnished via Confession of Judgment.
Jens Grudno · DOVO
| Episode | Guest | Industry | State | Price | Financing | SBA Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buying a $40m Business as a 49-Year-Old First-Timer | Greg Hirsch | Windows and Doors retail/distribution | TX | $40.0M | — | ✓ |
| How Business-Buyer Fit Led to 2.2x and No PG | Joe Wynn | operating room supply sales and service business | — | $600K | seller | ✓ |
| A Search Fund Journey to $350m | Jenna Whigham | home care | — | — | — | ✓ |
| "Life is Just Brighter" in a $1.2m Distribution Business | Joseph Cruz | distribution business; equipment and supply distribution | IL | $1.2M | — | ✓ |
| How to Acquire 25 Franchise Units in 2.5 Years | Jack Foster | automotive services/car maintenance | — | $1.2M | — | ✓ |
| Turning $25k into a $3.2m Exit in Under 4 Years | Corey Mullins | HVAC | FL | $150K | — | — |
| 40% Growth in Year 1 of a Paving Business | Eric Donahue | paving company | VA | $1.8M | conventional | ✓ |
| Leaving Wall Street to Buy a $1m Manufacturing Business | Brian Anderson | Manufacturing | VT | $1.0M | — | ✓ |
| A $6.5m Business Worth Flying To | Naveen Vinta | aerial work platform business | WI | $4.5M | — | ✓ |
| Bricklayer to Blue-Collar Empire | Justin Escajeda | Construction trades | PA | $846K | — | — |
| No SBA Loan and $75k Out of Pocket | Megan McGee | Guesthouses | VA | — | — | ✓ |
| Growing Profits 30% in the First 1.5 Years | Jonathan Taylor | — | CA | — | seller | — |
| Second Time's the Charm as Owner of a $4m Business | Joe Springsteen | biohazard cleanup | FL | $1.5M | — | ✓ |
| Taking a Single-City Acquisition Nationwide | Edward McDonnell | indoor plant/landscaping services business | WA | — | — | ✓ |
| Year 1 in a $300k SDE Services Business | Scott Crosby | services business | MO | $830K | — | ✓ |
| How to 4x a Small Manufacturer | Tato Corcoran | sink maker / manufacturer | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Exiting for Millions vs. Long-Term Hold | Don Grigg | Manufacturing / Plastics recycling | — | — | — | — |
| How to Own 20% of Multiple SMBs | Evan DiLeonardi | commercial cleaning business | OH | $1.6M | — | ✓ |
| $20m Net Worth After 25 Years Buying Businesses | Paul Lajoie | flooring | TX | $900K | — | ✓ |
| SBA Deal Structuring to Manage Risk in a Cyclical Industry | Andrew Kurzrok | Sheet metal manufacturing | — | — | — | ✓ |
| $250k SDE Acquisition: Limited Downside, Big Upside | Ville-Matias Vilén | cattle brush manufacturer | — | $500K | — | — |
| The Late 40s Pivot Into Business Buying | Jarom Wren | e-commerce business | FL | — | — | ✓ |
| The First Steps to a Family Holdco | Linh Van Deibel | engineering consulting firm | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Platform with an SBA Loan | Jacob VosWinkel | flooring store | NC | $5.0M | SBA 7a | — |
| The Contrarian Bet on a Digital Agency | George Stern | digital marketing agency | CO | $5.0M | — | — |
| Comfortable Concentration for a $800k SDE Business | Phil Koller | distribution business | NJ | $2.5M | — | — |
| Buying for Brand (Then Growing 4x) | Matt Orley | short-term rentals | — | — | — | — |
| 8-Figure Exit After 5 Years | Adam Vandermyde | Fuel infrastructure distribution | UT | $4.5M | — | — |
| Complexity Hides Fragility: Losing a $20m Business | Joe Odell | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buying Small to Then Buy Larger ($1m SDE) | Joe Soelberg | Branding and advertising agency | IL | $1.5M | — | — |
| Passion & Profit in an American Pastime | Mike Fagan | bowling center / bowling alley | NM | $2.0M | — | ✓ |
| How to Buy a Generational Brand with $20m in Sales | Philip Hussey | furniture business - custom | — | $20.0M | — | ✓ |
| Reward for 17-Month Deal: $1.8m of EBITDA | Robert Gayden | home care business | WI | $7.0M | — | ✓ |
| The 7-Year Collapse of an SBA Acquisition | Scott Duncan | tool & die business | MA | $3.6M | SBA 7a | — |
| SBA Acquisition to $9m Cash Exit in 5 Years | Andy Rougeot | blue collar business | CO | $9.0M | SBA 7a | — |
| ETA Unicorn: $1 Billion in Revenue in 5 Years | Steve Carroll | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buying for $600k, Selling for $35m | Jake Bittner | service company | — | $600K | — | — |
| When a $2.8m Acquisition Is More Like Zero-to-One | Dave Gilbert | white collar business | — | $2.8M | SBA 7a | — |
| The Dream Outcome: From $300k to $5m EBITDA | Linh Tran | refrigeration | — | $1.4M | — | — |
| Buy Well, Exit Better: A $67m Win in 4 Years | Greg Geronemus | travel business | NY | $29.0M | — | — |
| Buying to $4m Across 7 Sites in 3 Years | Gail Azodo | audiology practices | — | $4.0M | — | — |
| Why Choose Ownership Over Being a CEO | Katherine Butler-Dines | Travel - guided group tours for women | OH | $500K | — | — |
| How to Build a $5m Media Business Into a $20m Flywheel | Clayton Collins | media business | — | — | — | — |
| Timing is Everything: Buying a $30m Tutoring Business | Jared Lenner | tutoring | — | $30.0M | — | — |
| Started Mid-Career, Grew to $38m in 3 Years | Shaun Stimpson | Industrial Distribution - Hydraulic and Pneumatic Fluid Connectors | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Wide Moat in a Consolidating Industry | Ania Aliev | AED sales and service company | — | — | — | ✓ |
| From €4 Million, to Zero, to €12 Million | Ivona Butcher | — | — | $4.0M | — | — |
| Building Trust as New Owner of a $3m Business | Ruchik Gandhi | fabrics and upholstery workroom | NJ | $2.0M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Buying a $1.6m Business for the Inventory Value | Danyelle Nys | home staging | WA | $780K | — | — |
| Buying 2 Rivals to Create a Dominant Leader | Kyle Poll | Gympass competitor / fitness/wellness pass service | — | — | — | — |
| Trades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business | Brian Seeling | Appliance Repair Business | FL | $1.6M | SBA 7a | — |
| $60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition | Brian Boland | niche/time-sensitive freight | — | — | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Founder Mode for ETA: $6m to $25m in 3 Years | Aizik Zimerman | home services | — | — | — | — |
| Deciding to Exit After 2 Years of Ownership | Jack Saville | lifestyle business in a tourist town | — | — | — | — |
| So Much Fun: The Buyer of Choice in a Fragmented Industry | Mark Anderegg | private daycare / childcare | — | — | — | ✓ |
| From SBA Loan to High 8-Figure Exit | Jerod Pierce | HVAC | WA | $1.8M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Hiring a CEO to Run Things (and Get Life Back) | Jeremy Hunka | cabinet business | CO | $1.7M | — | ✓ |
| A Few Hours Per Week, a Few States Away | Brett Maxam | concrete business | WA | $2.0M | mixed | — |
| The Joy & Pain of Buying a Tech Business | Felipe Corcuera | automation company / SaaS | TX | $8.5M | — | — |
| $2 Million of Fun: Big Margins in Play Centers | Daniel Batista | indoor playground with arcade | CA | $3.5M | — | ✓ |
| Stacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in Revenue | Kyle Boyden | cleaning companies | WA | — | mixed | ✓ |
| 4th Time's the Charm: 3 Broken Deals to Buy a Great Business | Bryan Houck | marketing agency - traditional in-person creative agency | MI | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying and Building a Xerox Dealer to $30m | Jeff Horn | Xerox sales & service business | TX | — | — | ✓ |
| A Searcher’s Second Act: Building a $25m Holdco | Eric Calderon | testing | TX | — | — | ✓ |
| 2 Years to $40m: The Anatomy of a High-Velocity Roll-up | Luis Reyes | fire safety businesses | — | $1.0M | — | ✓ |
| Building a $25m FedEx Route Empire from $100k Equity | Avery Tomek | FedEx contractor / shipping logistics | TX | $1.0M | — | ✓ |
| Buying a $200m Franchisor (Not Units, the Whole System) | Tyler Gordon | thrift stores / franchise system | — | — | — | ✓ |
| A $10m Acquisition for Freedom and Family | Anica John | print-on-demand service for self-publishers | MI | $8.9M | mixed | ✓ |
| You’ve Been Served: Buying a $1.3m Process-Serving Company | Raj Kankaria | process serving / legal services | TX | $1.0M | — | — |
| One Year, 3x Revenue, and a Clear Path to $15M | Enrique Rodriguez | electrical contractor specializing in commercial | VA | $450K | — | — |
| From Searcher to Sponsor: How to Buy a $22m Business | Yan Vinarskiy | manufacturer of floor coating solutions | IL | $22.0M | — | — |
| Saying No to CEO Roles, Yes to Ownership | Marci LaRouech | HR consulting firm | FL | $1.0M | — | — |
| From Sales Freefall to $1.2m/Month | Ryan Adams | Premium paint brand sales and painting services | FL | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| Reviving a Covid-Crushed Business: $0 to $6m in 3 Years | Adam Rao | Trade show exhibit production | MN | $780K | — | — |
| Scaling a Tiny Acquisition to a PE-Backed Exit | Phil Miller | pet supplies store with pet boarding | NC | $300K | — | ✓ |
| New Way to Pursue ETA: Searcher-in-Residence | Matt Brunnig | tiny manufacturer | FL | $100K | — | — |
| From Stalled Search to $750k SDE: The Power of Speed | Grania Michel | photo and imaging business | — | $750K | — | ✓ |
| The Path from $2.5m to $60m in a Tree Business | Brian Hartman | tree business | GA | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| How a First-Timer Pulled Off a $52m Acquisition | Nick Huber | recruiting agency for Filipino talent | — | $52.0M | — | ✓ |
| The $60k Acquisition that Grew to a $77m Exit | Kevin Ramsier | radon mitigation | MI | $60K | — | ✓ |
| Geography as Moat: Building a Hometown Holdco | Sarah Chiles | auto repair | CO | $1.5M | — | ✓ |
| Evolving a Legacy Business to $3.2m EBITDA | Evan Stewart | commercial printing | FL | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Build $7.5m in Net Worth by Buying a B&B | Christine Traylor | Bed & Breakfast | DC | — | mixed | ✓ |
| How to Grow Revenue 50% in Year 1 | JD Hasley | upscale frame shop | TX | $645K | — | ✓ |
| The Entrepreneur Awakens: Pivoting from Tech to Ownership | Kin Sio | hotel | HI | $2.8M | — | ✓ |
| Quitting Consulting to Buy a $1m SDE Agency | Julia Hensel | SEO agency for personal injury attorneys | — | $2.0M | — | ✓ |
| Rebuilding from 80% Collapse to Mid-7 Figures Revenue | Scott Alexander | marketing agency | CO | $2.1M | — | — |
| Buying $5m of Revenue with $50k of Equity | Devin Fitzgerald | home health care / home healthcare | — | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Use an SBA Loan to Roll Up from $6m to $140m | Michael Davidov | home care agency | — | $6.0M | — | ✓ |
| How 1 Couple Bought 2 Businesses | Kevin Black | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Turning a $250k Investment into $7m+ | Marvin Karlow | powder-coating | FL | $2.1M | — | — |
| Buying a Remote, 20-Year-Old Business with $900k of SDE | Dan Angel | corporate travel agency | SC | $4.0M | — | ✓ |
| 21 Months to Stability Buying a $1.2m SDE Business | Jan Roll | Residential construction / General contracting | GA | $4.0M | — | — |
| How to Build a Niche Holdco with $2m in Earnings | Matt Kopp | education - organic samples | — | $5.0M | — | ✓ |
| Hiding in Plain Sight on BizBuySell: $800k SDE for 2x | Joe Ziolkowski | wood veneer manufacturing | WI | $1.4M | — | — |
| How to Reinvent a $1m Candle Manufacturer | Adam Goldberg | Candle manufacturing | QC | $600K | — | ✓ |
| Stars Align After 4 Broken Deals | Keegan Dum | — | — | — | — | — |
| When Buying a Retail Business Makes Sense | Ken Eyjolfson | mattress retail warehouse | — | $815K | — | — |
| Why Buy a Travel Agency (Because They Can Crush It) | Jared Benoff | travel agency - destination weddings niche | — | $2.0M | — | ✓ |
| How to Buy a Multinational | Adam Salmen | Steel machinery sourcing and services for steel manufacturers | — | — | — | — |
| Lessons from 24 Acquisition Nightmares | Jed Morris | landscaping | — | $400K | — | — |
| From Tech Sales to Forklift Repair | Shaugn Lindley | Forklift repair | — | — | — | — |
| Building a Beloved Brand from a Tiny, Dying Business | Harley Sitner | Volkswagen van repair shop | WA | $100K | — | ✓ |
| The Appeal (and Risk) of Buying a Consulting Firm | Nick Munsee | Traffic engineering and transportation consulting | UT | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying in a Small Market, Building a Regional Powerhouse | Jonathan Bournigal | document storage | — | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Build a Holdco Foundation: Patiently | Barker Squire | — | — | — | — | — |
| Back from the Brink: When Everybody Quits Day 1 | Jack Carr | HVAC | TN | $620K | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| How to Buy & Transform a 120-Year-Old Manufacturer | Lucas Philips | manufacturer of interior upholstery parts for vintage automobiles | NJ | $1.0M | — | — |
| Behind Every Great Searcher: A Wife's Journey with Search | Cliff Nelson | Mental health services to nursing homes and facilities | — | — | — | — |
| Networking His Way to $800k SDE | Alex Holley | home services business | KY | — | — | ✓ |
| Buy, Grow, Exit for a 24x Return in 3.5 Years | Chris Edwards | flooring | CO | $1.7M | — | ✓ |
| How to Move the Needle in a $600k SDE Trades Business | Kirk Olson | fencing business | MI | $2.3M | — | ✓ |
| Awakening to Entrepreneurship to Buy a Not-Boring Business | Shell Zhang | travel/tourism - guided tours to Italy | TX | $2.0M | — | ✓ |
| The $50m Lifestyle Holdco | Abhi Ravishankar | Swimming pool service | CA | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| How to 4x a Contracting Business in 3 Years | Mike Heath | garage door contracting | MO | $250K | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| How to Buy a $13m Business with No PG, No Investors | Carlo Santelli | fastener manufacturing | CT | $16.0M | — | — |
| Bullseye: Buying a $1m SDE Business in a Hot Industry | Pete Ciaverilla | HVAC | MI | $4.3M | — | — |
| Taking a Flower Shop from $600k to $9 Million | Michael Jacobson | flower shop | CA | — | — | ✓ |
| The Path to Becoming a Better Operator & Strategist | Tim Lahey | home technology company | IL | $500K | — | — |
| First-Timer Buys 8-Figure Business 4 Hours Away | Nick Molina | Property management | MN | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Buy Franchise Businesses, Then Sell to PE | Alicia Miller | education & tutoring | — | — | — | ✓ |
| From Frustrated Searcher to $3.5m Owner to Holdco Builder | Simon Plummer | manufacturer of a product for bricklayers and masons | — | — | — | — |
| Perils in Partnership: Plumbing Acquisition Gone Wrong | Josh Key | plumbing company | TX | $1.6M | SBA 7a | — |
| Adjusting to Life in a Nocturnal Business (with $525k SDE) | Tom Matter | Restaurant vent hood cleaning service | TX | $1.8M | — | — |
| How (and Why) to Buy an Electrical Business | Fred McGill | Electrical services | GA | $1.3M | — | ✓ |
| First Acquisition in March, $200m by Year End | Jordan Dubin | garage door repair / home services | — | — | — | — |
| Buying in a Huge but Overlooked Market | Jonathon Tupper | Asset-based lending | TX | $750K | — | ✓ |
| The Thrill & Validation of Becoming an Owner | Michael Johnson | Printing and Signage | NC | $1.4M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Micro-Acquiring to $300k SDE on 5 Hours Per Week | Link Moser | web hosting and design services | NH | — | — | — |
| High Margin & Big Upside in Lice Treatment | Derek Croft | in-person lice treatment services | — | $4.8M | — | — |
| How 2 Entrepreneurs are Rolling Up a New Market | Francisco Del Rio | Veterinary clinics | — | — | — | — |
| Buying a Job to Build a Business | Matt Railla | termite inspection business | CA | $1.3M | — | — |
| $6m Business, 3 Minutes From Childhood Home | Iris Levine | design & build construction company | TN | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Business to Build a Life | Dan Drake | Industrial supply / MRO | OR | $2.0M | — | — |
| Buying & Building a $60m Manufacturer | Gat Caperton | wood furniture manufacturing | WV | — | — | — |
| 2 Years to Buy, Double & Exit a Medical Billing Firm | Nik Hulewsky | medical billing | ID | $3.2M | — | — |
| Small SDE, Big Upside: Buying a Business with 5 Employees | Kristiana Laugen | pool cleaning business / home services | CA | $920K | — | ✓ |
| Leaving Amazon to Buy a $3m Apparel Brand | Eric Bauer | apparel brand - hats sold at hardware stores | AL | $1.5M | — | ✓ |
| Business Collapse After Going All-In | Justin Willess | Construction - paint and industrial flooring subcontracting | VA | $8.5M | — | — |
| Margins in Mulch: Buying a $1m Erosion Control Business | Greg Bruns | erosion control | TX | $925K | — | ✓ |
| The Model for a 3-Way, Long-Term Holdco | Marc Nzojibwami | Large format printing and signs | — | $1.0M | — | — |
| Why Sell to Private Equity: Former Guest Has an Exit | Taylor Wallace | doggy daycare | — | $865K | — | ✓ |
| Turning Around a Blue Collar Business in Decline | George Tibil | commercial cleaning | NY | $760K | — | ✓ |
| When the Business Can't Be Saved: Resilience | Dustin Fusillo | ATM parts & service | CO | $1.0M | — | — |
| The Appeal of Franchise Buying: $1m EBITDA in 2 Years | Corey Robinson | franchise - battery and automotive retail | IA | $4.0M | — | ✓ |
| One Year Into a Garage Door Business with $350k SDE | Brittney Orellano | garage door and gate business | MO | $1.0M | — | ✓ |
| Buying the Neighborhood Nursery (with $800k in Earnings) | Rory Tyer | garden center / nursery | SC | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| Control & Family: Drivers of a Self-Funded Search | Michael Kelker | pallet manufacturer | IL | $2.2M | — | ✓ |
| Building a Portfolio of Nostalgia Restaurants | Jackson Speaks | restaurants | FL | $5.0M | — | — |
| White-Collar Sisters Buy a Blue-Collar Business | Julie Hottinger | trades/blue-collar business | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Leaving Corporate to Buy a $4m Manufacturer | Mike Dey | manufacturer of texture spray machines used in new home construction | WA | $4.8M | — | ✓ |
| Exited but Tired: 5 Years in a Hard Business | Matt Bauer | Industrial scales - sales | NC | — | — | ✓ |
| Young Couple Starts a Family Business By Buying One | Meredith Schlinkert | background screening provider for employers; background checks and drug testing services | TX | — | — | ✓ |
| 5 Businesses Acquired with a Long-Term Hold Model | Ryan Sullivan | Electrical component manufacturing - 100-year-old legacy business | KS | — | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| One Couple, 4 Kids, and a Business 3 Hours Away | Gabe Perez | — | — | — | — | — |
| After 4 Years of Part-Time Searching, Success | Will Gano | food manufacturing - bakery ingredients manufacturer | IL | — | — | ✓ |
| Buy Fast: A Good Reason to Buy Small | Rob Carpenter | home cleaning franchise | CO | $550K | — | ✓ |
| Tangible & Collectible: Buying a Consumer Product Company | Jeff Velker | pen manufacturing / consumer product company | TX | $2.5M | — | — |
| White Collar Roll-Up from $700k to $12m | Jordan Evans | Language Services | CA | $1.0M | conventional | ✓ |
| Reflections on 2 Years in the Knife Fight | Brett Kennedy | moving company | GA | $520K | — | — |
| The Scrappy Path of a One-Man Holdco | Dustin Carreon | Multiple businesses | CA | $525K | — | ✓ |
| Building a $10m EBITDA Leader in a Fragmented Space | Nick Haschka | backup generators - installation and service | CA | — | — | — |
| Buying & Growing a Business While Keeping a Day Job | Dominick Blue | air duct cleaning | CA | $1.6M | — | — |
| Buy as Search Fund, Keep as Long-Term Owner | Juan Aguilar | — | — | — | — | — |
| It Really Happened: 100% Financing for an $8m Business | Renan Cortez | restoration business | — | $8.0M | seller | ✓ |
| Turning $500k into a $38m Holdco (No Investors) | Garrison Snell | Holdco | TN | $1.9M | — | ✓ |
| Candid Reflections on 7 Years of SMB Ownership | Dan Verboski | sign manufacturer | TX | $2.7M | — | ✓ |
| Why Work IN the Business You Buy (Not Just On It) | Colin Gates | commercial painting business | MI | $1.1M | — | ✓ |
| 3x Revenue Despite Turnover, Hangovers & Threats | JD Beck | plumbing | CO | $800K | — | — |
| 1 Business vs. Many: Deciding to Roll Up | Elliott Edge | Managed IT Services | TX | $2.6M | — | — |
| 2 Welders and a Shop... to $3.8m in Sales | Matt Pohl | welding business | CO | $2.0M | — | — |
| Buying a Bankrupt 117-Year-Old Manufacturer | Jens Grudno | straight razor manufacturing | — | — | — | — |
| Rolling Up EBITDA and Rents with Auto Repair Shops | Stephen Quinlan & Paul Westhart | Auto Repair | ID | $3.0M | SBA 504 | — |
| 3 Years Later, Climbing Out of the J Curve | Matt Drndak | ecommerce-enabled parts business for construction equipment | FL | $2.0M | — | — |
| From Midnight Deliveries to $28m Holdco (in 6 Years) | Colin King | automotive parts distribution to service centers and dealers | IN | $775K | — | ✓ |
| Finding a Great Business in Cow Country | Cody Agee | dairy products testing and food safety testing | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Art of the Roll-Up: 40 Businesses in 4 Years | Jeff Homer | music school | CO | $500K | seller | — |
| When a Restaurant Is a Great Business to Buy | Jarett Berke | Restaurant | NH | — | — | ✓ |
| Building a $10m Platform from 2 Low-SDE Businesses | Scott Walton | Mechanical services | NB | $1.8M | — | — |
| Holdco Origin Story: The Bumpy Road to $3m EBITDA | Chandra Rao | SaaS | MN | $60K | seller | — |
| The Allure of Buying a Marketplace Business | Zach Smith | dental savings plan / marketplace business | TX | $450K | — | ✓ |
| How an American Bought a Canadian Business | Christi Loucks | B2B outbound sales service | CO | $2.0M | — | ✓ |
| Selling $100k of Dog Training… Per Day | Garth Fasano | B2B outsourced sales service for dog training businesses; performance-based revenue model charging clients per new customer acquired | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Rolling-Up to $15m EBITDA | Robert Graham | Healthcare | — | — | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| The Double Life of Owning a Business 2.5 Hours Away | John Murphy | commercial painting company | MI | $3.5M | — | — |
| The Gritty, High-Capex Road to Millions | Reid Tileston | liquid waste company | WI | $4.1M | — | ✓ |
| Getting Unstuck by Buying a Business | Christian Bateson | construction services | GA | $1.5M | — | ✓ |
| Buy & Build a Trash Business to a $4.4m Exit | Patrick Norris | trash/garbage collection | MA | $624K | — | ✓ |
| Roofing + Florida = Path to $100m | Matt Jackson | roofing | FL | — | — | ✓ |
| Rather Than Retire, Buy a Business | Maurice Thomas | electrical contracting | — | — | — | — |
| $700k EBITDA with No SBA, No Money Down | Andrew Stordeur | outdoor furniture manufacturer | AB | $4.5M | mixed | — |
| The Birth of a Roll-Up | Stephen Olmon | Security & fire alarm systems installation | TX | — | — | ✓ |
| Reward for a Brutal Transition: 3 Hours/Week with 2x EBITDA | Dan Tagliatela | asphalt sealing business | CT | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying Small, Growing Big: From $1m to $26m | John Wilson | home services | OH | $110K | — | ✓ |
| Unlocking Growth in a Business, Average Age 55 | Steve Reis | Natural gas measurement and pressure regulation equipment distribution | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Bought Tiny, Grew to $4m | Chad Fondriest | ecommerce brand selling decorative wreaths | OH | $130K | — | ✓ |
| The Front Lines of a Crisis | Russ Hadlock | auto glass business | — | — | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| How a First-Timer Did a Turnaround (Including an Exit) | Ben Rizzo | elevator servicing | PA | — | — | ✓ |
| Saying No to Home Services, Yes to B2B Media | Nathan Gregory | B2B Media | CA | — | — | — |
| 8 Figs or Bust: Transitioning a Big Plumbing Business | Peter deBaptiste | High-end residential and mechanical plumbing | FL | — | — | — |
| Fire, Covid, Exit: 5 Years in a $12m Events Business | Will Wright | event rental business | TX | $12.0M | — | ✓ |
| Taking a Blue Collar Biz from $900k to $2.4m in Earnings | Adam Borcz | blue collar business | MD | — | — | ✓ |
| First-Timer Turns $20k into $900k in 19 Months | Nick Patrick | Wedding catering and venue business in a tourist town | CO | $400K | seller | ✓ |
| The Model Works: Reflections of a Plumbing Business Buyer | Doug Johns | plumbing | OR | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a $4m Business (with 80% Recurring Revenue) | Michael Young | accounting practice for SMBs | — | $4.0M | — | ✓ |
| Taking the Plunge into Extreme Ownership | Morgan McCauley | home care business | FL | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| Finding a Good Business After 2+ Years of Searching | Ryan Doyle | high-end pool maintenance business | GA | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Business to 20x a Real Estate Empire | Brandon Laughridge | property management | KS | — | — | ✓ |
| 4 Acquisitions In, Holdco Builder's Goal is £150m | Sam Turner | mechanical & electrical | — | — | — | — |
| 14 Months from Searcher to $5.5m EBITDA | Luis Aguilar | commercial cleaning business | FL | $12.5M | — | — |
| Shutting Down After a 4-Year Struggle | Philip Blackett | cemetery services | MA | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Big $7m Trade School | Tyrel Sulzer | CDL school / Commercial Driver's License training / trade school for aspiring truckers | NC | — | — | ✓ |
| The Appeal of Buying a Food Product Business | Pat Lazure | breading and batter mix for restaurants | NE | $700K | — | — |
| Building a $350m Holdco of Farms | Jack McCarthy | Agriculture/Farms | CA | $350.0M | — | — |
| Factory Life: Buying a Manufacturer with $1m SDE | Ben Jasper | plastics manufacturer | — | — | — | — |
| Scaling Sweaty Services with a Brokerage Model | Eddy Zakes | landscaping and snow removal brokerage | WI | $12.0M | — | ✓ |
| 2.5 Years from Buying to Exiting | Brian Lee Shields | property management | CA | $600K | — | — |
| Hard but Fun: Transitioning a 77-Year-Old Business | Darryl Lindie | sign and awning business | RI | $2.6M | — | ✓ |
| 3 Perspectives: A Panel on Buying Small Businesses | Corey Viverka | Pharma Regulatory Compliance | — | $5.0M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Escaping Golden Handcuffs by Buying a Business | Gretchen Roberts | accounting/bookkeeping/virtual CFO services | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Cash Flows Over Exits: Buying for the Long Term | Mark Olivito | project-based construction business | NJ | $710K | — | — |
| Skip the SBA: Buying a $4m Biz with a Conventional Loan | Ben Bryer | manufacturing | — | $4.0M | conventional | ✓ |
| Doing It His Way: First-Timer Buys 2 at Once | Mike Okhravi | epoxy coating - project-based | FL | $495K | — | ✓ |
| Passion, Meet EBITDA: The Joy of Buying an Art Gallery | Sean Moore | art gallery | CO | $5.3M | — | ✓ |
| Time to Sell? Growing EBITDA from $750k to $2m | John Hubbard | trailer fabrication business | FL | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| How to Buy a SaaS Business with an SBA Loan | Andrew Swiler | SaaS | — | $1.6M | SBA 7a | — |
| Boom, Bust, Boom: Buying a Whiplash Business | Chandler Reed | project-based construction business | FL | — | — | — |
| Partnering with an Operator to Buy a Business | Landon Mance | tree business | NV | $1.6M | — | ✓ |
| How to Survive Going from Hedge Funds to SMB Owner | Neil Finneran | pest control / mosquito control | MA | — | — | ✓ |
| A Reward for Widening Search to $300k SDE | Jesse Sunquist | mosquito spraying | — | — | — | ✓ |
| When Buying Small Goes Right (3x Growth) | George Vallone | cleaning business | TN | — | — | — |
| Buying a $3m Candle Manufacturer That Had No Books | Chad Hildebrant | candle manufacturer | NJ | $2.4M | — | — |
| Buying $1m+ Ice Cream Shops to Expand Nationally | Shawn Allard | Ice cream shops | AZ | $1.3M | — | ✓ |
| Buy and 3x a Project-Based Business in Just 2 Years | Johannes Hock | project-based business | TX | — | — | — |
| How to Buy the Business Where You Work | Corey Veverka | — | — | $5.0M | — | ✓ |
| The $295m Search Fund Exit | Sandy Paige | biotech/lab services | CA | $295.0M | — | ✓ |
| Hiring a General Manager & Buying Business #2 | Shane Ehrsam | trailer dealership | TX | $4.0M | — | ✓ |
| Leaving a Big Salary in DC for Small Business in Wyoming | Eric Hayes | reclamation business | WY | — | — | ✓ |
| Seller's View of a Searcher Buying His Business | Don Gourley | tree preservation / arboriculture | MA | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a 45-Year-Old Industry Pioneer | Don Gourley | Tree and plant health care services; arboriculture | MA | — | — | ✓ |
| Buy a Franchise Portfolio: How to Choose a Brand | Michael Horowitz | franchise - quick service restaurant | OH | — | — | ✓ |
| Rocky Transition: How to Survive, Then Thrive | Chris Jones | foundation repair business | NC | $6.0M | — | — |
| First-Time Buyer Recipe for Success: Action & Small Steps | Connor Pera | commercial printing business | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Unlocking Growth in a 40-Year-Old Business | Josh Medow | logistics business | MA | — | — | ✓ |
| From Startup Founder to Buying a Small Business | Tim Ericson | equipment rental | PR | $2.7M | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Small Business to Build for Decades | August Felker | insurance agency | — | — | — | ✓ |
| A Non-Financial Reason to Buy a Business | Nick Akers | MSP | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Postmortem of a Broken Deal | Nick Wheeler | landscaping | — | $4.0M | — | — |
| The Joys & Pain of Owning a $10m City Bus Business | George Goates | municipal bus and shuttle business | AZ | $2.5M | — | ✓ |
| 16 Months to Exit: Cleaning Up in Street Sweeping | Manny Saxena | municipal street-sweeping | CA | — | — | ✓ |
| Why Buy a Digital Service Business | Karl Hughes | Podcast production / productized service | — | $700K | — | ✓ |
| Building an ATM Empire | Mitchell Sorkin | ATM | CA | $33K | — | — |
| The Life-Changing Potential of Buying a Business | Bakari Akil | Manufacturing | — | $35.0M | conventional | ✓ |
| How One Tiny Acquisition Grew Into a Holdco | Matt Huggins | Water infrastructure | MT | $1.6M | — | — |
| 5x in 5 Years: Buying Small to Grow Quickly | Chase Murdock | Holding company with portfolio of small businesses including custom hat maker | UT | — | — | — |
| Snowball Effect: Getting to $45m in 3 Years | Amir Haboosheh | HVAC business | AR | — | — | ✓ |
| The Secret to $25m Success | James Bloom | commercial HVAC business | MD | $785K | — | ✓ |
| The Bumpy Reality of Buying an Ecommerce Business | Martin Bispels | direct-to-consumer ecommerce brand | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Owner vs CEO: 2 Approaches to Buying a Business | Derek Turner | Rolling shutter manufacturing and installation | AZ | — | — | ✓ |
| One Acquiring Minds Guest Buys Another | Mike Botkin | landscaping | GA | — | — | ✓ |
| Raising $800k to Buy an $8m Business as a First-Timer | Kevin Bibelhausen | wholesale fabrics business | NC | $8.0M | mixed | ✓ |
| It Worked: Buying an Ecom Business to Gain Freedom | Alex Michael | ecommerce business | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Buy Big: How to Acquire a $3m EBITDA Roofing Business | Austin Smoak | roofing business | FL | $150K | — | — |
| Home Care Business: How to Buy & 2x an Agency | Jérôme Bouillon | Home care agency / home healthcare | — | — | — | — |
| Overworked & Underpaid: Buying a Business to Escape | Heather Shattuck-Heidorn | custom closet design & install business | ME | $775K | — | ✓ |
| Learning to Lead: From Searcher to Boss of 140 | Alex Glasner | — | — | — | — | — |
| Uber Driver to 7-Figure Exit in 3 Years | Ben Bortner | pool cleaning & maintenance business | FL | — | — | ✓ |
| Surviving the Nightmare: Sales Plunge 95% | Jesse Safir | printing business | NY | — | — | — |
| How to Buy a $5m Business & Hire an Operator to Run It | Matthew Saskin | — | — | $5.0M | — | — |
| Fetal Position to Foundry Holdco ($30m & Counting) | Reg Zeller | foundry | — | — | — | — |
| How to 2x Sales in a Service Business You Buy | Adrian Pinto | landscaping | GA | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Build a Portfolio of 20 Franchise Locations | Michael Horowitz | Franchise - Quick Service Restaurant | NY | $4.0M | — | ✓ |
| Life as an Operator: Leaving PE to Buy a $2m Tree Business | Kaustubh Deo | tree business | WA | $2.0M | — | — |
| From Determined Searcher to $75m Accidental Holdco | Adam Duggins | structural steel fabrication | NC | — | — | ✓ |
| Feast or Famine: How to Grow a Niche Manufacturing Biz | Bruce Vann | stage curtain manufacturer | VA | — | — | ✓ |
| Navigating Failure: Buying a $5m+ Business that Collapses | John Ikalowych | automotive hail-repair business | — | $5.0M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Single Mom, 2 Kids, and a $4m Business | Morli Desai | ecommerce business | GA | $3.8M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| 6 Months from Twitter Inspiration to $2m Business Owner | Pawel Kosicki | smart home and home theater installation | ON | $2.5M | — | — |
| Back to a W-2: When Business Ownership Isn't the Way | Damon Chlarson | insulation wholesale business | — | $1.1M | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| How to Buy and 2x a Subcontractor Business | Brenden Van Buren | fencing business / construction business | — | — | — | ✓ |
| One Year Later: Holdco Grows to $75m in Total Revenue | Justin Turner | distribution for firefighters & first responders | WA | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Build a Holdco Around Company Culture | Michael Arrieta | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Honeymoon, Darkness, then Light | John Schooler | appliance repair | SC | — | — | — |
| Growing a Small 1st Acquisition into a Holdco Platform | Andrew Hitchings | home services | CO | — | — | ✓ |
| How to Buy a Neighborhood Institution | Andrew Sieve | neighborhood restaurant | — | — | — | — |
| Recent Guest Exits for 8 Figures | Jason Andrews | — | — | — | SBA 7a | ✓ |
| Reward for Being Systematic: $2m Dog Training Business | Chirag Shah | Dog training | TX | $1.7M | — | — |
| How to Roll Up Legacy Franchises (to $36m/yr) | Brian Beers | automotive franchise - brake | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Using $100k to Buy a 7-Figure Dream Business | Tyler O'Connor | golf-related business | AZ | $4.3M | — | — |
| One Year Later: 60% Growth + 2 More Acquisitions | Patrick Dichter | bookkeeping & tax business | — | $1.2M | — | ✓ |
| Manufacturing Opportunity: Look Where Others Aren't | Jules Brenner | Manufacturing - Transportation industry | CA | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a $3m Course Business (Whose Founder is the Face) | Dom Wells | online course business | — | — | — | — |
| The Wine Business: 5x Growth in a Tough but Fun Industry | David Page | vineyard management and wine business serving small | CA | — | — | — |
| 1 Year Later as Buyer of a $1m EBITDA Business | Chris Williams | bookkeeping business | CA | — | — | ✓ |
| 8-Figure Exit: How to Buy, Transform & Sell in 3.5 Years | Bradley | Landscaping - project-based and recurring revenue | TX | $5.5M | — | ✓ |
| Dream Fulfilled: Buying a $2m, 50-Year-Old Business | Fraser Voll | Janitorial services | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Bitcoin Mining Facility | Chris Koerner | bitcoin mining hosting facility / data center | TX | $750K | — | ✓ |
| Birth of a Holdco (with 15 Acquisitions to Date) | Trevor Boehm | Multiple industries including landscaping | — | — | — | ✓ |
| 6 Months to Buy a Business with $1m+ in EBITDA | Shane Ehrsam | Trailers | TX | $4.0M | — | ✓ |
| Buying a Business to Escape the Middle Class | Jordan Novgrod | Metal fabrication and machining | WV | $2.5M | — | ✓ |