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Podcasts/Acquiring Minds
Acquiring Minds

How To Acquire Your First Business In 3 Months

with Philippe van der Hooydonk · Pets International

LenderHawk analysis. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Acquiring Minds.

The Deal

Business
Pets International
Industry
Trade publication and events - pet industry
Multiple (EBITDA)
3.0x
Year
2021
Deal Source
other

Financing Structure

Buyer Equity
Seller Note

Strategic Rationale

Buyer identified opportunity to modernize a 30-year-old media business by digitizing operations and bringing digital marketing expertise to accelerate online product development and email marketing, despite having no prior media industry experience.

Post-Acquisition Performance

First two and a half months post-acquisition going well with no surprises; buyer executing planned improvements including website redesign, email template upgrades, and developing new online advertising products; steadily gaining operational breathing room to focus on growth initiatives.

The LenderHawk View

Real lenders that finance similar deals

Active Lenders
10
Median Spread
P + 4.50%
Top Lenders
Wells Fargo Bank National Association262 deals
The Huntington National Bank172 deals
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association128 deals
TD Bank, National Association120 deals
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company90 deals

Key Takeaways

  • 1Focus on identifying the value you can bring to a business rather than restricting search to narrowly defined business types; transferable skills like digital marketing and content strategy can apply across industries
  • 2Quality of seller relationship and transparency is critical to deal success; finding an owner willing to be honest about operations and financials dramatically reduces due diligence friction
  • 3Timing, luck, and flexibility in deal structuring matter significantly; seller financing became possible due to COVID eliminating near-term event revenue, making the acquisition feasible