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

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480 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes480

Newest first

Oct 23, 2025 · 1 hr 35 min
From €4 Million, to Zero, to €12 Million
Despite skepticism from her US investors, Ivona Butcher bought (and tripled) a business in her native Czech Republic. Topics in Ivona’s interview: Doing business in a post-Soviet culture Determination to acquire in the Czech Republic Buying a business as a married couple Getting into exhibition services right before Covid Losing all revenue at onset of Covid Pivoting to virtual events Finding work for their carpenters and metalsmiths Aggressively re-negotiating their loan with the bank Buying back the seller note at a huge discount Surviving Covid and doubling EBITDA References and how to contact Ivona: Ivona Butcher Corbin Butcher Beire Adam Rao on Acquiring Minds: Reviving a Covid-Crushed Business: $0 to $6M in 3 Years Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Oct 20, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min
Building Trust as New Owner of a $3m Business
Ruchik Gandhi was a diligence CPA when he decided to get in the game himself. Becoming an owner has been an education. Topics in Ruchik’s interview: India > Australia > US immigration Discovery of the wonders of multiple arbitrage Receiving the deal from another searcher Paying a $20k finder’s fee Buying a fabrics and upholstery workroom Learning how to manage a blue-collar workforce Mishandling employee relationships Taking feedback from his managers Earning the employees’ trust His plan for growth in a fragmented industry References and how to contact Ruchik: LinkedIn Window 25 Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Oct 16, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min
Buying a $1.6m Business for the Inventory Value
Undeterred by self doubt, Danyelle Nys bought a $400k SDE business at a fantastic price. She's grown it 25% in year one. Topics in Danyelle’s interview: Working in her family’s asphalt business Learning about ETA from a masterclass Hiring a coach for the search process Buying a business for the price of inventory + working capital The seller was running it remotely Raising prices and salaries after acquisition Dealing with an obstinate commercial landlord Moving 14,000 sq ft of inventory to a new warehouse Hiring her mom as the bookkeeper “F*** your mood. Follow the plan.” References and how to contact Danyelle: LinkedIn Decorus Home Staging Kyle Boyden & Jake Furfaro on Acquiring Minds: Stacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in Revenue Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Oct 13, 2025 · 1 hr 45 min
Buying 2 Rivals to Create a Dominant Leader
When his deal died the first time, Kyle Poll was devastated. But then it came back around, larger and more interesting. Topics in Kyle’s interview: Skills he learned on his 2-year Mormon mission Growing Gympass from $10m to $100m Aiming for happiness at work and home Earning the respect of brokers Watching his deals die and being outbid Q of E that drastically lowered the business value Emotional rollercoaster of full-time search Completing his acquisition as CEO with equity Finding investors who would bet on growth Merging 2 rival companies References and how to contact Kyle: LinkedIn GetOutPass The Mormon Way of Doing Business by Jeff Benedict Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Oct 9, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Trades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business
Brian Seeling sought a blue-collar business with a good manager in place. He found exactly that — with $2.6m in revenue. Register for the webinar: Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/46MlUhC Topics in Brian’s interview: Being an entrepreneurial kid Moving from IT to blue-collar Getting value from SMBootcamp “Riches are in the niches” Satisfaction of developing people Not all SBA lending is the same “Billionaires do business with billionaires” Tactfully bringing about change Continuing the commission-based compensation model Replacing old tech in the business References and how to contact Brian: LinkedIn PGM Service Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Oct 6, 2025 · 1 hr 28 min
Acquisition Unlock: €210m in 5 Years
Nick Keegan owned a struggling software business doing just €1m/yr until an acquisition put it on the path to 9 figures. Register for the webinars: How PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/42jGpB2 Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - Thu Oct 9th - https://bit.ly/48wqcMP Topics in Nick’s interview: 10 years in the Irish Defense Forces His app idea that ultimately failed Pivoting his failed business into Mail Metrics Successfully competing against larger print companies 7 years of slow growth Acquiring 2 large companies simultaneously Hiring a tutor to teach him basic finance Buying one business in Ireland and one in the UK Borrowing at a very high interest rate Increasing revenue by $12m in one year References and how to contact Nick: LinkedIn Mail Metrics Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Oct 2, 2025 · 1 hr 29 min
$60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition
Onu Okebie and Brian Boland wanted to retain 100% ownership when they began, so they used an SBA loan. It has paid off. Register for the webinars: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/481yThO How PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - Tue Oct 7th - https://bit.ly/48FjAvq Topics in Brian and Onu’s interview: Forming a partnership in business school Searching for 2.5 years Closing on their first business while still in school Bootstrapping their first acquisition Sacrifice and long commute the first year Willingness to “be bad at something” Complexity of niche/time-sensitive freight Athletic grit carried them through acquisition challenges Learning to pitch to investors 5 acquisitions in less than 5 years References and how to contact Brian and Onu: Brian LinkedIn Onu LinkedIn HTL Freight Webinar: Use an SBA Loan to Start a Roll-Up Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 29, 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
Founder Mode for ETA: $6m to $25m in 3 Years
Aizik Zimerman bought a home services business to build a consumer brand into his life's work. It seems to be working. Register for the webinar: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - Thu Oct 2nd - https://bit.ly/46E2uv8 Topics in Aizik’s interview: There is endless opportunity in home services His goal of $1 billion in revenue Advantage of his youthful energy Going all-in on digital advertising Small business = big problems Founder Mode theory Organic growth over acquisitions Your must earn your right to diversify Winning on Google with reviews Hiring overseas for auditing and marketing References and how to contact Aizik: LinkedIn John Wilson on Acquiring Minds: Buying Small, Growing Big: From $1m to $26m Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 25, 2025 · 1 hr 20 min
Family Offices for Searchers: A Primer
James Bohannon of family office Belzberg & Co. explains the FO world and its untapped potential for searchers & sponsors. Topics in James’s interview: What is a family office? Family office capital sustains private markets You may wear jeans, but there are tradeoffs Private, insular nature of family offices How to network with family offices When it makes sense to exit to a family office Long-term holds are a good fit Playing defense and offense within family offices Family offices do not need to raise capital Family offices may be friendlier to smaller deals References and how to contact James: LinkedIn Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 22, 2025 · 1 hr 27 min
Deciding to Exit After 2 Years of Ownership
Register for the webinar: Liquidity Options for Search Investors - Wed Sep 24th - https://bit.ly/48lptOc Jack Saville was asked if owning a small business was underutilizing his talents. The question prompted a big decision. Topics in Jack and Sam’s interview: Jack’s motivation to own something and take a risk You are always buying a job Linking up with Sam Rosati through SMBootcamp Buying a business far from his family Realizing that he didn’t want to operate a lifestyle business Difficulties of growing in a tourist town Selling the business to Perimeter Solutions Group Joining the leadership of Perimeter Solutions Group Continuously question your why Getting in the game unlocks opportunities References and how to contact Jack and Sam: Sam Rosati LinkedIn Jack Saville LinkedIn Perimeter Solutions Group Sam Rosati on Acquiring Minds: How to Shorten Your Search: Big 3, Little 2 Sarah Chiles and Matthew Ferguson on Acquiring Minds: Geography as Moat: Building a Hometown Holdco Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter
Sep 18, 2025 · 1 hr 33 min
So Much Fun: The Buyer of Choice in a Fragmented Industry
Register for the webinars: Liquidity Options for Search Investors - Wed Sep 24th - https://bit.ly/41WmQym Employee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - TODAY!- https://bit.ly/4nrvvkD Mark Anderegg built the largest private daycare business in New England. He loved the model so much he's doing it again. Topics in Mark’s interview: Raising a search fund himself Being the “world’s worst searcher” Acquiring a 16-location childcare network Pressure of running an essential business The unsolved staffing conundrum Screening for culture Underestimating the cost of new locations Earning a high-integrity reputation Growing through acquisition Selling the business twice References and how to contact Mark: LinkedIn Little Sprouts A.J. Wasserstein David M. Dodson Learn 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 Team Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 15, 2025 · 2 hr 9 min
From SBA Loan to High 8-Figure Exit
Register for the webinar: Employee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - Thu Sep 18th - https://bit.ly/4mbU9EI Jerod Pierce bought an HVAC business with $500k of SDE. Five years later, private equity was desperate to buy him out. Topics in Jerod’s interview: Challenging upbringing in foster care Adaptability as a survival skill Joining the investment club in college Getting his MBA from Harvard Business School Learning about ETA from Rick and Royce Searching only in Seattle by cold calling Buying HVAC before it was cool Value of being there every day Exiting for $90 million-ish His nightmare second acquisition References and how to contact Jerod: LinkedIn Olympic Holdings Investments Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 11, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min
The Flywheel of Buying Businesses in a Single Region
Register for the webinar: Buyer of Choice Series Pt 1: Building Your Personal Buyer Brand (in a Sea of Searchers) - TODAY!- https://bit.ly/46ntJLG Doug Lepisto has partnered with 7 searchers to acquire businesses strictly in Western Michigan. Momentum is building. Topics in Doug’s interview: Having one foot in academia, one in business Place-based private equity model Delivering returns while elevating Western Michigan Competitive advantage through building local trust “Find the operator, find the deal” philosophy Investing in searchers with one-on-one education The tide is shifting to long-term hold strategy Western Michigan students intern at portfolio companies 5 elements of his private equity model Plenty of businesses, shortage of owner-operators References and how to contact Doug: LinkedIn Sleeping Giant Capital Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 8, 2025 · 1 hr 49 min
Hiring a CEO to Run Things (and Get Life Back)
Register for the webinar: Buyer of Choice Series Pt 1: Building Your Personal Buyer Brand (in a Sea of Searchers) - Thu Sep 11th - https://bit.ly/4pcznI8 Jeremy Hunka bought a $2m cabinet business, and year one consumed him. Leadership had to evolve for things to improve. Topics in Jeremy’s interview: Buying a business at age 27 Rocky first day as owner Living 1.5 hours from the business Employees wanting him present every day Taking too long to fire an employee Watching sales drop dangerously low Facing resistance from employees Learning to balance empathy with boundaries Hiring a great sales leader Installing a CEO to run the day-to-day References and how to contact Jeremy: LinkedIn Summit Mountain Coatings Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 4, 2025 · 1 hr 31 min
A Few Hours Per Week, a Few States Away
Register for the webinar: Love & Leverage: Lessons from Couples Who Acquired Together - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/4mBLyw5 Brett Maxam bought a concrete business with high 6 figures of earnings. Despite being a plane ride away, it's gone well. Topics in Brett’s interview: His desire to “run the show” after watching acquisitions up close Involving his wife as a sounding board Buying a business a plane ride away Proactively negotiating for a seller note “Shut up and let them do a little more talking” Using ROBS to fund a 30% down payment Getting a 70% seller note with a sub 3x multiple 13-week cashflow forecast is critical Delegating management to the local team Deciding whether to grow the business or acquire again References and how to contact Brett: LinkedIn Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Sep 1, 2025 · 1 hr 43 min
The Joy & Pain of Buying a Tech Business
Register for the webinar: Love & Leverage: Lessons from Couples Who Acquired Together - Thu Sep 4th - https://bit.ly/47PpZ6L Felipe Corcuera bought an automation company that didn't offer AI. Since ChatGPT was released, he has had to adapt. Topics in Felipe’s interview: Imperfect information in the lower middle market Pivoting from investing to operating Finding a partner with complementary strengths How he defines success during search AI threats to traditional SaaS businesses Testing for seller motivation Valuation based on revenue Aggressively reinvesting in the business Pros and cons of being an AI company Economics of sharing deals for a finder’s fee References and how to contact Felipe: LinkedIn Beecker Relay Investments Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Aug 28, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min
$2 Million of Fun: Big Margins in Play Centers
About fall conferences: Southeast Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Conference 2025 Buy Then Build Summit McguireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference M &A Launchpad's Fall Show (use ACQUIRINGMINDS for a discount) Despite tight search criteria, Daniel Batista found a business that excited him. The eye-popping margins were a bonus. Topics in Daniel’s interview: His experience in the film industry Launching a Latino media brand Searching for a fun business Acquiring an indoor playground LA demographics are perfect for this business High initial installation costs but 50% EBITDA margins Candeeland Kids’ unique franchising structure Surprisingly low maintenance costs Teenage hourly labor Adding an arcade to his location References and how to contact Daniel: LinkedIn Candeeland Kids Downey Shell Zhang on Acquiring Minds: Awakening to Entrepreneurship to Buy a Not-Boring Business Sam Rosati on Acquiring Minds: How to Shorten Your Search: Big 3, Little 2 Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Aug 25, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min
Stacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in Revenue
About fall conferences: Southeast Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Conference 2025 Buy Then Build Summit McguireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference M &A Launchpad's Fall Show (use ACQUIRINGMINDS for a discount) Kyle Boyden & Jake Furfaro bought tiny cleaning companies, five times. While painful, it taught them ops & integration. Topics in Kyle and Jake’s interview: Leaving a “cushy sales job” to buy a business Doing no due diligence on the first acquisition Cons of property management Trading property management for janitorial Buying very small cleaning businesses Losing faith in SBA loan underwriters Educating sellers about valuation Seller financing on all 7 deals Support from previous owners No more acquisitions for now References and how to contact Kyle and Jake: Kyle Boyden LinkedIn Rainier Cleaning Solutions Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Aug 21, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min
4th Time's the Charm: 3 Broken Deals to Buy a Great Business
Register for the webinar: Overcoming Common Deal Sticking Points - Thu Aug 21st - https://bit.ly/4oB4zAk Bryan Houck was fatigued of his search and broken deal costs when he finally closed on an award-winning creative agency. Topics in Bryan’s interview: Losing everything in a startup at 41 Discovering his personal talents Using a buy-side advisor Ups and downs of search Importance of meeting the owner Buying an in-person creative agency The “Superbowl winning” team at Extra Credit Projects Talking to clients about price Buying a business at 58 The “Stoopid Framework” he invented References and how to contact Bryan: LinkedIn Extra Credit Projects The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program: Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value): Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory: The Acquisition Lab Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron
Aug 18, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min
Buying and Building a Xerox Dealer to $30m
Register for the webinar: Overcoming Common Deal Sticking Points - Thu Aug 21st - https://bit.ly/3UrzG3F Jeff Horn left a lucrative path to buy a $5m copier sales and service firm. 5 years later he exited for a great return. Topics in Jeff’s interview: Feeling a calling to lead Leaving a high-paying job to search You have to check the character box Acquiring a Xerox dealership Spending the first 90 days building relationships 3 buckets of growth Learning to rely on great employees Challenges of scaling Growing revenue from $5m to $30m Exiting and becoming an investor References and how to contact Jeff: LinkedIn Masked Rider Capital JD Hasley on Acquiring Minds: How to Grow Revenue 50% in Year 1 Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR: From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses: Pioneer Capital Advisory Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business: Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher Connect with Acquiring Minds: See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Edited by Anton Rohozov Produced by Pam Cameron

Acquiring Minds

From €4 Million, to Zero, to €12 Million

Building Trust as New Owner of a $3m Business

Buying a $1.6m Business for the Inventory Value

Buying 2 Rivals to Create a Dominant Leader

Trades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business

Acquisition Unlock: €210m in 5 Years

$60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition

Founder Mode for ETA: $6m to $25m in 3 Years

Family Offices for Searchers: A Primer

Deciding to Exit After 2 Years of Ownership

So Much Fun: The Buyer of Choice in a Fragmented Industry

From SBA Loan to High 8-Figure Exit

The Flywheel of Buying Businesses in a Single Region

Hiring a CEO to Run Things (and Get Life Back)

A Few Hours Per Week, a Few States Away

The Joy & Pain of Buying a Tech Business

$2 Million of Fun: Big Margins in Play Centers

Stacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in Revenue

4th Time's the Charm: 3 Broken Deals to Buy a Great Business

Buying and Building a Xerox Dealer to $30m