Think Big, Buy Small

In the last three years, Adriana Garcia Ceja graduated from Harvard Business School, became a mother and, after a funded search, acquired an aging life care management business called ElderTree. Many would-be CEOs set out on their searches primarily wanting to experience the joys of operating a small business, while being more agnostic about what the company does. This was not the case for Adriana, who from the outset wanted to acquire either an addiction recovery center or a company in the elder care space, searching for a business that she believed contributed to the greater good. In this discussion, she reflects on how the mission-driven aspect of her search was instrumental in fundraising conversations; the experience of closing on a business while being thirteen weeks pregnant; how and why the ETA career path can align so well for women; the merits and potential downsides of having an MBA while searching; her future plans for the company; and more. Tune in to learn about Adriana’s distinct journey and why she’s now so well positioned for both personal and professional success.

Kent Weaver was an early participant in the world of search, completing a self-funded search that led to his acquisition of a healthcare company in 2002 and then, four years later, putting on his investor hat to make his first investment in search. Today, he’s one of the most experienced and highly regarded funding partners in the space, having invested in over one hundred searches, both traditional and self-funded. In this wide-ranging conversation, they discuss the qualities that Kent looks for in prospective searchers and future CEOs, including reflections on the importance of both hard and soft skills; industry and company characteristics that he screens for during diligence; the pros and cons of solo versus partnered searches, along with funded versus self-funded searches; trends in the world of ETA; and so much more. Kent is truly energized by his collaborations with searchers, and listeners will gain valuable insights from this fascinating discussion with one who has seen so much in search.

Connor McCarthy and Caroline Matthews are not only a married couple and new parents, but they’re also funded searchers turned co-CEOs at Canyonlands Camps. The outdoor recreation industry is little explored in the world of search and their ETA journey is also distinct in that, through the acquisition of summer camps and travel programs, they’ve taken ownership of business-to-consumer businesses, which constitute only a minority of search targets. In this conversation, the pair reflect on the experiences of buying and then operating businesses with a spouse; how they approached investors with their unique thesis; the characteristics that they look for in acquisition opportunities; and the extra complexities involved in the buyer-seller relationship, particularly in cases where multiple generations of one family have been involved in camp operations. They also share steps they’re taking to upgrade facilities and professionalize their camps; how they’re thinking about repeat customers and the progression of programming; along with thoughts on the advantages that have now come with being preferred buyers in the space, ones with a reputation of honoring family legacies. This is an episode about human relationships in ETA, and listeners will learn a great deal from the journey that Connor and Caroline are on.

William Young became CEO of Aerowave Technologies in January of 2021. While he has no regrets about his pursuit of the ETA path, his journey to the company’s helm was a difficult one. His story is distinct in that he started out in a partnered, brokered search but ended up as a solo searcher, focusing on proprietary outreach in Dallas-Fort Worth and Boston. Once he closed on Aerowave, Will was met with a number of challenges, including a seller transition that ran over a year; COVID; supply chain issues; running a technical business with very little technical expertise of his own; early culture problems; and the ever-daunting task of hiring talented salespeople. In this conversation, Will also reflects on Aerowave’s many tailwinds, his decision to implement a new enterprise resource planning system, the benefits of speaking directly with his customers, and how he views being CEO through the lenses of fatherhood. Though Will has some scars to show from his search process and early days at the company, listeners will learn a great deal from his accomplishments and his ultimate success in adapting the business to the life he wants to lead.

Sam Rosati is a former searcher turned active equity investor in self-funded searches and, given his experiences, an important focus of this conversation is on the evolution of the self-funded market. It used to be the case that self-funded searchers had to create their investor base from scratch, out of pure networking. Now, however, a path is emerging where a searcher can reach out to a recurring investor in self-funded searches, like Sam, and that investor can then make further introductions, helping searchers who started their ETA journeys with few contacts to more easily find pools of equity to back their deals. Sam discusses how searchers find him, including through his SMBootcamp; his thoughts on when self-funded searchers should start reaching out to investors, along with strategies for building relationships with them; the qualities he looks for in searchers and in the businesses they’re looking to acquire; why he finds this to be such an attractive asset class, and more. Listen to learn about this next chapter in search and the many opportunities it brings for self-funded searchers.

Betsy Harbison, CEO at Softrip, successfully completed a funded search in 2021. Her story, however, is rather unique in that the business she acquired is a remote, vertical software company that was also a carve out, meaning that a crucial part of Betsy’s journey involved the daunting task of untangling Softrip from its parent company. In this episode, she considers the pros and cons of self-funded versus funded search; why she ended up buying a remote company when her search had initially focused on the Midwest; the thinking behind her decision, in purchasing the business, not to raise any debt; and the challenges she encountered in doing due diligence on a carve out, including the seller’s insistence that she not speak with employees or customers prior to close. She also shares reflections on her first years as CEO, comprising the excitement and the difficulties around not having the luxury to wait before making changes, the transition from too much product customization to a rebuilding of that core product, and also her recent focus on an entirely new product offering. It’s a distinct story of acquisition entrepreneurship and a fascinating conversation.

In May of 2024, after a self-funded search, Brian Seeling became CEO of PGM Service, a Florida-based company that focuses on maintenance, service, and repair of commercial food equipment. His journey to become an acquisition entrepreneur is distinct in that he first worked as a software engineer, was then involved in startup life for a number of years, and only recently embarked on the ETA path. In this episode, Brian reflects on the decision to pursue ETA, including his experiences of entrepreneurship through startup versus through acquisition; how implementation of a preventative maintenance service is empowering him to turn an episodic revenue business into a recurring revenue business; his thoughts on Rick and Royce’s suggestion to focus on synergies and cross-selling opportunities via the acquisition of a cold-side business; and more! Brian bought a company in which there are “many ways to win”, an important attribute in assessing acquisition opportunities, and listeners will learn a great deal from Brian’s accomplishments in the ETA space.

Not only is Zach Duprey a highly experienced commercial lender to those seeking to acquire a small business but, in helping to create a national market for these loans, he has been instrumental in dramatically changing the landscape of small business lending, revolutionizing the market for search. In this episode, Zach describes the “three legs of the stool” that he and his team consider in evaluating transaction opportunities – the underlying business, the searcher / operator, and the investors. Also discussed are the differences and similarities between commercial bankers and equity investors, in terms of their risk assessments and expectations; the relevance of different company attributes, including churn and margins; distinctions between SBA and conventional loans, particularly important to consider when purchasing a growth-oriented company; and many more practical takeaways that will well serve both funded and self-funded searchers on their journeys towards acquisition entrepreneurship.

After a brokered search, Jenn Braus became CEO at Systems Design West, a company that provides customized ambulance billing, emergency medical services billing, and accounting services to fire and rescue organizations, and one that Rick and Royce believe is “the perfect recurring revenue business.” In this episode, we learn about the beauty of recurring revenue (and how it differs from repeating revenue), and also about the many other attributes of SDW that made the business an awesome acquisition, along with one red flag that gave Jenn pause in her journey towards becoming an acquisition entrepreneur. Furthermore, they discuss why Jenn disliked the search process but loves being CEO; her experience of a very short transition period; the benefits of medium customer switching costs; why SDW was a great fit for Jenn, both professionally and personally; and how walking the ETA path allowed Jenn to create for herself the world in which she wants to live.

In May of 2021, after a self-funded search, Nick Vandam became CEO of MCI, a telecommunications infrastructure company based in St. Paul, Minnesota. In this episode, he shares his distinct journey, including his days at West Point; competing in triathlons on the U.S. National Team; deployment in Afghanistan; work experience at a large financial services company and then at a doomed startup; followed by graduate school and employment at Raytheon, all the while inching closer and closer to entrepreneurship through acquisition. Once headed down the ETA path, a number of challenges and opportunities presented themselves to Nick, leading him to important realizations about buying and then running a small business. Tune in for insights on the accessibility of acquisition entrepreneurship, due diligence challenges, the beauty of cigar butt businesses, leadership, and so much more.

Starting in early February, we’ll begin releasing new episodes of Think Big, Buy Small, season two. Rick and Royce are looking forward to sharing some fantastic conversations with you! Ahead of these new releases, however, we've built a bridge, of sorts, between the two seasons by checking in with season one guest, Geoff Duckworth, who was featured in the episode, “The Self-Funded Journey From Searcher To Seller.” Listeners may recall that Geoff had not only successfully taken the ETA journey and acquired a small business, but that he then went on to sell his company. That episode ended with Geoff at a crossroads, unsure of whether the path forward should involve embarking anew down the ETA path or pursuing other alternatives. Tune in to hear what Geoff has been up to since his earlier conversation with Rick and Royce, along with his reflections on the decisions he made.

Throughout the first season, Rick and Royce have asked listeners to reach out to them with any queries they may have related to entrepreneurship through acquisition. Now, in the final episode of Season One, our hosts address many of the questions that were received. This wide-ranging discussion includes reflections on common mistakes made by first-time searchers; the merits and challenges of self-funded versus traditional searches; how real estate considerations factor into acquisition entrepreneurship; ETA in emerging markets; whether searchers need an MBA to successfully search for and then run their own company; what Rick and Royce hope listeners will take away from the first season, and more!

Despite growing up in unstable and challenging circumstances, Jerod Pierce changed the trajectory of his life by embracing educational opportunities, which helped him to thrive in a series of good jobs. He then made the decision to control his own professional destiny through acquisition entrepreneurship, purchasing Mercurio's Heating & Air Conditioning and becoming its CEO. In learning about Jerod's journey from childhood misfortune to present day fortune, listeners will not only hear insights on becoming an entrepreneur through acquisition, including our hosts' reflections on the personal traits that have contributed to Jerod's success, but they will also be inspired by the journey that Jerod has traveled.

In discussions of the entrepreneurship through acquisition journey, our attention is often drawn to the experiences of the searchers, those looking to acquire an enduringly profitable small business. However, two other crucial perspectives to consider are those of the sellers and of the brokers who they have partnered with to help sell their companies. In this episode, we meet Greg Edwards, Founder & CEO of Onsight Healthcare, and Jim Cumbee, a deeply experienced M&A advisor to business owners and Managing Director of Tennessee Valley Group. Greg has retained Jim’s firm to advise him on selling Onsight Healthcare, potentially to a searcher. Hearing their respective positions, thought processes, and insights can help acquisition entrepreneurs to not only better frame their offers but to approach the ecosystem and their transactions within it in a more thoughtful way.

In February of 2024, after a self-funded search, Nick Wheeler took the helm at NSCA & Tra-Cal, an enduringly profitable small business that’s been serving the electronics, manufacturing, and telecom industries since 1988. In this episode, he reflects on his entrepreneurship through acquisition journey to-date, with a particular focus on his experience of “drinking from the firehose” during his first months as CEO. Nick shares the pain of broken deals during the search process; what appealed to him about NSCA & Tra-Cal, including those specific characteristics that made it a high-quality acquisition target; his approach to Day One on the job; his relationship with the seller during the transition period; the strategies he’s implemented; and his thoughts on both the challenges and the tremendous fulfillment that he’s experienced along the way.

After years spent studying and working in the United States, Alexander Wallace recently returned to his native New Zealand to launch a self-funded search for an enduringly profitable small business to buy. In this episode, Alexander reflects on his decision to leave a conventional job in someone else's company in order to become a searcher; the reasons he decided to launch a geographically-focused search in New Zealand, where few have searched before; the type of company he hopes to acquire, along with his strategy for doing so; his thoughts on a potential roll-up strategy; and more. Alexander is just beginning his search, which is a moment of both unbounded optimism and also a bit of apprehension about the unknowns that lie ahead. Listen to learn more about how he’s thinking through potential challenges and opportunities as he takes his first steps on the ETA journey!

The Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program offers acquisition entrepreneurs an incredible opportunity to buy a company with little equity, and on very advantageous terms. Heather Endresen has decades of experience in SBA lending and is now Owner of Viso Business Capital, where she helps searchers in a variety of ways, including finding banks that are most appropriate for their SBA loans. In this episode, Heather explores the ins and outs of these "magical" loans, which differ in important ways from conventional bank loans. She discusses the beauty of SBA loans for first-time buyers, their lack of covenants, the ten-year term, how borrowers might think about the personal guarantee, and more. This is a must-listen episode for anyone considering or in the midst of an entrepreneurship through acquisition journey!

How is it that so many searchers become successful CEOs, even when many have never run a company before and may not have the relevant industry experience? Personal characteristics count for a lot, but so too do company attributes. Sticky customers, for example, are hugely important, as this creates space for a new CEO to learn the ropes of the business. In this episode, we meet Michael Orzetti, an acquisition entrepreneur who, in August of 2020, became CEO of Eastern Communications, a company that sells, services, and maintains critical communications infrastructure and networks. He shares insights from his self-funded search through to present day management of the company, including details of how he and his wife considered the trade-offs between different paths, the attributes he looked for while searching, his relationship with the company founder, and the impressive growth of the business over the last four years.

As an acquisition entrepreneur, Jackie Kopcho is now CEO of Tortorella Swimming Pools, where she leads a team that engineers, builds, and services pools on Long Island, in southeastern New York State. When searching for a company to acquire, Jackie wasn’t looking for this particular industry or location. Rather, she was on the lookout for those qualities that lead to an enduringly profitable business, such as recurring revenue and low customer concentration. This company stood out from the rest as an ideal acquisition target. In this episode, Jackie discusses her overall process of discovery, the experience of coming into the role of CEO, managing challenges associated with a seasonal business, her deep focus on customer service, and more.

Ari Santos and Allan Newman, about to graduate from business school, reflect on the choice between buying their own business or working for someone else. Though there are parallels between their paths, including service in the US Army, these similarities make their differences all the more interesting. From considerations of leadership, risk, and career aspirations to thoughts on location, industry, and funding options, listeners gain insights into the decision of taking a job versus embarking on the journey to find and acquire a small business to run as CEO.