Buy Then Build: How Acquisition Entrepreneurs Outsmart the Startup Game

Be respectful and polite. Thank them for taking the time to meet with you and let them know you are interested in their opportunity. Give a history of your background, highlighting relevant accomplishments. Explain why you’re actively on the search, that you have a process, that you have taken the time to meet with banks and have arranged access to

Whenever I am looking at any business, I’m looking to identify the path to growth and the amount of upside potential. How big can this business be? Try to understand the driver behind a company’s value and how to best scale it. How to accelerate it, change it, or keep it as a lifestyle business. Looking at businesses this way allows the company to

Look on LinkedIn. Make a list of these as you go along with contact information for each one. You are going to try to meet with all of them.

In conclusion, Phase 1 of your search is to meet with every intermediary in your area, explain what you’re looking for, review their current listings, and get on their email list for new listings. This will result in you getting vetted and upstream to the deal flow in your area.

Other times, I identify the companies I’m interested in and recruit an intermediary to reach out to the owner, letting them know that they are working with a buyer that specifically researched and put together a list of just a few companies, and their name was on it. This allows for the professionalism of a broker, but also, they are putting their

First, and at the very basic level, how do you present yourself? Are you someone they could introduce to potential sellers with confidence? Second, do you have the money? Are you capable of pulling the trigger on an acquisition if they find one? Third, what type of business are you looking for?

network with any potential equity backers if needed, and search the internet for business brokers, business intermediaries, and investment bankers in your city.

Most people start by finding a popular site like bizbuysell.com and spending an inordinate amount of time, often during leisure time, passively reviewing the listings. Whatever you do, do not do this. You do need to get familiar with sites like this and what’s on them, but plugging into this habit as your end game will stifle your effort from the s

So, get organized like this is your job, because it is. Set a folder aside for listings, start a spreadsheet as you look at listings, and record industry, location, revenue, asking price, and any other critical or comparative information you can use later.