Acquiring Minds

Andrew Sova and Alex Clark revived sales at a 40-year-old sign manufacturer, the first acquisition of their holdco.
Register for the webinars:
New SBA Rules: What Business Buyers Need to Know - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/4hGNwMi
Architecture of an Entrepreneurial Roll-Up - Tue, Sep 1 - https://bit.ly/4qc7dxx
Topics in Andrew & Alex’s interview:
Meeting at BCG
Partnership provided accountability and motivation
Looking for direct-impact roles
Prioritizing speed with brokered search
Their vision to build a holdco
Winsor Fireform makes uniquely durable signage
Employee growth = key success metric
Seller chose buyers based on trust, not price
Customers include parks, transit systems, and stadiums
Long negotiation over working capital
References and how to contact Andrew and Alex:
Andrew Sova’s LinkedIn
Alex Clark’s LinkedIn
Novo Foundry
Cayne Crossing
Winsor Fireform
Pioneer Capital Advisory
Get a complimentary IT audit for acquisition diligence or post-close transition.
Visit inzotechnologies.com/eta.
Contact Jenny to learn how Engage can run people operations in your acquisition:
Jenny Thear: jthear@engagepeo.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 and produced by Pam Cameron

Jeff Homer returns with an update: revenue past $100m, a new dance division, and 50% growth expected this year. 
Register for the webinars:
Licenses & Regulatory Issues When Buying a Business - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/4ccatTW
New SBA Rules: What Business Buyers Need to Know - Thu, Aug 27 - https://bit.ly/4c3b6zj
Architecture of an Entrepreneurial Roll-Up - Tue, Sep 1 - https://bit.ly/4zdTbj2
Topics in Jeff’s interview:
Building a music school roll-up
Scaling through monthly acquisitions
Expanding into dance schools
Back-office value creation
Transitioning from operator to CEO
Building middle management
Avoiding private equity pitfalls
100x return for early investors
Constant travel as CEO
Future vision for Ensemble
References and how to contact Jeff:
LinkedIn
Ensemble
Jeff’s first appearance on Acquiring Minds: How to Buy 40 Businesses in 4 Years
Webinar:Architecture of an Entrepreneurial Roll-Up
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
The ecosystem for serious acquisition entrepreneurs—education, capital, community, and post-close support to buy and grow a business:
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 and produced by Pam Cameron

Neil Finneran returns 3 years after buying a business so small it barely paid him a salary — now on pace for $800k.
Register for the webinars: 
Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/4qg4P9k
Licenses & Regulatory Issues When Buying a Business - Tue, Aug 25 - https://bit.ly/4wTADDf
Topics in Neil’s interview:
Neil’s previous appearance on Acquiring Minds
His background in hedge funds
Pain of buying small
Managing labor and no-shows
Implementing a hybrid-pay model for techs
The acquisition that tripled his revenue
Christmas lights services in the off season
Rising customer acquisition costs
Barriers to entry in pest control
Why his outcome diverged from Jesse Sunquist’s
References and how to contact Neil:
LinkedIn
Mosquito Joe of Andover-Peabody
Neil’s first appearance on Acquiring Minds: How to Survive Going from Hedge Funds to SMB Owner
Jesse’s most recent appearance on Acquiring Minds: 3 Years, $80k In: An Honest Update
Jesse’s first appearance on Acquiring Minds: How to Widen Your Search to Buy a Business
Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
Pioneer Capital Advisory
Get a complimentary IT audit for acquisition diligence or post-close transition.
Visit inzotechnologies.com/eta.
Contact Jenny to learn how Engage can run people operations in your acquisition:
Jenny Thear: jthear@engagepeo.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 and produced by Pam Cameron

Jesse Sunquist put a GM in charge and stepped back to 5 hours a week — proud of the experience, restless about the outcome.
Register for the webinar: 
Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - Thu, Aug 13 - https://bit.ly/4wPHY6R
Topics in Jesse’s interview:
Buying a business for flexibility
Geographical search in New Jersey
Lowering his minimum SDE threshold to $300K
Acquiring 2 Mosquito Joe territories
His plan to build wealth through franchise roll-ups
Modest growth followed by shrink
How other owners handle the off-season
Taking a W2 with the intent to sell
Inability to find a buyer
Hiring a great GM to run it
References and how to contact Jesse:
LinkedIn
Mosquito Joe
Jesse’s previous interviews on Acquiring Minds: Reflections After 1 Year of Searching Full Time
A Reward for Widening Search to $300k SDE

Neil Finneran on Acquiring Minds: How to Survive Going from Hedge Funds to SMB Owner
The ecosystem for serious acquisition entrepreneurs—education, capital, community, and post-close support to buy and grow a business:
The Acquisition Lab
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 and produced by Pam Cameron

Greyson Boerner traded startup life for a 28-year-old niche business — now on pace to grow revenue 50% in year one.
Register for the webinar:
Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/4z0fkBx
Topics in Greyson’s interview:
Founding software startups
ETA as a path to stability
Getting his education with Acquisition Lab
Finding business brokers through Google Maps
Uncovered niche church pew restoration business
Competitor closure created significant growth opportunity
Church visit reinforced acquisition decision
Hired bilingual ops manager to bridge communication
Stolen truck fiasco
Revenue up 50%, margins pressured by investments
References and how to contact Greyson:
LinkedIn
Worship Interiors Group
Contact Jenny to learn how Engage can run people operations in your acquisition:
Jenny Thear: jthear@engagepeo.com
Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:
Pioneer Capital Advisory
Get a complimentary IT audit for acquisition diligence or post-close transition.
Visit inzotechnologies.com/eta.
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 and produced by Pam Cameron