Mike Bourgeois bought an HVAC company bleeding $3m a year, all cash and no SBA, then cut $1.4m of costs in 2 weeks.

Register for the webinar:

• The Deal I Almost Bought (And Why I Passed) - Thu, Sep 10 - https://bit.ly/4zKAGTN

Topics in Mike’s interview:

• Led major Air Force medical practice
• Found a search partner with complementary skill sets
• Bet on distressed businesses with liquidation value
• Found a deal through veteran ETA Slack
• Speed beat the highest bid
• Immediately cut $1.4M in annualized expenses
• Raised gross margins from 7% to 49%
• Shifted from silos to teamwork
• Emphasis on ongoing staff training
• His goal of being a capital allocator/investor

References and how to contact Mike:

• LinkedIn
• Cardinal Heating & Air
• Book: The Compounders: From Small Acquisitions to Giant Shareholder Returns

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

Sujith Shankar left 25 years in corporate to buy cash-flowing businesses: a $1.2m repair shop and a $2m body shop.

Topics in Sujith interview:

• How Rivian layoffs changed everything
• Falling down the Warren Buffett rabbit hole
• Why auto repair beat real estate
• Funding a deal without an SBA loan
• Running a business while keeping a W-2
• Winning over skeptical employees after closing
• Planning a mini Berkshire Hathaway
• Is EV adoption really a threat?
• Buying a second business just months later
• Collision shops vs. repair shops

References and how to contact Sujith:

• LinkedIn
• The Billionaire Who Wasn’t by Conor O’Clery
• Edgar Galindo on Acquiring Minds: How 1 SBA Loan Brought Down 2 Businesses

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

The ecosystem for serious acquisition entrepreneurs—education, capital, community, and post-close support to buy and grow a business:

• 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 and produced by Pam Cameron

Courtney and Jonathan Dunn bought a fast-growing SaaS at 3-4x ARR, doubled it, then merged for a life-changing exit.

Register for the webinar:

• Architecture of an Entrepreneurial Roll-Up - TOMORROW!! - https://bit.ly/4gXkwPt

Topics in Jonathan & Courtney’s interview:

• Their background in oil & gas
• Turning down an offer from Apple
• Improving their investor pitch
• Traveling extensively to search
• Acquiring a niche healthcare software company
• Using all equity, no debt, for the deal
• Using an earn-out to resolve valuation disagreements
• Having a baby during the acquisition process
• The hire they wish they’d made sooner
• Advice for couples considering building a business together.

References and how to contact Jonathan & Courtney:

• Jonathan’s LinkedIn
• Courtney’s LinkedIn
• Cerbo
• Ned Tomasevic spelling on Acquiring Minds: How to 4x EBITDA in 3 Years Without Growing Sales

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 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