What if your path to business ownership was less about finding the “perfect” opportunity and more about cultivating clarity and readiness from the inside out? Are you helping your clients build resilient, sustainable enterprises, or just reacting to their immediate wish lists and blind spots?

Too many advisors and brokers get caught solving surface-level problems, overlooking the underlying systems, preparation, and mindset shifts that actually drive long-term success. As this episode reveals, transformative progress happens when you challenge ambitious owners to plan beyond their current horizon, systematize their operations, and prepare their businesses (and themselves) for the capital, scale, and transitions they dream of.

In this episode, Dayo Oyetuga, Certified Business Advisor at the Washington SBDC, brings experience in both entrepreneurship and large-scale organizational transformation. He shares eye-opening lessons on preparing businesses for growth, demystifying capital readiness, leveraging technology, and mastering the unglamorous—but essential—routines of strategic planning and honest self-assessment.

From helping business owners avoid the “lost opportunity” trap to equipping first-time buyers with the right questions and accountability, Dayo Oyetuga offers practical strategies and real-world stories for anyone looking to move from reactive to deliberate, from overwhelmed to empowered.

Subscribe for more insights on building your deal flow, elevating your advisory skills, and leading your clients toward lasting, meaningful success.

Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-kovsky-460aab7/
Email: gregory@ibainc.com
Website: https://ibainc.com/

Connect with Oliver:
Email: oliver@ibainc.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkotelnikov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextVentureAlliance
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextventurealliance

• (00:00:00) - The Next Venture
• (00:00:34) - Next Venture Alliance Show
• (00:02:05) - What led to your current role at SBDC?
• (00:07:19) - Does Business Planning Help Entrepreneurs Grow?
• (00:10:12) - What Does a Plan Look Like for Your Business?
• (00:16:18) - Does SBDC provide business advisory services?
• (00:24:39) - Clear Clarity on Your SBA Loan
• (00:25:08) - 4 tips for business owners on the loan application process
• (00:31:20) - How to Get More Out of a SBDC Advisor?
• (00:38:27) - An Owner's Role in a Sale
• (00:44:23) - In the Elevator With First Time Buyers
• (00:46:01) - What's the most useful kind of carryover skill from the corporate
• (00:53:31) - Should I Acquire a Successful Business?
• (00:59:05) - How Much Money Do You Want to Make As a Business Owner?
• (01:04:27) - The Right Questions for Advisors
• (01:05:35) - Balance: Research vs. Action
• (01:10:55) - The Transition to a Chief Executive Officer
• (01:15:23) - Does Money Change Your Mind?
• (01:17:45) - How to grow a specialty garden business under your umbrella
• (01:24:59) - Will AI Replace Your Business Tools?
• (01:29:43) - What Kind of Business Advisory Services Should Business Owners Have?
• (01:31:46) - Will the SBDC help you with legal and accounting issues?
• (01:36:06) - Top Sources of Information for Business Owners
• (01:42:39) - 6 tips for becoming a better business owner
• (01:45:21) - 71 and Change: Bringing All As One
• (01:51:03) - On The Acquisition
• (01:52:13) - Dreams of Playing in the NFL
• (01:56:37) - Dreaming of playing for the Finnish national team
• (02:00:49) - Seattle Seahawks player on the World Cup
• (02:04:13) - The Next Venture: Small Business Development