In this video, Kevin Ramsier shares how he turned a tiny $200K business into a multi-state empire. He quit a finance job, bought a company in a diner, and built 12 businesses that now dominate their markets. Kevin breaks down how he scales fast, builds teams, and makes big exits with no fund, no bankers, and no fluff. If you care about real business, real deals, and building a $100M platform from scratch—watch this now.Sign up to our newsletter where the heavyweights of high finance share their off-market playbook: https://offmarketmemo.beehiiv.com/ Timestamps:00:34 Who Kevin is01:53 Early life in Ohio02:45 From Invesco to business owner03:46 Bought a $200K business05:36 Grew it to 34 states07:33 How radon business worked09:30 Closed deal in a diner11:06 Why he chose buying over building13:35 How “Sier Capital” started15:25 His system for fixing companies17:27 Moving state to state18:03 His wife’s role20:36 How to choose a life partner24:28 Balancing business and family27:17 Hard conversations with employees29:26 What “violently aligned” means31:39 Creating open culture in PE33:13 Drywall interview test35:04 Why he gives equity36:03 From $10M to $50M38:00 How he fixes the P&L41:37 When to do add-ons43:46 Three ways to grow a business45:58 How to increase LTV47:25 The 48-hour guarantee49:35 Buying a piece of a sports team51:15 What pattern recognition does52:57 Breaking the rules to win56:08 Sales strategy and close58:37 Final takeaways59:53 Where to find Kevin

In this episode, Carey Ransom breaks down what most startup founders get wrong — and how to actually build something worth scaling. From running a venture studio to building a fund that serves 100+ community banks, Carey shares his unique lens on early-stage startups, recruiting, product validation, and long-term thinking. If you're in the 0-to-1 stage or trying to understand the difference between building and optimizing, this episode will shift your perspective.If you're thinking about buying businesses, building a portfolio, or competing with billion-dollar companies, this episode is a masterclass.Sign up to our newsletter where the heavyweights of high finance share their off-market playbook: https://offmarketmemo.beehiiv.com/Timestamps:01:35 Carey’s journey: startup builder to venture partner04:25 The #1 mistake founders make06:40 “Just because you can build it doesn’t mean you should”07:27 What makes a founder lovable09:51 Every startup is a snowflake13:03 Why he chose VC over private equity15:58 His take on frameworks vs. just starting17:07 Resist the urge to keep building18:46 The truth about “breakthrough ideas”19:40 The model behind BankTech Ventures22:50 How he de-risks product-market fit24:26 Applying PE-style thinking to early stage27:00 How Operate and BankTech work together30:11 His unique vantage point between two worlds31:02 Why he cares so much about community banks33:45 His family’s legacy in banking35:21 Banks as the foundation of real communities37:10 “Everyone can teach me something”39:51 Advice to his younger self as a founder41:59 Why he became obsessed with recruiting44:46 The mindset shift that unlocked scale46:39 How he retains talent long term48:13 The #1 trait he hires for49:40 Why startup athletes are better than resumes51:25 How to match talent to company stage54:56 “I’m not building to get somewhere. I just love doing this.”57:57 Why 50% qualified is the sweet spot59:32 Carey’s definition of adventure in business

In this episode, Edoardo Maggini shares how he went from a 16-year-old Italian immigrant to building a $70M+ private equity roll-up in the coatings industry. He explains why he left the startup world behind, how his team is taking on giants like Sherwin-Williams, and what most entrepreneurs get wrong about building wealth. If you're thinking about buying businesses, building a portfolio, or competing with billion-dollar companies, this episode is a masterclass.For more content like this and an inside look into the world of the largest dealmakers in the world, subscribe to The Off Market Memo https://offmarketmemo.beehiiv.com/ Are you in Private Equity, VC, or a Family Office? Become a guest on the Deal Flow Show herehttps://guestlist.dealflowshow.ai/Timestamps:01:06 How Edoardo broke into ETA03:40 What StarStep Capital actually does05:27 Why they picked the coatings industry07:46 His immigration story + first business10:08 How he exited a startup in 3 years14:51 Advice he’d give his younger self15:55 Why “start from scratch” is overrated18:18 What most small business owners get wrong20:05 His step-by-step process for doing deals21:35 Why focusing on one industry matters22:26 How he thinks about building his team25:30 How his team splits roles without titles28:03 Why solo entrepreneurship doesn’t scale29:54 The hardest part after buying a company31:15 Why he loves keeping sellers' kids in place33:45 How they structure branding + integrations34:59 What long-term value creation looks like36:54 Their current size and 10-year goal38:47 How his Machiavelli mindset gives him an edge41:07 How he developed a big vision early43:21 “I don’t feel big… I feel like I’m just starting”44:42 Where he gets advice and mentorship47:24 The closest thing to a “bad deal” they’ve done48:45 Why proprietary deal flow is key50:26 Why bigger deals are actually easier53:22 What affects multiples in this space55:02 How they consistently win competitive bids57:57 Their long-term model vs. traditional PE59:26 Biggest lesson from 2025 (so far)

In this video, high school drop out turned private equity firm owner Elliot Martinez breaks down why chasing money isn't the goal — having freedom is. He shares how mindset, clarity, and purpose shaped his journey from real estate to private equity. You'll hear the real reason successful people still chase growth. This conversation will shift how you think about success, wealth, and what truly matters.For more content like this and an inside look into the world of the largest dealmakers in the world, subscribe to The Off Market Memo https://offmarketmemo.beehiiv.com/ Are you in Private Equity, VC, or a Family Office? Become a guest on the Deal Flow Show herehttps://guestlist.dealflowshow.ai/The Deal Flow Show Episode 1 ft Elliot Martinez Timestamps:01:25 Why most of your worries are fake02:14 The deeper reason behind wanting money03:13 The basketball game that changed his motive05:42 A 30-second exercise to kill regret07:43 Writing your own obituary11:03 How faith shaped his business13:20 Millionaires chase lifestyle, billionaires chase purpose15:33 Warren Buffett’s 25-5 rule19:10 Energy audit: Who drains vs. fills you20:35 The power of intentional relationship building26:16 How to talk to billionaires29:57 How to get a callback from high-level people33:14 The business model explained simply36:46 How a mentor saved him millions39:32 Red flags when buying a company42:59 Why character beats profit47:35 Intuition vs. numbers in dealmaking50:10 How it feels managing investor money53:11 Getting the right people on the team58:19 Building the team before raising capital01:04:35 The one skill that beats AI01:08:51 A week-by-week relationship routine01:13:17 How to find your zone of genius01:16:38 Hire out what drains you01:17:45 The biggest mistake in private equityThe Deal Flow Show is where real conversations happen with real capital behind them. Hosted by Ivan Acuna and DJ Panfili, this is not another surface-level business podcast. We sit down with investors, operators, and elite dealmakers to unpack how 8- and 9-figure deals actually get done — from private equity roll-ups to mindset shifts, from war stories to wealth strategy.No fluff. No guru talk. Just raw insight, big plays, and the people pulling the strings behind today’s biggest moves in private equity, VC, and Family Offices.