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Acquiring Minds

Will Smith
Acquisition Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
SBA Loans
Business Acquisition
Private Equity
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
Franchising
Covid-19
Acquisition Lab
HVAC
Small Business
SBA Loan
E-Commerce
Construction Industry
Search Funds
Small Business Ownership
Digital Marketing
Cabinet Making
Manufacturing
Acquisition

Buying a business is an amazing path for many successful entrepreneurs. Learn how to buy a business from the entrepreneurs who have already done it. 2x per week: stories, insights, & valuable advice about acquisition entrepreneurship. Hosted by Will Smith, who is on his own path to acquire a business. Also on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@AcquiringMinds Sign up for episode summaries at: https:... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes482Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusinessInvesting

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Artwork for Acquiring Minds

Latest Episodes

Randy Rempp turned around a $17m insurance business as a rookie CEO, then used that track record to raise a search fund. 

Register for the webinar: 

• The 3 Paths to Franchising for Acquisition Entrepreneurs - TODAY!! - bit.ly/4yGEhSe

Topi... more

YouTube

Gabriel Cruz Avila bought a $1.4M remodeling business, weathered a divorce and burnout, then sold it two years later. 

Register for the webinar: 

• The 3 Paths to Franchising for Acquisition Entrepreneurs - Thu, Aug 6 - bit.ly/4pY7VOX

Topi... more

Edgar Galindo and his partner bought 2 businesses with SBA loans. Now he's facing the consequences of shuttering both.

Topics in Edgar’s interview:

• Construction background in his family business

• “Google-funded search”

• Wanted flexibility to st... more

YouTube

Raj Mahajan bought a salon software business, tripled it to $11M ARR. Then his biggest customer launched a competitor.

Register for the webinar:

• Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - TOMORROW!! - bit.ly/4frQstm

Topics in Raj’s interv... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Gabriel Cruz Avila
Former owner of Katie Tile and Marble, ETA Circle participant
Katie Tile and Marble
Episode: Acquiring Isn't Always a One-Way Door
Edgar Galindo
Co-owner, Structure Landscapes (Austin); shared the full journey
Structure Landscapes
Episode: How 1 SBA Loan Brought Down 2 Businesses
Raj Mahajan
former CEO of SuperSalon, entrepreneur in acquisition entrepreneurship
SuperSalon
Episode: 60% Concentration That Killed an Exit
Pat Beal
Owner of Temperature Control Maintenance, HVAC/refrigeration business
Temperature Control Maintenance
Episode: Product-Market Fit in the Trades: 4x in 2.5 Years
Brian Jungles
Owner of Citi Publications Atlanta
City Publications Atlanta (franchise)
Episode: No SBA, No Investors: The Liquidity Access Line
Rob Belk
Owner of Sales Factory, a retail marketing and consumer research agency in the home improvement/building supplies space
Sales Factory
Episode: Acquiring a $7m Niche Marketing Agency with 50 Employees
Chris Farkas
Owner of emergencykits.com
emergencykits.com
Episode: Escaping the J-Curve in a $700k SDE Ecom Business
Gina Rosen
Owner of Seasons Jewelry, former IT/project management professional
Seasons Jewelry
Episode: Never Worked Harder, Never Been Happier
Paul Callahan
Owner of Metro Metal Works, former consultant
Metro Metal Works
Episode: Career Consultant Who Bought a 7-Figure Manufacturer

Host

Will Smith
Host and guide focused on ETA and acquiring small businesses across industries

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 690 ratings
  • Best ETA / Search / Business Buying Podcast in the World

    While other podcasts pitch their own services, Will stays focused on delivering accurate, genuinely useful content to his listeners. Hands down the best podcast out there for learning about acquiring a small business.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BigSlick55
    United States4 months ago
  • Must listen for anyone buying a business

    Thanks Will for sharing these stories. There are so many actionable takeaways for acquisition entrepreneurs. Thanks also to the community for sharing these stories highs, the lows and the lessons. This is invaluable stuff!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    J--Mar
    Australiaa year ago
  • Brilliant podcast

    Love hearing all the journeys to business ownership - and running the business. Will organises the show in a great way too, so you can learn why the owner made the decisions they did.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kimhollis
    Australiaa year ago
  • Will is out here doing god's work. He's skillfully teaching first time searchers everything from books to read, pitfalls to avoid, tactics to emulate, the whole package. I went to the top business school in the country. But Will and his team are giving anyone who will listen more value, connections, and practical knowledge for free. Take advantage of this ASAP.

    Audible
    5
    James Addison
    United Statesa year ago
  • Essential Listening for First Time Business Acquirers

    Will is out here doing god's work. He's skillfully teaching first time searchers everything from books to read, pitfalls to avoid, tactics to emulate, the whole package. I went to the top business school in the country. But Will and his team are giving anyone who will listen more value, connections, and practical knowledge for free. Take advantage of this ASAP.

    Audible
    5
    James Addison
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host for thoughtful questions and practical takeaways.
Guests provide actionable, real-world lessons on buying and growing small businesses.
The interviews mix successes with hard-won lessons, keeping content grounded and useful.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Never Worked Harder, Never Been Happier
Q: Gina, after a multi-decade career in IT and project management, in 2023 you started a pivot out of that corporate life to business ownership by acquiring a jewelry business. What motivated that decision, and how did the emotional journey unfold?
She describes post-COVID reflections, desiring more time equity and control over how she spends time, which led to committing to her side business and eventually buying Seasons Jewelry when the opportunity presented itself, despite ongoing work in her corporate role.
60% Concentration That Killed an Exit
Q: What was the initial appeal of the search/fundraising path for you, Raj?
Raj explains that the appeal lay in direct CEO-level engagement, fundraising, and the control over his own destiny, which contrasted with banking and left him excited about operational execution and ownership.
How to Buy a $20m Business as a First-Timer
Q: How did the deal complexity and franchise considerations affect your path to closing?
The franchise dynamics and a problematic SBA-related funding snag required careful negotiation, but ultimately the franchise structure provided a community and support system that complemented the acquisition while the SBA hurdles were navigated with lender help.
How to Buy a $20m Business as a First-Timer
Q: What made you decide to take on investors rather than funding the deal entirely yourself?
Investors brought capital, strategic guidance, and a network within the ETA community; alignment with mission and the ability to secure a larger, stable acquisition outweighed the control trade-offs.
How to Buy a $20m Business as a First-Timer
Q: Why did you ultimately pursue a local, larger business instead of a smaller, perhaps easier to manage one?
Because I wanted a meaty, leadership-focused role with scale to manage people directly, and a mission-driven business offered more meaningful impact and a larger platform to deploy my experience.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Frequently Asked Questions About Acquiring Minds

What is Acquiring Minds about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dive show for aspiring and active acquisition entrepreneurs, mainly focusing on entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) of SMBs and franchised units. Episodes explore deal structures, financing (SBA, seller notes, and owner financing), due diligence, culture and leadership, and practical growth playbooks across trades, services, and franchising. Guests share firsthand journeys—from initial search and valuation through post-close integration and scale—along with personal stories about risk, family dynamics, and long-term portfolio-building. Notable throughlines include the importance of operator-fit, mentor networks, and creative financing, often anchored by real-world case studies that reveal both wins and hard lessons. A standout... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Acquiring Minds?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Acquiring Minds:

1. Acquisitions Anonymous - #1 for business buying, selling and operating
2. Minds Capital Podcast
3. Built to Sell Radio
4. My First Million
5. Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

How many episodes of Acquiring Minds are there?

Acquiring Minds launched 5 years ago and published 482 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Acquiring Minds?

Recent guests on Acquiring Minds include:

1. Gabriel Cruz Avila
2. Edgar Galindo
3. Raj Mahajan
4. Pat Beal
5. Brian Jungles
6. Rob Belk
7. Chris Farkas
8. Gina Rosen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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