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Acquiring Minds

Will Smith
Acquisition Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
SBA Loans
Business Acquisition
Private Equity
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
Franchising
Covid-19
HVAC
Acquisition Lab
Small Business
E-Commerce
SBA Loan
Search Funds
Small Business Ownership
Digital Marketing
Acquisition
Flower Shop Industry
Forklift Repair
Vanlife Outfitters

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 weeklyEpisodes501Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusinessInvesting

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Artwork for Acquiring Minds

Latest Episodes

Brendan Guerin was 21 when he and 3 friends bought a dog daycare on the side. Today: 6 Midwest locations.

Register for the webinars: 

• Debt Financing Your Deal (SBA & Independent Sponsor) - TOMORROW!! - bit.ly/4rRpQaY

• The Small Things Th... more

Tyler Hoffman has bought 4 telecom companies with no outside equity, and works 15 hours a week to get to $50m.

Topics in Tyler’s interview:

• Lessons from being fired repeatedly

• Finding and acquiring Metro Wireless

• Filling experience gaps with ... more

YouTube

Colin King and his 50/50 partner have paid themselves little since 2018, reinvesting profits back into their businesses. 

Topics in Colin’s interview:

• Growing Circle City Capital’s business portfolio

• Don’t call them private equity

• Why Colin s... more

YouTube

Patrick Dunphy acquired a low-seven-figure interpreter agency, then halved its collection times in year one.

Topics in Patrick’s interview:

• From Army aviation to business ownership

• Why Patrick chose ownership over corporate success

• Three year... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Tyler Hoffman
Owner of Metro Wireless, acquired by Tyler Hoffman
Metro Wireless
Episode: The Roll-Up with No Investors & No Clock
Colin King
Co-founder of Circle City Capital Group
Circle City Capital Group, Inc.
Episode: $33m Holdco: Teddy Bears to Insurance Claims
Patrick Dunphy
Owner of JS Languages, language service provider
JS Languages
Episode: The $150k Hiding in the Business He Bought
Jack Rauch
Co-owner, Two and Taylor (private provider)
Two and Taylor
Episode: How to Buy a $2.1m Business Without the SBA
Kyle Holmes
Managing Owner and General Manager of Quail Ridge Golf Club
Quail Ridge Golf Club
Episode: Buying a $7.3m Golf Course with No Money Down
Manolo Diaz Corrada
Owner of Bonneville Group
Bonneville Group
Episode: Buying a $12.5m Contractor to Create 1,000 Jobs
Morli Desai
Former owner of Amira Natural Skin Care
Amira Natural Skin Care (former)
Episode: Losing a $1m SDE Business to Bankruptcy
Rob Brooks
Owner of Gary Air, HVAC entrepreneur who acquired and scaled a small HVAC business
Gary Air, Sarasota, Florida
Episode: $340k to $1.3m of Earnings in 14 Months
Adam Whelchel
Owner of Lakeland Escape Room, former accounting firm founder
Lakeland Escape Room (Lakeland, Florida)
Episode: Buy a Business with Your Tax Bill

Host

Will Smith
Host of Acquiring Minds, guides interviews and explains concepts to listeners

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 709 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 States6 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's interviewing clarity and practical takeaways.
The content is seen as a top resource for SMB acquisition and deal structuring.
Guests are consistently real about challenges and strategies in ETA journeys.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

$33m Holdco: Teddy Bears to Insurance Claims
Q: Why not pursue a single-industry roll-up instead of a diversified Holdco?
A single-industry roll-up could achieve higher multiples but would sacrifice diversification and the resilience that comes from a varied portfolio. We prefer to build a portfolio where multiple engines run, allowing cross-funding and risk dispersion, and we emphasize leadership depth in each PortCo to sustain long-term value.
$33m Holdco: Teddy Bears to Insurance Claims
Q: Colin, how did your early experiences shape the Holdco model you've built today?
The early days of hands-on operation taught us the necessity of building a scalable structure with strong leaders in each business, which led to a strategy of acquiring diversified businesses and staffing them with capable operators so the Holdco can function like Berkshire Hathaway rather than a set of founder-driven shops.
Losing a $1m SDE Business to Bankruptcy
Q: How did you decide to pursue bankruptcy, and what form did you choose?
Facing escalating loan payments and dwindling cash flow, Morli pursued Chapter 11 with Subchapter 5 to facilitate a structured repayment plan and protect assets, rather than immediate liquidation.
Losing a $1m SDE Business to Bankruptcy
Q: What were the biggest issues that emerged after you took over?
The primary issues were Google Ads driving the majority of revenue, rising cost per click, a collapsing multi‑channel ecosystem, and an 8% repeat purchase rate, which made sustainable growth unlikely without major changes.
Losing a $1m SDE Business to Bankruptcy
Q: Start us off, Morli, with a refresher, please.
Morli explains her background, the acquisition of an SBA‑financed skincare line, and the initial success followed by a rapid decline due to channel dynamics, low repeat purchases, and an overreliance on Google Ads.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Acquiring Minds

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

A show about acquisition entrepreneurship, focusing on buying and scaling small to mid-sized businesses across a wide range of industries. Episodes center on real-world dealmaking, financing structures (SBA loans, seller financing, liquidity lines), post-close integration, leadership transitions, and lessons learned from both successes and failures. Listeners can expect practical tactics on deal sourcing, due diligence, and operating improvements, as well as candid honesty about personal tolls, risk, and resilience. The format often features deep-dive interviews with first-hand ETA or growth-story guests, emphasizing actionable takeaways and a clear path for prospective buyers or operators exploring holdco-building strategies. A standout as... 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. Think Big, Buy Small
3. Minds Capital Podcast
4. Built to Sell Radio
5. My First Million

How many episodes of Acquiring Minds are there?

Acquiring Minds launched 5 years ago and published 501 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. Tyler Hoffman
2. Colin King
3. Patrick Dunphy
4. Jack Rauch
5. Kyle Holmes
6. Manolo Diaz Corrada
7. Morli Desai
8. Rob Brooks

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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