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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
Acquisition
Cabinet Making
Flower Shop Industry

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 weeklyEpisodes489Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusinessInvesting

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Artwork for Acquiring Minds

Latest Episodes

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!! - bit.ly/4gXkwPt

Topics in Jonathan &... more

Andrew Sova and Alex Clark revived sales at a 40-year-old sign manufacturer, the first acquisition of their holdco.

Register for the webinars:

• New SBA Rules: What Business Buyers Need to Know - TODAY!! - bit.ly/4hGNwMi

• Architecture of a... more

Jeff Homer returns with an update: revenue past $100m, a new dance division, and 50% growth expected this year. 

Register for the webinars:

• Licenses & Regulatory Issues When Buying a Business - TOMORROW! - bit.ly/4ccatTW

• New SBA Rules: ... more

Neil Finneran returns 3 years after buying a business so small it barely paid him a salary — now on pace for $800k.

Register for the webinars: 

• Learn to Avoid the #1 Reason Acquisitions Fail - TODAY!! - bit.ly/4qg4P9k

• Licenses & Regulat... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Neil Finneran
Owner of multiple Mosquito Joe territories in MA/NH
Mosquito Joe / Neighborly
Episode: From $700k Purgatory to $3m: A Mosquito Joe Update
Jesse Sunquist
Owner of a Mosquito Joe franchise outside Trenton, New Jersey
Mosquito Joe
Episode: 3 Years, $80k In: An Honest Update
Greyson Boerner
Owner of Worship Interiors Group, acquired church pew restoration business
Worship Interiors Group
Episode: $400k Profit Fixing Church Pews
Chibunna Chimezie
Owner of Veterans Room, behavioral health provider for veterans
Veterans Room
Episode: Surviving a 2-Month Revenue Freeze in Year 1
Randy Rempp
CEO of Meridian Title, acquired a large title insurance business
Meridian Title
Episode: Second-Time CEO Buys a $30m Title Company
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

Host

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

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 701 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'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.

3 Years, $80k In: An Honest Update
Q: What happened in year three that changed the trajectory, and how did you respond?
Year three brought a contraction due to weather and other factors; despite bringing in a full-time GM, the overall performance still declined. I shifted to a W2 role at a startup and decided to sell the business, though the sale didn't go through smoothly. I learned the model is fragile and that hands-on management isn't easily scalable for empire-building in this network.
3 Years, $80k In: An Honest Update
Q: Could you recap why you chose the Mosquito Joe franchise and what the initial thesis looked like?
I wanted flexibility for a two-working-parent household, and I believed a franchise network could offer scalable opportunities to grow, especially through multi-unit ownership. I lowered my revenue floor to access more opportunities and believed that local, hands-on management within a franchise network could still yield programmatic growth.
Second-Time CEO Buys a $30m Title Company
Q: Why did you end up choosing Meridian Title as the acquisition target, and how did you justify the deal structurally?
The choice was driven by a desire to acquire a business that closely matched the scale and complexity Randy had already proven he could run, avoiding the risk of rebuilding from scratch. They used a three-year EBITDA average for a cyclical business, applied a 6x multiple, and financed with a seller note, senior debt, and investor equity, which provided the right leverage and growth path given the platform nature of Meridian.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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. 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 489 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. Neil Finneran
2. Jesse Sunquist
3. Greyson Boerner
4. Chibunna Chimezie
5. Randy Rempp
6. Gabriel Cruz Avila
7. Edgar Galindo
8. Raj Mahajan

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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