Practicing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
I recently had the honor of interviewing John H. Brown, author of Exit Planning: The Definitive Guide. My goal was to pull out of him his take on exit planning from the buyer’s side. I had a theory, and in our conversation, I found that great minds think alike. Conceptually, exit planning from a seller’s perspective makes
I live at the intersection of entrepreneurship and private investments. Typically, I approach it from the perspective of an entrepreneur. Most of what I write about — including my book— focuses on what entrepreneurs can learn from the private equity business model. That said, as I recently prepared to speak at the Alliance of Merger
Bill Bonnstetter is the founder of TTI Success Insights, the world’s leading source for research-based, validated assessment tools via their own patented solutions and products. TTI is the administrator and R&D firm behind the assessments Buy Then Build provides through our online courses and mentor programs. Below we’ve combined two articles originally published at Harvard
Acquisition entrepreneurship sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship and investing. With the right balance of those two worlds, it’s a field brimming with opportunity. Simply put, acquisition entrepreneurs apply their business-building smarts not to a fresh startup, but to buying and growing existing businesses. In the quick-footed world of startups, it might seem counterintuitive to imagine
“Good artists copy; great artists steal.” – Picasso When most people think of entrepreneurs, they envision a creative mastermind who founds an innovative new company or creates some kind of disruptive technology. That’s not an incorrect perception of entrepreneurs, but it is an incomplete one. Steve Jobs knew that great entrepreneurs also steal ideas. “We
I recently had the pleasure of appearing on the Think Like an Owner podcast. I talked with the show’s host, Alex Bridgeman, and Karen Spencer from Searchfunder, about my experience with acquisition entrepreneurship and the lessons I share in my book, Buy Then Build. If you’re looking to buy or sell a business, the conversation
I help entrepreneurs buy and sell businesses. As the creator of Six Months to CEO, and an advisor at Quiet Light Brokerage, it’s not only my job—it’s my passion. Every day, I work with acquisition entrepreneurs to decide which businesses are a good fit for their goals. Not too long ago, I advised two potential
The following is adapted from Buy Then Build: How Acquisition Entrepreneurs Outsmart the Startup Game Perhaps you’re already familiar with the concept of acquisition entrepreneurship. It’s the process of purchasing an existing business, then exercising your entrepreneurial skills to grow that business, reaping satisfaction and serious financial benefits. Done well, acquisition entrepreneurship can be a
The following is adapted from Buy Then Build: How Acquisition Entrepreneurs Outsmart the Startup Game After my last company acquisition, the banker supplying the SBA loan told me, “Walker, my first job is to convince prospective borrowers that we are the right bank for them, my second job is to then determine whether the loan
The following is adapted from Buy Then Build: How Acquisition Entrepreneurs Outsmart the Startup Game As a new acquisition entrepreneur, you’re ready to purchase a company and you understand that it could be one of the most important investments you ever make. You’re also faced with the challenge of determining the future potential of any
