Notes from the buy side.
We find owner-run companies that are not listed for sale and finance the deals that follow. This is where we write down what we learn.
August 26, 2026
Disqualifying a Company Is Diligence, Not Failure
Ruling a company out is finished work rather than overhead, provided the reason is written down and stays true six months later.
August 23, 2026
What Makes a Company Worth Buying: The Criteria Behind a Real Screen
A screen earns its keep by rejecting quickly, which means sorting hard disqualifiers from preferences before you meet a company you like.
August 20, 2026
Brokered Deals vs. Proprietary Sourcing: What the Research Actually Says
A brokered company arrives already willing to sell — that is what the seller paid for, and what you pay for in price and position on the call list.
August 17, 2026
What Sellers Pay Their M&A Advisor, and Why Buyers Should Read the Fee Guide
Average sell-side success fees run 5.7% at $5M and 2.2% at $150M, and the minimum-fee floor explains which companies never get represented at all.
August 14, 2026
What a Two-Year Search Costs, in Time and in Capital
Search capital runs $400,000 to $500,000 per searcher, and nearly all of it is one person's time measured against a two-year clock.
August 11, 2026
How to Tell If a Business Owner Will Actually Sell
Intent is revealed by what an owner spends, not by what they say — and several of the signals worth reading arrive before the first call.
August 8, 2026
Why Cold Outreach to Business Owners Stopped Working
Seller response rates fell for two separate reasons, and only one of them can be fixed by changing how you write.
August 5, 2026
How Many Companies Do You Have to Contact to Buy One?
Stanford's acquisition funnel — thousands contacted, fifty visited, ten LOIs, one purchase — is a budget, and most searches spend it in the wrong place.
April 15, 2026
Where to Buy a Business Online: Complete Guide to Digital Marketplaces & Platforms
Online marketplaces now drive most lower-middle-market deal flow, but finding the right opportunities requires platform-specific targeting and fast, verified diligence.
April 13, 2026
Unsecured Business Loans for Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Unsecured business loans can speed lower-middle-market acquisitions by funding down payments and working capital without collateral, relying on credit and cash flow.
April 10, 2026
Term Loans for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Term loans offer a simple, predictable way to finance lower-middle-market acquisitions, but approval hinges on credit, down payment, and proven deal cash flow.
April 8, 2026
Tax Implications of Small Business Acquisitions: What First-Time Buyers Need to Know
First-time buyers should model taxes from day one—asset versus stock, purchase-price allocation, and depreciation can make or break deal profitability.
April 6, 2026
Small Business Acquisition Lending Platforms: Complete 2026 Comparison Guide
Online lenders can speed up acquisition financing with simpler applications and flexible terms, but higher costs mean choosing the right platform for each deal.
April 4, 2026
SBA Express Loans for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
SBA Express can speed up SBA-backed financing for time-sensitive purchases, trading higher rates and smaller guarantees for lender decisions in about 36 hours.
April 2, 2026
SBA 7(a) Loan Requirements for Business Acquisition: Complete Qualification Guide
SBA 7(a) business acquisition approval in 2026 hinges on strict borrower credit, down payment, and business eligibility, backed by detailed documentation.
March 30, 2026
SBA 7(a) Loan Qualification Guide: Complete Requirements for Business Acquirers
SBA 7(a) approvals hinge on proving the target is a qualifying U.S. small operating business, while you meet strict credit, equity, and repayment tests.
March 28, 2026
SaaS Business Valuation: The Complete Guide for Acquirers
SaaS valuations hinge on ARR, retention, and growth—not asset value or generic EBITDA multiples—so acquirers must model recurring revenue quality and churn.
March 26, 2026
ROBS (401k Rollover) for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
ROBS lets you finance an acquisition by rolling retirement funds into a new C-corporation plan that buys stock, avoiding penalties and immediate taxes but adding compliance risk.
March 24, 2026
Revenue Based Financing for Business Acquisitions: The Complete Guide
Revenue-based financing can fund lower-middle-market acquisitions with flexible repayments tied to actual revenue, easing cash-flow swings versus fixed bank loans.
March 21, 2026
Recession-Proof Businesses to Buy: The Complete Guide for Crisis-Resistant Acquisitions
In downturns, buy businesses with essential, inelastic demand and defensive cash flow—healthcare, death care, utilities, food, accounting, and treatment services.
March 19, 2026
Quality of Earnings Report: The Complete Due Diligence Guide for Business Buyers
A quality of earnings report reveals whether a target’s profits are sustainable and financeable—uncovering risks, normalizing add-backs, and tightening deal terms.
March 17, 2026
Quality of Earnings Report: The Complete Due Diligence Guide for Business Buyers
Order a quality of earnings report early to normalize real profitability, expose earnings distortions, and prevent costly surprises in a business purchase.
March 15, 2026
Quality of Earnings Report: The Complete Due Diligence Guide for Business Buyers
Quality of earnings reviews test whether reported profits are real, sustainable, and transferable, helping buyers protect valuation and structure deals with confidence.
March 13, 2026
Purchase Order Financing for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
PO financing lets acquirers convert confirmed customer orders into fast cash to fund fulfillment during the transition, preserving relationships without draining acquisition capital.
March 10, 2026
Private Business Lenders vs Traditional Banks for Acquisitions: Complete 2026 Comparison Guide
In 2026, private business lenders increasingly beat traditional banks on speed and flexibility for acquisitions, while banks still win on lowest-cost capital.
March 8, 2026
Private Business Lenders for Acquisitions: Complete Guide
When banks decline acquisition loans, private lenders can close faster and underwrite on the target’s cash flow, offering flexible options for many deal structures.
March 6, 2026
Post-Acquisition Integration Checklist: The Complete First 90 Days Guide
Maximize value after acquisition by running a disciplined, 90-day integration that protects people, customers, operations, and cash flow from day one.
March 4, 2026
Post-Acquisition Integration: Avoiding the First-Year Pitfalls
Within the first year, integration failures sink deals—protect cash, retain key talent, reassure customers, stabilize systems, and respect culture.
March 2, 2026
Peer-to-Peer Business Lending for Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Peer-to-peer business lending can speed acquisition financing when banks won’t, offering flexible terms and quick approvals—often within capped loan sizes and higher rates.
February 27, 2026
Online Business Lending for Acquisitions: Complete Platform Guide
Online lending can speed acquisition financing with streamlined, flexible terms, but choosing the right platform requires weighing cost, eligibility, and fit.
February 25, 2026
Online Business Lenders for Acquisitions: Complete Platform Guide
Online lenders speed up acquisition financing with digital underwriting and flexible terms, helping buyers secure funds in days instead of months.
February 23, 2026
Online Business Lenders for Acquisitions: Complete Platform Comparison Guide
Online lenders can fund lower-middle-market acquisitions in days using alternative underwriting and flexible terms, with Dealport standing out for dedicated acquisition support.
February 21, 2026
Microloans for Small Business Acquisitions: The Complete 2026 Guide
Microloans under $50,000—especially SBA microloans and CDFIs—can help first-time buyers fund working capital and equipment for smaller acquisitions.
February 18, 2026
Mezzanine Financing for Small Business Acquisitions: The Complete Guide
When bank debt and equity dilution don’t fit, mezzanine financing fills the gap with subordinated hybrid capital, flexible terms, and upside-linked warrants.
February 16, 2026
Merchant Cash Advance for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Merchant cash advances can close acquisition timing gaps fast, but their steep effective costs and daily remittance make them risky without a clear exit plan.
February 14, 2026
Letter of Intent for Business Purchase: The Complete Guide
A well-crafted LOI sets the deal terms, timeline, exclusivity, and confidentiality so serious buyers can win the business before due diligence and final negotiation.
February 12, 2026
Invoice Factoring for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Invoice factoring turns acquired firms’ unpaid receivables into immediate cash, bridging acquisition and early post-close working-capital gaps faster than loans.
February 12, 2026
Seller Financing for Business Acquisitions: A First-Time Buyer's Complete Guide
Seller financing is the deal lever many first-time buyers miss: it boosts price, improves certainty, and can unlock closable terms when bank loans stall.
February 12, 2026
How to Find Businesses to Buy: The Complete Deal Sourcing Guide
The best deals aren’t found on listings but created through targeted outreach and relationships, since most quality ownership transitions happen off-market.
February 11, 2026
What Is Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition? A Complete Guide to the ETA Model
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition turns startup risk into business-ownership by buying profitable companies and improving them, using proven cash flow from day one.
February 11, 2026
The Hidden Costs of Buying a Business (And How to Budget for Them)
Beyond the purchase price, hidden legal, diligence, valuation, and financing costs can add 15–25%, so budgeting early prevents deal-killing cash gaps.
February 11, 2026
Small Business Valuation 101: How to Know What a Business Is Really Worth
Small business value hinges on translating owner benefits into SDE or normalized EBITDA, then applying the right industry multiple to defend a price.
February 11, 2026
Why 2026 Is the Best Time to Buy a Small Business
With a fast-moving Boomer selloff, steadier financing, missing succession plans, and better deal infrastructure, 2026 offers unusually buyer-favorable conditions.
February 11, 2026
SBA Loans vs. Alternative Financing: Which Is Right for Your Business Acquisition?
Pick SBA for lower-cost, longer timelines and approval certainty—or use faster alternative capital to win the close when speed and deal flexibility matter.
February 11, 2026
The Search Fund Financing Gap: Why Traditional Lenders Fail First-Time Acquirers
Banks reject first-time buyers because underwriting demands prior operating experience—so search funds win by replacing that missing proof with investor-backed capital and support.
February 11, 2026
5 Due Diligence Mistakes That Kill First-Time Business Deals
Most first-time deal failures trace back to due diligence that ignores normalized earnings and concentration risks, misreading what survives ownership transfer.
February 11, 2026
How Business Brokers Actually Work (And When You Don't Need One)
Most brokers act as seller-paid middlemen, so buyers should understand their incentives and services before relying on listings—or buying directly.
February 10, 2026
Inventory Financing for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Inventory financing uses stocked goods as collateral to fill the capital gap for acquisitions, from closing through working-capital growth.
February 7, 2026
How to Buy a Pharmacy: Complete Business Acquisition Guide
Buying a pharmacy can be a stable, recession-resistant deal, but success hinges on financing readiness, inventory costs, and tight regulatory due diligence.
February 5, 2026
How to Buy a Manufacturing Business: Complete Industry Acquisition Guide
Buying a manufacturing business can be more durable than services, but success hinges on valuing equipment, managing compliance and supply chains, and underwriting working capital.
February 3, 2026
How to Buy an HVAC Business: Complete Industry Acquisition & Financing Guide
Stable, service-driven HVAC cash flows make these businesses attractive, and buyers can fund deals well using SBA or seller/equipment financing while valuing SDE and working capital.
February 1, 2026
How to Buy a Business with No Money: 7 Creative Financing Strategies
You can buy a profitable business with little cash by using seller notes, SBA loans, asset-based financing, and earnouts to fund the deal from value already there.
January 30, 2026
How to Buy a Restaurant: The Complete Industry-Specific Guide
Restaurant acquisitions hinge on deep financial and operational due diligence—especially margins, labor, permits, and lease terms—because location and cash flow drive everything.
January 27, 2026
How to Buy a Laundromat Business: Complete Industry Acquisition Guide
Laundromats offer dependable, cash-heavy income, and smart diligence—financing, unit economics, and operations—can make acquiring one a stable first business path.
January 25, 2026
How to Buy a Business with No Money: 7 Creative Financing Strategies
You can buy a lower-middle-market business with little or no cash by using structures like seller financing and earnouts that shift payment to future performance.
January 23, 2026
How Long Does It Take to Buy a Business? The Complete Timeline Guide
From first search to closing, a typical lower-middle-market deal takes 6-8 months, with steps like LOI and due diligence driving the timeline.
January 21, 2026
Hard Money Lenders for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
When bank timelines or credit rules block an acquisition, hard money lenders’ asset- and exit-focused approach can quickly fund deals that cash competition demands.
January 18, 2026
Employee Retention Strategies for New Business Owners: The Complete Post-Acquisition Guide
In the first year after an acquisition, employee stability—not just deal terms—drives ROI, so new owners must plan communication and retention from day one.
January 16, 2026
EBITDA Multiples by Industry 2026: The Complete Guide for Business Buyers
Use 2026 industry EBITDA multiples to benchmark value, spot mispricing, and negotiate offers with defensible assumptions across buyer profiles.
January 14, 2026
Dental Practice Acquisition Financing: Complete Guide
Dental practice buyers in 2026 can secure the right mix of SBA, bank, and specialty healthcare financing by matching deal structure to lender qualification and diligence needs.
January 12, 2026
Deal Structure Beyond Financing: Earnouts, Rollover Equity, and Creative Terms That Win Deals
Financing matters less than deal structure: earnouts, rollover equity, and tailored payment terms bridge valuation gaps and align incentives while managing risk.
January 10, 2026
Creative Business Financing: Alternative Acquisition Structures for Small Business Buyers
When banks and SBA terms don’t fit, combining creative financing—asset-backed, revenue-linked, and hybrid structures—can close deals with less cash and faster approvals.
January 7, 2026
The Complete Business Acquisition Checklist: Step-by-Step Guide for First-Time Buyers
A thorough pre-deal checklist—finance, legal, and operational due diligence—prevents costly surprises and sets first-time buyers up for a clean closing.
January 5, 2026
Cash Flow Management for New Business Owners: A 90-Day Survival Guide
In the first 90 days after an acquisition, disciplined cash-flow forecasting and tight collections are what keep the business solvent through transition shocks.
January 3, 2026
Business Line of Credit for Acquisitions: Complete Financing Guide
A revolving business line of credit can flexibly fund acquisitions—bridging due diligence, closing, and working-capital needs without paying interest on unused limits.
January 1, 2026
Business Integration Plan: Your Complete Post-Acquisition Roadmap
Most acquisitions stall after closing because leaders rush changes; a structured 90-day integration plan stabilizes people, customers, and operations.
December 30, 2025
Business Financing Options for Acquisitions: Complete 2026 Comparison Guide
In 2026, picking the right acquisition financing depends on deal fit—rates, terms, and lender standards can swing outcomes far more than buyers expect.
December 27, 2025
Business Exit Planning for Small Business Owners: The Complete Guide
With most owners postponing exit planning, starting a 3–7 year strategy early is key to maximizing value, reducing taxes, and enabling a smooth transition.
December 25, 2025
Business Equipment Loans: Complete Financing Guide for Small Business Acquirers
Equipment loans let small business acquirers finance machinery and tech with the assets as collateral, often preserving cash flow and improving closing odds.
December 23, 2025
Business Equipment Financing for Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Equipment financing can help acquisition buyers fund and finance the deal faster by using the purchased equipment as collateral, often with more favorable terms.
December 21, 2025
Business Broker Fees: The Complete Guide for First-Time Acquirers
Broker fees typically run 6%–12% and vary by scale, minimums, and add-ons, so first-time buyers should study the structure to budget and negotiate.
December 18, 2025
Small Business Acquisition Platforms Comparison: Dealport vs Competitors 2026
In 2026, Dealport stands out for $500K–$5M+ traditional acquisitions by centering financing and structuring, while competitors skew digital and vary in buyer support.
December 16, 2025
Business Acquisition Loans: The Complete Guide to Financing Your Deal
Financing an acquisition hinges on choosing the right business acquisition loan—often SBA-backed—so buyers can fund proven cash flow while meeting lender requirements.
December 14, 2025
Business Acquisition Calculator: ROI, Valuation & Financing Analysis Tools
Master valuation, ROI/IRR, and financing calculators to turn deal math into confidence, reducing costly errors in lower-middle-market acquisitions.
December 12, 2025
Bridge Loans for Business Acquisitions: Complete Financing Guide
Bridge loans let buyers quickly close deals while arranging longer-term financing, covering deposits, diligence, and working capital until permanent funding lands.
December 10, 2025
How to Finance an Auto Repair Shop: Complete Acquisition & Expansion Guide
Secure $100K–$400K using SBA, conventional, and equipment financing to buy and expand an auto repair shop with recession-resistant demand.
December 7, 2025
Asset Purchase vs Stock Purchase: Complete Guide for Business Buyers
Choosing asset vs. stock purchase drives your taxes and risk—asset deals usually win for step-up and liability limits, while stock transfers everything, known and unknown.
December 5, 2025
Angel Investors for Small Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
When bank or SBA funds fall short, acquisition-focused angels can finance small deals, but their return and timeline expectations require careful alignment.
December 3, 2025
Alternative Business Lending for Small Business Acquisitions: The Complete 2026 Guide
When SBA or bank approvals stall, alternative lenders use faster, cash-flow-driven underwriting and flexible deal structures to fund more small-business acquisitions.
December 1, 2025
Accounts Receivable Financing for Business Acquisitions: Complete Guide
Accounts receivable financing lets acquisition buyers convert outstanding invoices into immediate cash, bridging working-capital gaps and stabilizing operations after closing.
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