Acquiring Minds Podcast By Will Smith cover art

Acquiring Minds

Acquiring Minds

By: Will Smith
Listen for free

About this listen

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: https://www.youtube.com/@AcquiringMinds Sign up for episode summaries at: https://acquiringminds.co2021 - 2023, Acquiring Minds Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • From Stalled Search to $750k SDE: The Power of Speed
    Jun 26 2025

    Register for the webinar:

    • How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

    A friend pressed Grania Michel to change her search as if she had to close in 4 months. She was under LOI 2 weeks later.

    Topics in Grania’s interview:

    • Operating a business in Ecuador
    • Emotional ups and downs during the search process
    • Keeping her search private in the beginning
    • Sending LOIs as quickly as possible
    • Acquiring a commercial printing business in Miami
    • Managing the deal process, debt consolidation, and equity structuring
    • Translating her day one speech to Spanish on the fly
    • Losing key employees after transition
    • Why she recommends buying all the accounts payable
    • Building a long-term legacy for her daughters

    References and how to contact Grania:

    • LinkedIn
    • Associated Photo & Imaging
    • Tripp Lawson and Mike McCoy at Viking Mergers
    • Joe Spina and Taylor Gorman at Cullen and Dykman
    • AppleTree
    • Josh Richman at NewCo Risk
    • Aspen HR
    • Jared Johnson of First Internet Bank
    • Search Fund Coalition

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

    • Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 22 mins
  • The Path from $2.5m to $60m in a Tree Business
    Jun 23 2025

    Register for the webinar:

    • How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

    Brian Hartman 3x'd revenue in 2 years at the tree business he bought, then partnered with an investor to grow even more.

    Topics in Brian’s interview:

    • Picking up the phone is crucial
    • Growing so fast the wheels nearly came off
    • Hiring top-tier managers and ops staff early
    • Managing cash flow and receivables through growth
    • Expanding via acquisition, starting in Dallas
    • Ensuring safety for employees
    • Partnering with another Acquiring Minds guest
    • Aiming for $55–70M in revenue by 2030
    • Buying a business with baby #3 on the way
    • How landscaping is different from tree service


    References and how to contact Brian:

    • LinkedIn
    • Northside Tree
    • brian@northsidetreeprofessionals.com
    • Webinar with Brian: Should You Buy a Business?
    • Adrian Pinto and Mike Botkin on Acquiring Minds: One Acquiring Minds Guest Buys Another
    • Adrian Pinto #2: Building a Blue Collar Empire
    • Adrian Pinto #1: How to 2x Sales in a Service Business You Buy
    • Will Gano on Acquiring Minds: After 4 Years of Part-Time Searching, Success
    • John Wilson on Acquiring Minds: Buying Small, Growing Big: From $1m to $26m

    Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

    • Pioneer Capital Advisory

    Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

    • Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 28 mins
  • How a First-Timer Pulled Off a $52m Acquisition
    Jun 19 2025

    Register for the webinar:

    • How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k


    With no PE background, Nick Huber had to learn quickly as he raised money to acquire a fast-growing offshoring agency.

    Topics in Nick’s interview:

    • Origin of the Sweaty Startup guy
    • Nick’s role in Support Shepherd’s growth
    • Backstory of the Support Shepherd deal
    • How Nick structured incentives to make it worthwhile
    • What turned off investors
    • Inbound leads collapsing in year 1
    • Is building a Twitter following worth it?
    • Big changes to the business since acquisition
    • The value (or not) of distribution
    • Annual cost and org chart of Nick’s media team
    • Why write a book

    References and how to contact Nick:

    • LinkedIn
    • nick@sweatystartup.com
    • Sweaty Startup by Nick Huber
    • Somewhere.com

    Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

    • From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com

    Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

    • Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

    Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

    • The Acquisition Lab

    Connect with Acquiring Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
    • Follow Will on Twitter

    Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Produced by Pam Cameron

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 45 mins
All stars
Most relevant  
We love Will Smith and the insights his podcast gives to us that is applicable for the whole deal process. He will even bring on guests on years later for them to recap on the transition process and everything in between.

Thanks for everything, Will!

The BEST Searchfund Advice!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I’ve read Buy then Build, and HBR’s Guide to buying a Small Business. Both are great books on the nuts and bolts of ETA, but Will Smith’s podcast is then best way to learn from the experiences of over 100 acquisition entrepreneurs.

Great content, binge worthy, and always easy to listen to at >1.5x speed!

The best way to learn about search and acquiring small businesses

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

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.

Essential Listening for First Time Business Acquirers

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.