Hey all, James Bunting here, out of Broussard, Louisiana (Lafayette area). 1. Search method: Independent sponsor. I'm an operator first. I'm currently co-owner and COO of a federal-focused medical staffing company, and I've founded and scaled multiple (4+) businesses from $0 to seven-figure revenue in healthcare, medical staffing, VA/DoD contracting, and residential construction/real estate. My brother is set to be my post-close operating partner. He brings the finance/accounting depth and hands-on ops. 2. Buy box: - Geography: Gulf South (Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas) is ideal. I'll flex outside the region for a strong business, since I've spent 10+ years running remote teams and operations. - Size: $1M–$3M EBITDA, roughly $5M–$20M revenue - Primary focus: Industrial and construction platforms, including wholesale/supply distribution, that sell products and/or services to GCs and major operators - Also interested in: Aggregates distribution and hauling, and other unglamorous B2B businesses with recurring customers and a real workforce - Ideal situation: A founder heading toward retirement, no clear successor, and a solid #2 or crew leads who'd stay on - Pass: Retail/consumer and software If you come across an industrial, construction materials/services, distribution, or hauling business in the Gulf South, please send it my way. 3. Biggest pain point: capital partners. The deals that fit my background are big enough that I am likely going to need outside equity, so I'm trying to build those relationships before I have an LOI instead of scrambling after one. I'm looking for HNW operator-investors, family offices, and other sponsors or searchers who co-invest. What I've found is that a lot of potential investor partners are already doing deals themselves, so they see me as a competitor rather than a partner. I'd love to hear how others here have found equity partners who back a sponsor and not just a single deal. I'd also like to connect with anyone open to co-investing or sharing deals that fall outside their own box.

Hey everyone, Im Tyrus Burton a senior accounting student at MS State University. I’m graduating this December with my accounting degree and am currently mapping out my next steps. My short-term plan is to either transition straight into a full-time role in Audit then Transaction adivosyr/Financial Due Diligence or pursue a Master of Science in Finance (MSF) with a focus on breaking into investment banking. Both routes are mainly to gain hands on deal experience. Long-term, my ultimate ambition is in ETA and building a small holding company. I fully recognize that building a holding co isn't a quick or easy. This is a long term vision I have for my life. Something I want to have by mid 30s-40s, I'm 22. Right now, my main priority is structuring the early phase of my career around gaining knowledge, deal experience, and operational understanding needed to eventually execute that vision. As I finalize my decision between stepping straight into the market versus doing an MSF to position for IB, I’d love to hear from this community: 1. Career Positioning: For those who came through corporate finance/IB, how well did that deal exposure prepare you for your first acquisition? 2. Pathways: Would you recommend jumping straight into full-time finance/accounting roles now, or leveraging an MSF program to pivot directly into boutique IB to get deal experience? 3. Backgrounds: I’d love to hear your own stories what did your early career look like before you made your first acquisition or started thinking about doing so? I appreciate any feedback, advice, or shared experiences!

Hey everyone, I’m Ben from the East Coast. I own a driver education company, and I’m looking to acquire a business that could help me scale it. I’m here to learn more about finding and evaluating the right opportunity. Looking forward to learning from everyone here.

I'm Doug Stuart, a businessman with a genuine interest in discovering great businesses, exploring acquisition opportunities, and connecting with people who are passionate about building something meaningful. I'm here to learn from those who have been through the journey of finding, acquiring, and growing businesses, while also sharing ideas and experiences along the way. One thing I've come to appreciate is that great opportunities often come from the right conversations and relationships. I'd love to connect with fellow searchers, business owners, investors, and anyone actively involved in the small business acquisition space. I'm particularly interested in hearing about what others are searching for, the challenges you're facing, and the opportunities you're exploring. Looking forward to getting to know everyone. Who knows what we might build together.

When I first started exploring business acquisitions, I found myself spending too much time researching opportunities without really knowing how to judge a good deal. I quickly realized that having the money or motivation isn't enough. You need a clear buy box, patience, and a process for evaluating businesses. What helped me was taking a step back, narrowing my focus, and learning to look beyond the asking price at the actual numbers and operations. I'm still learning, but I've realized that taking consistent, informed steps beats getting stuck in endless research. For those just starting out, what's your biggest challenge right now: finding sellers, evaluating deals, or figuring out financing.