Skip the SBA: Buying a $4m Biz with a Conventional Loan

November 16, 2023
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oday's guest worked for 18 months to buy a business he'd set his heart on.

Ben Bryer is a guy who goes all-in, and he was ALL IN on this deal.

But it died despite his passion, and Ben was left a year and a half older, $150k poorer, and with a negative balance sheet.

He questioned whether to go on searching.

Was this path of buying a business really for him?

Well, being freed of that dead-end deal allowed him to open his mind to other listings.

Like Meyer Gage, a decades-old, super-niche manufacturing business.

A business that Ben was sitting in as CFO & owner for this interview.

Ben Bryer on the floor at Meyer Gage
Ben Bryer on the floor at Meyer Gage

A few themes to listen for in our conversation:

  • First: The post mortem on that first, painful dead deal.
  • Also: Using conventional debt rather than an SBA loan.
  • And finally: Working with a financial backer.

You'll hear us discuss this model as a little bit self-funded searcher, a little bit traditional search fund. Interesting model (if you can get it).

OK, please enjoy this interview with Ben Bryer, owner of Meyer Gage.

Read MoreStories

Skip the SBA: Buying a $4m Biz with a Conventional Loan

Ben Bryer worked with a financial backer to find & buy a 65-year-old niche manufacturing business without an SBA loan.

Key Takeaways

Introduction

Listen to the introduction from the host

oday's guest worked for 18 months to buy a business he'd set his heart on.

Ben Bryer is a guy who goes all-in, and he was ALL IN on this deal.

But it died despite his passion, and Ben was left a year and a half older, $150k poorer, and with a negative balance sheet.

He questioned whether to go on searching.

Was this path of buying a business really for him?

Well, being freed of that dead-end deal allowed him to open his mind to other listings.

Like Meyer Gage, a decades-old, super-niche manufacturing business.

A business that Ben was sitting in as CFO & owner for this interview.

Ben Bryer on the floor at Meyer Gage
Ben Bryer on the floor at Meyer Gage

A few themes to listen for in our conversation:

  • First: The post mortem on that first, painful dead deal.
  • Also: Using conventional debt rather than an SBA loan.
  • And finally: Working with a financial backer.

You'll hear us discuss this model as a little bit self-funded searcher, a little bit traditional search fund. Interesting model (if you can get it).

OK, please enjoy this interview with Ben Bryer, owner of Meyer Gage.

About

Ben Bryer

Ben Bryer
Olivia Rhye
Product Designer

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