Join 4,778 acquisition entrepreneurs
Learn how to buy a business faster
#1 community of business buyers online
First access to stories, deals & events
Done! Watch your inbox for Acquiring Minds
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

5 Takeaways from Harvard's ETA Conference

December 13, 2021
Listen in Apple Podcasts appListen in SpotifyListen in Apple Podcasts appListen in SpotifyRSS address of the Acquiring Minds podcast feed
H

arvard's acquisition entrepreneurship conference took place last week. Organizer Michael Ledecky shares 5 takeaways, including:

  • Buy a good business in a great industry
  • 4+1 Model for searching
  • 3 industries for acquisition entrepreneurs to consider
  • Mental health in search
  • Women in search
  • Thai Lee, acquisition entrepreneur who became a billionaire
  • Diversifying paths of search
  • Predictions for search in 2022 & 2023

Tons of names & resources cited in this episode. Here they all are:

Read MoreStories
Gina RosenNever Worked Harder, Never Been Happier
Paul CallahanCareer Consultant Who Bought a 7-Figure Manufacturer
Caleb StandaferGrowing a $5m Metal Business 40% in Year 1
Ned TomasevicHow to 4x EBITDA in 3 Years Without Growing Sales
Dom SmithLeaving $700s/Yr to Buy an Underperforming Printing Business
Tom McCormickFrom Software to Concrete Cutting (and $1.4m of SDE)
Himmat SinghGood Bones: Saving a $3m Business in Decline
Alan TurkusHow to Buy a $20m Business as a First-Timer
Ryan Conner and Brendan BurdetteHow to De-Risk the Personal Guarantee
Greg Shapiro & Zach Cooper-VastolaThe Origin Story of a Compounder ($80m and Counting)
Joe WechslerStarted as SBA Searcher, Built to a PE Fund
Justus LuttigBuying $1.5m of Earnings Without an SBA Loan
David GrafThe Magic of Low Multiple + Growth
Truc NguyenRolling Up an Industry with 1.5x Multiples
Gant Elmore and Matt MoldenhauerThe Origins and Future of a 9-Figure SMB Holdco
Zack MutnikToo Good to Be True: Year 1 in a $700k SDE Business
Alicia PowersHow to Structure Around Risk in a $250k SDE Acquisition
Brendan DuebnerBuying Small to Build for the Long Term ($300k SDE)
Andrew BlazenkoA $800k Business to Start, $60m Portfolio Today
Dan BurnsideBuying Then Losing a $2.1m HVAC Business
Jeff FlanneryFrom $1m to $25m in 6 Years
Nicolás LulliThe Searchers Building a $10m EBITDA Powerhouse
Greg HIrschBuying a $40m Business as a 49-Year-Old First-Timer
Joe WynnHow Business-Buyer Fit Led to 2.2x and No PG
Ana Lia Barragan Buying a Business to Balance Ambition and Kids
Jenna WhighamA Search Fund Journey to $350m
Joseph Cruz"Life is Just Brighter" in a $1.2m Distribution Business
Robin KovitzFrom Small Acquisition to $30m Industry Leader
Jake McLaughlin and Jack FosterHow to Acquire 25 Franchise Units in 2.5 Years
Corey MullinsTurning $25k into a $3.2m Exit in Under 4 Years
Eric Donahue40% Growth in Year 1 of a Paving Business
Brian AndersonLeaving Wall Street to Buy a $1m Manufacturing Business
Naveen VintaA $6.5m Business Worth Flying To
Justin EscajedaBricklayer to Blue-Collar Empire
Megan McGeeNo SBA Loan and $75k Out of Pocket
Jonathan TaylorGrowing Profits 30% in the First 1.5 Years
Joe SpringsteenSecond Time's the Charm as Owner of a $4m Business
Edward McDonnellTaking a Single-City Acquisition Nationwide
Scott CrosbyYear 1 in a $300k SDE Services Business
Tato CorcoranHow to 4x a Small Manufacturer
Don GriggExiting for Millions vs. Long-Term Hold
Evan DiLeondardiHow to Own 20% of Multiple SMBs
Paul Lajoie$20m Net Worth After 25 Years Buying Businesses
Andrew KurzrokSBA Deal Structuring to Manage Risk in a Cyclical Industry
Ville-Matias Vilén$250k SDE Acquisition: Limited Downside, Big Upside
Jarom WrenThe Late 40s Pivot Into Business Buying
Linh & Leo Van DeibelThe First Steps to a Family Holdco
Jacob VosWinkelBuying a Platform with an SBA Loan
George SternThe Contrarian Bet on a Digital Agency
Phil KollerComfortable Concentration for a $800k SDE Business
Matt OrleyBuying for Brand (Then Growing 4x)
Adam Vandermyde8-Figure Exit After 5 Years
Joe OdellComplexity Hides Fragility: Losing a $20m Business
Joe SoelbergBuying Small to Then Buy Larger ($1m SDE)
Mike FaganPassion & Profit in an American Pastime
Philip HusseyHow to Buy a Generational Brand with $20m in Sales
Robert GaydenReward for 17-Month Deal: $1.8m of EBITDA
Scott DuncanThe 7-Year Collapse of an SBA Acquisition
Andy RougeotSBA Acquisition to $9m Cash Exit in 5 Years
Steve CarrollETA Unicorn: $1 Billion in Revenue in 5 Years
Jake BittnerBuying for $600k, Selling for $35m
Dave GilbertWhen a $2.8m Acquisition Is More Like Zero-to-One
Taylor MattinglyWhen to Buy a Large Consumer Business
Linh TranThe Dream Outcome: From $300k to $5m EBITDA
Greg GeronemusBuy Well, Exit Better: A $67m Win in 4 Years
Gail Hamilton AzodoBuying to $4m Across 7 Sites in 3 Years
Katherine Butler-Dines & Rahul DesaiWhy Choose Ownership Over Being a CEO
Clayton CollinsHow to Build a $5m Media Business Into a $20m Flywheel
David Serwitz and Jared LennerTiming is Everything: Buying a $30m Tutoring Business
Shaun StimpsonStarted Mid-Career, Grew to $38m in 3 Years
Ania AlievBuying a Wide Moat in a Consolidating Industry
Ivona ButcherFrom €4 Million, to Zero, to €12 Million
Ruchik GandhiBuilding Trust as New Owner of a $3m Business
Danyelle NysBuying a $1.6m Business for the Inventory Value
Kyle PollBuying 2 Rivals to Create a Dominant Leader
Brian SeelingTrades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business
Nick KeeganAcquisition Unlock: €210m in 5 Years
Onu Okebie & Brian Boland$60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition
Aizik ZimermanFounder Mode for ETA: $6m to $25m in 3 Years
James BohannonFamily Offices for Searchers: A Primer
Jack Saville Sam RosatiDeciding to Exit After 2 Years of Ownership
Mark AndereggSo Much Fun: The Buyer of Choice in a Fragmented Industry
Jerod PierceFrom SBA Loan to High 8-Figure Exit
Doug LepistoThe Flywheel of Buying Businesses in a Single Region
Summit Cabinet CoatingsHiring a CEO to Run Things (and Get Life Back)
Morcrete Inc.A Few Hours Per Week, a Few States Away
Felipe CorcueraThe Joy & Pain of Buying a Tech Business
Daniel Batista$2 Million of Fun: Big Margins in Play Centers
Kyle Boyden and Jake FurfaroStacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in Revenue
Bryan Houck4th Time's the Charm: 3 Broken Deals to Buy a Great Business
Jeff HornBuying and Building a Xerox Dealer to $30m
Eric trade show booth A Searcher’s Second Act: Building a $25m Holdco
Luis Reyes2 Years to $40m: The Anatomy of a High-Velocity Roll-up
Jesus WongFrom 16 Years in Corporate to a $1m SDE Acquisition
Avery TomekBuilding a $25m FedEx Route Empire from $100k Equity
Tyler and Zach GordonBuying a $200m Franchisor (Not Units, the Whole System)
Anica JohnA $10m Acquisition for Freedom and Family
Raj KankariaYou’ve Been Served: Buying a $1.3m Process-Serving Company
Enrique RodriguezOne Year, 3x Revenue, and a Clear Path to $15M
Yan Vinarskiy From Searcher to Sponsor: How to Buy a $22m Business
December 13, 2021

5 Takeaways from Harvard's ETA Conference

Harvard's acquisition entrepreneurship conference took place last week. Organizer Michael Ledecky shares 5 takeaways.

Jump to:

Disclaimer: We've made every effort at accuracy on this page, but errors sometimes slip through. If you spot one, please let us know, and we'll get it fixed.

Key Takeaways

Introduction

Listen to the introduction from the host
H

arvard's acquisition entrepreneurship conference took place last week. Organizer Michael Ledecky shares 5 takeaways, including:

  • Buy a good business in a great industry
  • 4+1 Model for searching
  • 3 industries for acquisition entrepreneurs to consider
  • Mental health in search
  • Women in search
  • Thai Lee, acquisition entrepreneur who became a billionaire
  • Diversifying paths of search
  • Predictions for search in 2022 & 2023

Tons of names & resources cited in this episode. Here they all are:

About

Michael Ledecky

Michael Ledecky

Show Notes

Listen Instead of Watch

Episode Transcript

Show Transcript

Webinars

23 Jul 2026

Working Capital: One of ETA’s Most Expensive Mistakes

Join top SBA loan broker Heather Endresen for a deep dive into working capital and its role in buying a small business.

With
Heather Endresen
Register Here
16 Jul 2026

From Working IN the Business to ON the Business: How Owners Make the Transition

Jake Bittner reveals the 7 attributes every owner needs to build a true business — one that doesn't rely on them.

With
Jake Bittner
Register Here
09 Jul 2026

Finance Essentials Before You Close

Acquisition Lab’s Ryan Johnson explains the finance systems and process to get ready before and immediately after close.

With
Ryan Johnson
Watch Recording
Learn from entrepreneurs who buy businesses
Join a community of people who have acquired businesses to become entrepreneurs & owners.
PodcastWebinarsAboutContactPrivacy PolicyLogout
YouTube iconTwitter iconFacebook icon