A Non-Financial Reason to Buy a Business

August 14, 2023
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ick Akers had had a very full career before learning about "search" — searching for and buying a business.

Like so many of my guests, he was immediately drawn to it. He promptly applied to an accelerator to start this new chapter.

But what actually drew him to search wasn't just the chance at entrepreneurship. He'd been an entrepreneur before, after all.

Nick had experienced toxic work environments, and he had developed a vision of the polar opposite:

A supportive, employee-first environment.

One where people could flourish & self-actualize.

And where employee flourishing would lead to the whole organization flourishing.

Buying a business to lead was the perfect vehicle to realize this vision.

Early indications are positive. He's only two months in, but already his vision is coming to life.

In this episode we also talk about:

  • What working with a search accelerator is like;
  • Self-funded search vs. a traditional search fund (Nick's accelerator is similar to a traditional search fund);
  • And the industry of MSPs, or managed service providers, which has many searcher-friendly attributes and consequently a lot of attention from searchers.

Please enjoy this conversation with Nick Akers, owner of Inzo Technologies (formerly STL Communications).

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A Non-Financial Reason to Buy a Business

Nick Akers had a vision for supportive, employee-first leadership. Buying a business enables him to realize this vision.

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Key Takeaways

Introduction

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N

ick Akers had had a very full career before learning about "search" — searching for and buying a business.

Like so many of my guests, he was immediately drawn to it. He promptly applied to an accelerator to start this new chapter.

But what actually drew him to search wasn't just the chance at entrepreneurship. He'd been an entrepreneur before, after all.

Nick had experienced toxic work environments, and he had developed a vision of the polar opposite:

A supportive, employee-first environment.

One where people could flourish & self-actualize.

And where employee flourishing would lead to the whole organization flourishing.

Buying a business to lead was the perfect vehicle to realize this vision.

Early indications are positive. He's only two months in, but already his vision is coming to life.

In this episode we also talk about:

  • What working with a search accelerator is like;
  • Self-funded search vs. a traditional search fund (Nick's accelerator is similar to a traditional search fund);
  • And the industry of MSPs, or managed service providers, which has many searcher-friendly attributes and consequently a lot of attention from searchers.

Please enjoy this conversation with Nick Akers, owner of Inzo Technologies (formerly STL Communications).

About

Nick Akers

Nick Akers

Show Notes

Nick Akers had a vision for supportive, employee-first leadership. Buying a business enables him to realize this vision.

Topics in Nick’s interview:

  • His background as an inventor
  • How the TV show Succession mirrors real life
  • Why he chose Swiss search accelerator Novastone
  • What motivates him more than money
  • His focus on building a positive company culture
  • The MSP industry and its appeal for searchers
  • His plan for bolt-ons in the MSP industry
  • The importance of cash flow and working capital
  • His first 2 months as CEO
  • Why he likes having investors

References and how to contact Nick:

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Episode Transcript

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