Finding a Good Business After 2+ Years of Searching

January 25, 2024
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yan Doyle had been searching for 2 years.

And he was finally this close to closing on a business.

Thing was, he was seeing a red flag, one that would almost certainly result in post-transaction litigation.

But walking away from this deal meant entering his third year of searching, or quitting the search altogether and returning to a W-2.

Well happily, Ryan mustered the self discipline to walk away from that business.

And he agreed with his wife that he'd take one last run at this search thing.

It worked.

Ryan sourced & bought a high-end pool maintenance business in a tony coastal enclave off the Georgia coast.

Not to say that it was smooth sailing after he closed this business.

Imagine during your transition, the de facto GM who is also the bookkeeper, ghosts you, without leaving so much as the login information to your books.

Only in SMB.

Some other topics covered in this interview:

  • Ryan's recognition of the value of $1m in SDE. Something he well knew but only really felt once he became an owner.
  • Serving high-end vs. low-end customers
  • The pool servicing business overall
  • And, Ryan's plans for the future

Please enjoy my conversation with Ryan Doyle, owner of Jeff's Pool and Spa Service in Brunswick, Georgia.

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Finding a Good Business After 2+ Years of Searching

Ryan Doyle was 2 long years into searching when he walked away from a deal, but he was rewarded for the self discipline.

Key Takeaways

Introduction

Listen to the introduction from the host

yan Doyle had been searching for 2 years.

And he was finally this close to closing on a business.

Thing was, he was seeing a red flag, one that would almost certainly result in post-transaction litigation.

But walking away from this deal meant entering his third year of searching, or quitting the search altogether and returning to a W-2.

Well happily, Ryan mustered the self discipline to walk away from that business.

And he agreed with his wife that he'd take one last run at this search thing.

It worked.

Ryan sourced & bought a high-end pool maintenance business in a tony coastal enclave off the Georgia coast.

Not to say that it was smooth sailing after he closed this business.

Imagine during your transition, the de facto GM who is also the bookkeeper, ghosts you, without leaving so much as the login information to your books.

Only in SMB.

Some other topics covered in this interview:

  • Ryan's recognition of the value of $1m in SDE. Something he well knew but only really felt once he became an owner.
  • Serving high-end vs. low-end customers
  • The pool servicing business overall
  • And, Ryan's plans for the future

Please enjoy my conversation with Ryan Doyle, owner of Jeff's Pool and Spa Service in Brunswick, Georgia.

About

Ryan Doyle

Ryan Doyle
Olivia Rhye
Product Designer

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