few weeks ago Acquiring Minds hosted a live panel with 3 top players in SBA lending to the search & ETA ecosystem.

Today's episode is a replay of that panel, kind of a report on the state of the market as of summer 2024.

Lisa Forrest, Matt Dolsky, and Brad Hettich shared what they're seeing — good & bad — in the search market, including:

  • Asking prices on businesses for sale (are they coming down?)
  • How interest rates have changed the market
  • The shape of deals that are getting done in the search space (hint: with more equity)
  • Trends in seller notes
  • How the SBA rule changes of 2023 have impacted the market a year later
  • Which industries are strong, which are struggling?
  • Competition among searchers
  • How are their searcher clients performing as operators?
  • ...and much more.

Hearing from a cross section of lenders is a peek behind the curtain of SBA search deals, and these lenders have their fingers on the pulse.

And listen next week, when we'll air a replay of the search investor panel. Between that panel and this one, you will learn a ton from those who direct capital in our space, be it debt or equity.

OK, please enjoy this discussion with Lisa Forrest of Live Oak, Matt Dolsky of Byline, and Brad Hettich of Commercial Lending X.