eople often ask me what sorts of Acquiring Minds episodes are the most popular.

You won't be surprised to hear that stories with big headline numbers get a lot of listens.

But so too do stories at the other end of the spectrum, stories about buying small.

Especially if buying small led to something bigger.

Today's guest is a great example.

Tim Lahey acquired a home technology company almost 4 years ago.

The business did about $230k of SDE when he bought it, which definitely qualifies as buying small.

In addition to unpacking the pros & cons of going that small, Tim and I also discuss:

• Buying a business that's "dusty, not rusty"
• Using a buy-side advisor to conduct the search for you
• How identifying an industry that turned him on cracked open his search
• Working capital, cash flow, and that no matter how smart you are, you're likely to get it wrong at first
• How Tim has doubled the business
• And of course, the home technology industry and its potential.

Tim is betting that it's the next HVAC. If you're interested in another Acquiring Minds interview with a guest who bought in this industry, see episode 132 with Pawel Kosicki.

OK, please enjoy this conversation with Tim Lahey, owner of r:home.