He started by buying a small flooring business in 2000. Today Paul Lajoie takes home $1m a year and works how he wants.

Register for the webinar:

• Why Deal Flow Isn’t Your Biggest Problem - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/4ah8L1E

Topics in Paul’s interview:

• Background in Big Six accounting
• Buying the first business he looked at
• Partnering with his brother
• Downsizing his lifestyle in the beginning
• Underestimating working capital needs
• Detailed partnership agreements
• You are not smarter than the seller
• Pivoting to remodeling after 2008 crash
• Acquisition vs startup success rates
• His BizBuyPro community

References and how to contact Paul:

• LinkedIn
• paul@bizbuypro.com
• Kiplinger Today Newsletter
• Confessions of a Millionaire
• Gobundance

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

• The Acquisition Lab

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact jenny@aspenhr.com

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Andrew Kurzrok connected with his seller over his manufacturing background, leading to a successful deal and transition.

Topics in Andrew’s interview:

• Background in science and national labs
• Spending all his time traveling for work
• Wanting to stop traveling when his son was born
• Studying management at Yale
• Gaining management experience before searching
• Making a “no” list
• Success with cold calling business owners
• Putting down 25% equity
• Regional moat of sheet metal
• His “crawl, walk, run” approach to operations

References and how to contact Andrew:

• LinkedIn
• Hopewell Sheet Metal Manufacturing
• Heather Endresen’s working capital webinar: Working Capital for SMB Acquisitions

Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Pioneer Capital Advisory

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Sensing untapped potential, Ville-Matias Vilén bought a sub-million manufacturer with good IP and global distribution.

Topics in Ville’s interview:

• Desire to “eat what he kills”
• 1990’s Finnish Recession
• Aversion to solving people problems
• Acquiring a cattle brush manufacturer
• Funding his deal in Finland
• Patents as a moat
• Relocating the manufacturing 5 hours away
• Sharing ownership with his family’s company
• Goal to grow 5x in 5 years
• Long-term holdco vision

References and how to contact Ville:

• LinkedIn
• FinnEasy

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

• From this page or contact jenny@aspenhr.com

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

• The Acquisition Lab

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron