This episode kicks off Season 11 with a conversation that every small and mid-sized business owner needs to hear. We’re not talking hype—we’re talking real numbers, real friction, and the decisions that make or break your cash flow (and ultimately your success!).

Monique sits down with Jess, a seasoned executive turned small business advisor, who shares practical insights from his time managing companies from $15M to $250M—and now, helping small businesses operate smarter.

They unpack:

• Why gross margin isn’t enough if your cash conversion is broken
• The danger of discounting without strategy
• What it really means to track a 13-week rolling cash flow
• How small business owners can become both the biggest asset and the biggest risk in their companie
• A simple framework for locating the friction in your business and unlocking growth
• You’ll also hear how these lessons tie directly into what we do at Source to Scale—helping manufacturing companies find the cash hiding in their supply chain and procurement operations.

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

TPM Focus – Strategy firm for innovation and sustainable growth: https://www.tpmfocus.com

Source to Scale (powered by TPM Focus) – Cash flow optimization for US manufacturing companies: https://www.tpmfocus.com/sourcetoscale

Become an Unpolished MBA Guest: https://unpolishedmba.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquemills/

Bio Website: https://moniquemills.biz/

TPM Focus - Strategy Firm for Startups and SMBs: https://tpmfocus.com/

🎧 Subscribe & listen on:

Apple Podcasts: Unpolished MBA

Spotify: Unpolished MBA

Amazon Music: Unpolished MBA

This final episode of the ETA series brings everything full circle. If you've been following along, you know we’ve covered the entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) space in depth—exploring what it takes to buy a business, what can go wrong, what goes right, and how investors evaluate deals.

In this episode, the host breaks down:

• Why acquisitions became part of her growth strategy
• The real challenges of buying a business vs. starting from scratch
• Lessons from her own ETA journey, including deals that fell through
• Why innovation and AI are crucial, even when acquiring an existing business
• How to determine the right path for you—startup vs. acquisition

No matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, this episode will give you valuable insights into wealth-building, growth, and business strategy.

Whether you’re an aspiring searcher, a startup founder, or someone exploring business ownership, you’ll walk away with actionable insights for your next steps.

📩 Join the host's newsletter for exclusive insights & updates: tpmfocus.com/newsletter TPM Focus Newsletter - "Unpolished Business"

💡 Want to learn how to scale smarter with AI & automation? Join the waitlist: tpmfocus.com/businessstrategy This is the Business Strategy Cohort of entrepreneurs learning directly from the host of Unpolished MBA.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquemills/

Bio Website: https://moniquemills.biz/

TPM Focus - Strategy Firm for Startups and SMBs: https://tpmfocus.com/

Become an Unpolished MBA Guest: https://unpolishedmba.com

Most searchers focus on finding the perfect business to buy—but what happens after the deal closes? In this episode, Monique Mills sits down with investor and experienced entrepreneur Mario Montag to discuss what really drives post-acquisition success. Spoiler: it’s not just adding new tech and CRMs.

Mario shares what he looks for in searchers before investing, why operational execution is the #1 factor in long-term success, and the importance of EOS (from the book Traction). He also reveals the biggest mistakes searchers make, why keeping customers is the most critical post-close task, and why the ETA space needs more honest conversations about its challenges.

If you’re thinking about acquiring a business or investing in one, don’t miss this conversation!

Key Topics:

• The investor mindset in ETA
• Key operational improvements that drive value
• How to assess risk and avoid hidden pitfalls in acquisitions
• Why seller notes and earnouts are essential protections
• Lessons from failed deals
• 
  

📌 Mentioned in this episode:

🔗 The Book Traction (EOS Framework): https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-book

Become an Unpolished MBA Guest: https://unpolishedmba.com

🔗 Mario Montag’s Website:https://mariomontag.com

🔗 Mario Montag on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariomontag/

🔗 Fruition Capital:https://fruitioncap.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquemills/

Bio Website: https://moniquemills.biz/

TPM Focus - Strategy Firm for Startups and SMBs: https://tpmfocus.com/

Become an Unpolished MBA Guest: https://unpolishedmba.com