Buying Small to Build for the Long Term ($300k SDE)

Regular listeners of Acquiring Minds know that. While we celebrate fast growth and big numbers, we also champion long termism, going slow to go fast, and success factors that go beyond EBITDA and irr. So we were excited for today's interview with Brendan Duebner.

Brendan's vision for his business is not to grow as big as possible. Instead, his target is a certain modest size, 20 to 40 people. This number is akin to the tribes of prehistory or army platoons.

It's a number where mutual dependence, shared purpose and cohesion more naturally occur, all properties sorely lacking in modern life. Now, Brendan is also a capitalist. Building wealth is certainly part of his project as well, but it is neither paramount nor unbounded.

He seems to already perceive something that many guests do not perceive before they get into their businesses, but only later learn that there is deep gratification in the impact you can have on your employees. As owner of a business, Brendan bought a very small business. Just $300,000 of SDE for employees and we talk about how his long term vision influences his thoughts on size.

We also unpack his deal structure. Listen closely there to learn how structure can mitigate the risk in the acquisition of such a small business. Here he is. Brendan Duebner, owner of IT Total Care.

Welcome to Acquiring Minds, a podcast about buying businesses. My name is Will Smith. Acquiring an existing business is an awesome opportunity for many entrepreneurs and on this podcast I talk to the people who do it.

The team at Pioneer Capital Advisory has. Started offering peripassu debt for SBA business buyers. That means they can help unlock up to $3 million of conventional debt on.

Top of the $5 million limit of. SBA 7 loans so Pioneer can structure larger, more complex acquisitions. Listen to our story with Anika John.

For one of their clients who did. Just that, buying a $10 million business. As a first time self funded searcher, the Pioneer team has closed more than 100 SBA loans, averaging timelines well below industry standards.

Founder and owner Matthias Smith and COO. Valerie Stash bring over two decades of SBA lending experience. Matthias and Valerie have a full bench of analysts and associates who work your deals with them.

A true deal team. Not just a single point of contact. Visit pioneercap.com or click the link in the notes. Brendan Duebner welcome to Acquiring Minds Will.

Brendan. You bought a very small MSP in the Bay Area. Your metaphor for buying small and learning the business deeply, intimately versus buying a larger business was turning a sailboat versus a cruise liner. I love that metaphor.