Acquisition Collective

Learn how to raise capital, structure better deals, and avoid the hidden traps that kill most acquisitions.
In this episode, Judd Goodrich from MainShares breaks down how capital actually gets raised behind the scenes—and why most deals fail after the LOI.
From overpaying for solid businesses to ignoring post-close transition plans, this conversation is a crash course in what makes or breaks investor trust and deal success.

We talk about how to:
✅ Avoid overpaying—and why a 5x multiple is a deal killer
✅ Raise smarter capital with investor-aligned structures
✅ Stress test your retur...

Learn how to scale through acquisitions without inheriting chaos. In this episode, James Bates shares hard-won lessons from buying and growing multiple IT and cybersecurity businesses — including the mistakes, the wins, and the frameworks that saved millions.
From navigating toxic cultures, to structuring smarter deals with earnouts, to building operational systems that turn struggling companies into scalable machines — this is a blueprint for founders, operators, and investors serious about winning in small business acquisitions.

We talk about how to:
✅ Spot red flags before you buy (and what due diligence often misses)
✅ Fix toxic cultures and turn...

Learn how Chris turned $10,000 small business acquisition into a $5,000,000 landscaping business using the buy then build strategy. Join him and Jay Bourgana from the Acquisitions Collective to discover the secrets to scaling your business!
From mowing lawns on Mondays with one part-time helper to building a $5M/year landscaping company, this is the no-fluff blueprint for scaling through small acquisitions, grit, and smart systems.

In this episode, Chris Cristillo shares how he: 
✅ Bought his first landscaping route for $10K with no business background
✅ Scaled through 5 acquisitions—including a $250K deal that 5X’d his business<...

Learn how to find and acquire very profitable wedding venue businesses. 
In this video, Charlie Kao shares his expert advice on how to buy a profitable wedding venue business. Learn about due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, and common red flags to look out for during the process. If you're considering investing in a wedding venue business, this video is a must-watch!

We talk about how to: 
✅ Acquire wedding venues without signing on the loan 
✅ Structure triple-net deals that create passive income 
✅ Spot which venues are businesses (not just pretty barns) 
✅ Monetize Monday–Thursday with n...

Learn how to buy the right business and avoid killer small business acquisition mistakes.
We sit down with the Brian Stroh, president of Acquira to break down how they went from a digital deal directory to a full-on buy-side advisory powerhouse, helping acquisition entrepreneurs not just source deals, but close the right ones. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or scaling your acquisition firm, this conversation uncovers how to build a pipeline, avoid bad fits, and accelerate closings with smarter systems and expectations.

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Build a realistic investment thesis that actually conver...

Discover what really works in business buying from someone who’s analyzed over 300 small business acquisitions. Whether you're an entrepreneur or operator looking to scale through acquisition, this is your roadmap to success. Learn the key patterns, pitfalls, and strategies that separate thriving deals from costly mistakes.

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Ehrlich an investor who transitioned from LP to GP, built a fund for small business buyers and self-funded searchers, and is deploying capital into enduringly profitable B2B businesses across towing, logistics, manufacturing, and more.

This conversation is a playbook fo...

Learn to leverage international talent to grow and scale your business, In this episode, John Matzner shares how he scaled multiple companies using a global talent, automation, and systems thinking.

From replacing entire departments with international hires, to using automations that save hundreds of hours, to raising capital through immigration-linked investments—this conversation is a blueprint for founders who want to build real, scalable businesses instead of jobs that trap them.

We talk about how to:
✅ Hire smarter (not cheaper) from around the world
✅ Systematize your company to reduce founder dependence
✅ Use AI as yo...

Learn to leverage international talent to grow and scale your business. In this episode, Guy Salani shares the gritty, high-conversion systems he used to scale a roofing sales and marketing company to $12M in four years without ever touching a hammer.

From turning ex-addicts into high-performing call center reps, to training teachers into 7-figure closers, to building a conversion machine that ran on Google PPC and HomeAdvisor leads this is a masterclass in sales operations, team building, and scalability.

✅ How to build a world-class call center with local talent
✅ The exact sales training system that...

How This Private Equity Veteran Is Quietly Buying Businesses With His Own Money

After 20+ years leading private equity deals at one of Canada’s most respected firms, Mark walked away. He helped build ONCAP from scratch, scaled 30 platform companies with 150+ add-ons, and generated 4x+ returns across multiple funds. But now? He’s quietly buying overlooked small businesses—using his own capital—and unlocking massive yield without the institutional noise.

In this candid conversation, Mark reveals:

Why fund managers are paying 15x EBITDA for companies worth half

The real reason value investing "died" in...

Brandon is a seasoned entrepreneur and former CEO of a successful payment processing company, which he grew over 12+ years before a strategic exit. With deep expertise in vertical market sales, recurring revenue models, and operational efficiency, he shares insights on building, scaling, and selling a business in the fintech space.

00:00 Intro
02:17 Brandon’s Early Exposure to Entrepreneurship
04:04 Starting in the Payments Industry
06:39 Identifying Niche Markets
08:05 Partnering with Card Connect
10:19 Building a Lean, High-Margin Business
12:58 Sales & Compensation Strategies
15:52 Tracking KPIs and Metrics
17:35 Surviving COVID-19 as a Payments Business
21:39 The Sh...