Buy the Damn Business: An Introduction to Acquisition Entrepreneurship

You want to be your own boss. Maybe you’re tired of your current gig. Maybe you’re sitting on a 401(k), a chip on your shoulder, and no clear next step. You could build a business from scratch. Or you could do what I did: buy one that already works.

Here’s the truth: Starting a business from zero is like pushing a wheelbarrow full of bricks up a wet ladder. Buying a business is like grabbing the keys to a beat-up truck that still runs. It ain’t glamorous. It might leak oil. But it gets you moving today. And with the right work, it’ll haul in real money.

Build vs. Buy: Pros and Cons

Starting From Scratch

• You control everything. Idea, brand, process.
• No legacy issues, bad hires, or crusty P&Ls.
• But: zero customers, zero revenue, zero momentum.
• You’ll be burning cash, not making it.

Buying a Business

• Instant revenue. Real customers. Real operations.
• Easier to finance than startups (thanks, SBA).
• The downside? You inherit the mess. Cranky staff, bad habits, outdated systems. You’re not the hero with a blank slate. You’re the janitor with a mop.

I’ve done both. I’ll buy every time.

The Buy-Then-Build Playbook (My Way)

Walker Deibel wrote the book. I lived the chapters. Here’s the real-world version.

Here’s how I went from nothing to a seven-figure exit—without raising a dime of venture capital… A Platform for People, Pools & Profit →

1. Find a Business That’s Been Ignored

Look for companies where the owner checked out years ago but the customers never did. Bonus points if:

• They do recurring revenue (maintenance, subscriptions, routes)
• They’re in home services, B2B, logistics, healthcare, or trades
• The owner is older, tired, or distracted
• There’s no digital presence or marketing

You’re not buying innovation. You’re buying infrastructure.

2. Vet the Deal (Don’t Trust the Teaser)

Teasers lie. Brokers polish turds. You need to:

• Get the real P&L, not the fantasy version
• Analyze customer concentration, churn, and pricing power
• Interview staff quietly, if possible
• Walk the jobs. See what it feels like to run it
• Know if the seller is staying, leaving, or ghosting

The deal lives in the details. Dig.

3. Smart Markets for First-Time Buyers

If this is your first deal, go simple and sweaty:

• Pool service
• Plumbing
• HVAC
• Janitorial

These aren’t sexy. That’s why they work. They have sticky customers, predictable problems, and solve urgent pain.

Stay away from:

• Retail (low margins, high churn)
• Restaurants (soul-sucking)
• Agencies (zero moat)
• Startups with no profit

4. How to Pay For It

Most first-time buyers use SBA 7(a) loans. Here’s the usual mix:

• 10%–15% down (can include seller note)
• 75%–80% SBA loan (10-year amortization, ~11% rate as of 2025)
• 5%–10% seller note (held back, ideally on standby)

You can also:

• Borrow against your brokerage account (margin loan)
• HELOC your house or take a home equity loan
• Use a combination of cash, friends/family, and seller financing
• Last resort, open up some credit cards and max them out

SBA loans are great—until they aren’t. You’ll sign a personal guarantee, and the process can drag for 90+ days if you’re not buttoned up. Get your books tight and your expectations tighter.

I bought my first business with a 90% SBA loan, a small down payment, and a seller note. The business was cash flowing from day one.

5. Transition Without a Dumpster Fire

The handoff will be messy. Expect:

• Skeptical staff
• Confused customers
• A seller who “forgot” key details

Keep the team. Communicate early. Show up every day. Let the seller vouch for you before they vanish.

The goal in the first 90 days? Don’t screw up the cash flow. That’s it.

6. Clean House Before You Scale

Before you chase growth:

• Nail down billing, payroll, scheduling, and customer service
• Fix the culture if it’s broken
• Replace bad hires only after you understand their role
• Learn the work, or you won’t be able to lead it

Don’t scale chaos. Clean it first.

7. Grow What Works

Growth doesn’t mean ads and hashtags. It means:

• Raising prices
• Improving routing or efficiency
• Adding upsell services (repairs, installs, warranties)
• Expanding geography after you dominate locally

Growth is operational. Not promotional.

8. Prepare the Exit While You Operate

Every decision you make either adds or subtracts from your exit:

• Document everything
• Get clean books
• Diversify your customer base
• Systematize delivery
• Build a team that doesn’t need you

I sold my business in year three. Stock deal. Solid payout.

Don’t build yourself a job you can’t sell. The minute the business relies on you, your exit value drops like a rock.

Final Word: This Game Has Real Stakes

This isn’t a TikTok side hustle. It’s not a vanity brand.

You’ll sign personal guarantees. You’ll be liable for employees, equipment, customers, and contracts. You’ll take calls at night, patch leaks on weekends, and lose sleep over dumb mistakes.

But if you do it right? You buy time, cash flow, and control.

That’s the play. Buy the damn business.

I didn’t get it all right. I overpaid once. I kept the wrong employee too long. I trusted the wrong seller. Each of those stories is its own lesson—and they’re coming next.