logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
1h 25m

Opening Up to Franchises to Buy a Great ...

Will Smith
About this episode

How Doug Johns overcame his reservations about being a franchisee to acquire a dream business with $1.8m EBITDA. (Rebroadcast from September 2022.) 

Topics in Doug's interview:

  • Buying a franchise vs. independent business
  • Opening your mind to a franchise
  • The many (overlooked) benefits to being a franchisee
  • Calling yourself "independent investor" instead of "searcher"
  • Running a search like a B2B sales process
  • The appeal of a deal with few addbacks
  • Why home service businesses are so appealing as acquisitions
  • Loving, rather than running from, managing people
  • Why the top home service businesses have more sophisticated funnels than the Fortune 500
  • ServiceTitan
  • Where the opportunity is when the business you buy is already well-run and mature
  • Owning a plumbing company without knowing anything about plumbing
  • The numbers of Doug's deal
  • The exact multiple is way less important than you think
  • Using ROBS to buy the business
  • Why high growth can make a business harder to finance
  • Understanding debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) thresholds
  • Doug's tip for choosing an SBA lender
  • The $500k value of Doug's appeal to the seller
  • Going to meet a seller face to face

Reach Doug at:

  • doug DOT johns AT couffley DOT com
  • LinkedIn

Connect with A-players who can run your business remotely:

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

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

Up next
Today
Trades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business
Brian Seeling sought a blue-collar business with a good manager in place. He found exactly that — with $2.6m in revenue.Register for the webinar: Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/46MlUhCTopics in Brian’s interview:Being an entrepreneurial kidM ... Show More
1h 10m
Oct 6
Acquisition Unlock: €210m in 5 Years
Nick Keegan owned a struggling software business doing just €1m/yr until an acquisition put it on the path to 9 figures.Register for the webinars: How PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/42jGpB2Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - Thu Oc ... Show More
1h 28m
Oct 2
$60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition
Onu Okebie and Brian Boland wanted to retain 100% ownership when they began, so they used an SBA loan. It has paid off.Register for the webinars: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/481yThOHow PACT Simplifies Investor Dea ... Show More
1h 29m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 18
Why Franchises Are the Smart Investor’s Play 🏬 EP135
This week, we’re joined by Chris Wright and Alex Smereczniak, co-founders of FRANZY, to explore why franchises are one of the most overlooked paths to building wealth. From scaling 30+ laundromats to disrupting the franchise broker model with AI, they share how their platform is ... Show More
39m 43s
Jan 2025
660. "How do I build a profitable and thriving product-based business?" | Coaching Session
Welcome back product bosses! Do you ever feel like you’re pouring your heart into your products but still struggling to turn your passion into a profitable business? You’re not alone. Many product-based business owners start with a great idea but get stuck when it comes to buildi ... Show More
43m 24s
Feb 2025
Hustle Smart: How to Build Your Side Business Without Breaking the Bank
In this episode of "My Money, My Lifestyle," host Maya Fisher French chats about side hustles with Willem Gous, author of "Side Hustle Success." With nearly half of employed South Africans engaging in side businesses, the conversation explores practical strategies for starting a ... Show More
42m 8s
Sep 2024
How a now $100M CEO Learned How to Sell Businesses
--- Secure your spot at the #1 conference for real estate, entrepreneurship, and social media here - https://www.wealthcon.org/ Feeling lost as an entrepreneur or real estate investor? Get access to our community, coaching, courses, and events at Wealthy University https://wealth ... Show More
14m 34s
Jun 2025
R351 – Niche Down to Scale Up
Niche down to scale up your small business faster. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/r351-niche-down-scale-up/ Focus on the essential and most profitable products or services. Don't try to be all things to all people. In this episode of The How of Business podcast ... Show More
15m 5s
Jul 2024
Local businesses to start with NO startup costs
Join us for an insightful conversation with Jonathan Courtney, Co-Founder and CEO of AJ&Smart, as we dive deep into the mindset required for entrepreneurial success and we reveal two promising startup ideas. At the beginning of the episode, we discuss strategies to avoid burnout ... Show More
1 h
Jul 7
#76 Wanna 10x? Be Unhinged.
In this solo episode of the BigDeal podcast, Cody Sanchez discusses the unconventional approaches to starting and growing a business. She emphasizes the importance of being unhinged and willing to take risks in the early stages, as well as the critical role of hiring top talent a ... Show More
18m 27s
Jul 16
#82 My Billion Dollar Shark Tank Investment: Daymond John
Join Codie Sanchez as she dives deep with Daymond John, the founder of FUBU and a star on Shark Tank, in this insightful episode of the Big Deal podcast. They discuss his journey from starting FUBU in his mom's house to building it into a $6 billion brand, his investment strategi ... Show More
1h 7m
Feb 2025
I Made $50M Buying & Running Boring Businesses
Episode 681: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk to Brent Beshore ( https://x.com/BrentBeshore ) about buying profitable businesses. —Show Notes: (0:00) $50K/yr to 9 figures(6:04) Accidentally buying a $1M business for $0(11:06) Jus ... Show More
1h 1m
Feb 2025
#215 David Heacock: Managing and Marketing a $250M Business
Imagine leaving a six‐figure Wall Street salary behind to chase a single, daring idea. In this episode, David Heacock shows you how he turned a basic product into a $250M empire. At 29, he left Wall Street to bet on air filters. That bet transformed into Filterbuy, now a $250 mil ... Show More
2h 4m