logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
1h 36m

How a First-Timer Did a Turnaround (Incl...

Will Smith
About this episode

Ben Rizzo bought an unprofitable, 4th-generation elevator business then stabilized, doubled, and sold it within 2 years. 

Topics in Ben’s interview:

  • His wife-funded search in Pittsburgh
  • Sourcing deals through lawyers and accountants vs brokers
  • Acquiring an elevator repair business in distress
  • Quickly making changes after transition
  • Pouring his own money into the company to stay operational
  • Surviving the challenges of Covid
  • Doubling the business and selling to private equity
  • Calculating the risk of buying a turnaround
  • Buying a healthy business for his next venture
  • Competing with private equity for acquisitions

References and how to contact Ben:

Get a complementary pre-acquisition HR & PEO review for your target business:

Learn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

Up next
Jul 7
Reviving a Covid-Crushed Business: $0 to $6M in 3 Years
Adam Rao took a chance on an exhibit production business that had generated zero revenue in 15 months. It's gone well.Topics in Adam’s interview:Discovering impact companiesAcquiring with a business partnerBuying a distressed business during CovidGetting 100% seller financingInhe ... Show More
1h 21m
Jul 3
Scaling a Tiny Acquisition to a PE-Backed Exit
Phil Miller turned a tiny pet shop doing $100k in sales into a regional pet boarding brand — and the ideal PE platform.Topics in Phil’s interview:Pivoting from real estate to the pet industrySlow renovation creating a financial messDelegation is the key to growthThe real cost of ... Show More
1h 50m
Jun 30
New Way to Pursue ETA: Searcher-in-Residence
Register for the webinar:How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5kMatt Brunnig hired aspiring SMB owner Kevin Peer for special projects, strategy & more at his $3m manufacturing holdco.Topics in Matt & Kevin’s interview:Searching for a wife and ... Show More
1h 56m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
"I Thought I Had the Midas Touch": How an $80M Success Led to a Major Failure
Can success create a false sense of invincibility? For Pete, it did—and it cost him millions.After selling his business for $80 million, Pete felt unstoppable. But his overconfidence led him into a risky venture that didn’t pay off. Determined to prove he wasn’t a one-hit wonder, ... Show More
38m 16s
Dec 2024
Rebuilding a £150k/month Meat Business After a £1.5M Setback
In this episode, James and JB discuss the journey of a £150K/month meat broker working to rebuild after a £1.5M setback. They explore the challenges and strategies for recovery and growth. Videos mentioned in the podcast: Importing Products from Istanbul: https://www.youtube.com/ ... Show More
52m 15s
Apr 3
20VC: The Daily Deal: Coreweave IPO | Scale Hits $25BN on $2BN EOY Revenue | Sequoia's 25x Return on Wiz | Tech Stocks Tank with Tariffs | Cursor: Defensible or Dangerous Example of Lost Moats in Tech
Welcome to The Daily Deal — the new show with Harry Stebbings and Jason Lemkin, where we break down the biggest stories in tech, venture, and B2B. From market meltdowns to billion-dollar raises, wild valuations, and the drama behind the deals. We’re covering it all! Plus, we’ll b ... Show More
1h 27m
Jul 4
How I Bought a $3.4M Business For $200K
Want Sam's Playbook to Uncover Hidden Business Opportunities? Get it here: https://clickhubspot.com/weo Episode 723: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk to Shaan’s college friend Dan Certner ( https://x.com/youneedbags ) about how h ... Show More
1h 21m
Aug 2017
#67 The Energy of Our Emotions - with Dan Harris & Ben Rubin
Ben Rubin and Dan Harris have found themselves as unlikely cofounders in 10% Happier, which came together when Ben’s company, Change Collective, underwent a successful pivot into a new focus, a new name, and a new co-founder. At the time, Ben stared down his biggest fears of fail ... Show More
1h 4m
Sep 2024
Meet the Man Who Did Over $4B in Acquisitions - Roland Frasier 💵 EP 86
Roland is a "recovering attorney" and the co-founder and principal of five different companies recognized by Inc. Magazine as some of the fastest-growing in e-commerce, e-learning, real estate, and SaaS sectors. As a serial entrepreneur, he has founded, scaled, or sold more than ... Show More
32m 57s
Aug 2024
Democratizing the Private Markets — ft. Ben Miller
Ben Miller, co-founder and CEO of Fundrise, joins the show to share how his company managed to successfully break into the private markets. He discusses why the private markets are regulated differently, how his company is helping everyday investors get in on typically inaccessib ... Show More
27m 1s
Oct 2024
An Nvidia Challenger Files For An IPO + Can A New CEO Turn Nike Around?
Scott and Ed open the show by discussing Tesla’s quarterly deliveries, a potential CVS breakup, and a venture capital firm’s decision to return money to investors. Then Scott explains the biggest red flag he sees in chipmaker Cerebras Systems as it prepares to go public, but brea ... Show More
57m 5s
Oct 2023
The Deal Room: Goldman's profit tanks, Man U slumps & Birkenflops!
Goldman Sachs reported a 36% drop in third-quarter profits, the bank’s eighth straight quarter of falling earnings BUT eked out a year-on-year increase in investment banking revenues for the first time in almost two years. Should DJ Sol be hanging up more than his decks? Or is th ... Show More
27m 38s
Feb 2025
Walmart, Etsy Face Tighter Wallets
The key in retail right now? Multiple business segments that can carry companies through reduced discretionary spending. (00:21) Asit Sharma and Jason Moser discuss: - Walmart’s approach to tariffs, and what their results – paired with earnings from Etsy – say about the state of ... Show More
41m 31s