logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
1h 31m

The Double Life of Owning a Business 2.5...

Will Smith
About this episode

Get $200 off your ticket to the M&A Launchpad Conference in Houston on May 11th:


John Murphy pushed through divorce, $500k debt, and a bad broken deal to finally buy a 60-year-old business doing $8m.

Topics in John’s interview:

  • Losing a deal one week before closing
  • Value of peer groups
  • How real estate compares to business ownership
  • Taking over a company before the deal closed
  • Unforseen transition expenses
  • Carl Allen’s business buying course
  • Leaving his W-2 to search for a business
  • Value of joining industry associations
  • Restructuring his workforce to increase margins
  • Buying a company with a management layer

References and how to contact John:

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

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

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

Up next
Oct 9
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
Feb 2025
"I Fast-Forwarded My Life 10 Years”: How Geo-Arbitrage 3X’d My Wealth and Changed My Life
What if you could fast-forward your financial goals by ten years just by moving abroad? That’s exactly what entrepreneur Rob Hoffman did when he relocated to Colombia, where his $3M net worth stretches as if it’s $9M. Rob, a member of the Hampton community, shares how he built a ... Show More
32m 6s
Dec 2024
E117: What Will Family Offices Invest into in 2025? w/Hansen Ringer
Hansen Ringer, Managing Director at Sepio Capital sits down with David Weisburd to discuss the asset class that delivers equity-like returns without the market risk, what distressed credit reveals about market cycles and investor behavior, and what happens when stocks and bonds m ... Show More
42m 10s
Mar 2025
I Sold for $100M and Now I Spend $1M/Year
This podcast is a ridiculous concept: high-net-worth people reveal their personal finances. Inspired by real conversations happening in the Hampton community. If you're a founder doing at least $3M/year in sales, check out Hampton: https://www.joinhampton.com/. Dan Berger sold hi ... Show More
47m 57s
Jul 2024
What To Do When Your Operator QUITS The DAY AFTER You Buy A Small Business w/ Jordan Griffie
Jordan Griffie, a member of Action Academy, shares in full detail how to execute and overcome roadblocks for a successful business ownership transition, as well as giving powerful advice on how to effectively acquire and manage multiple businesses. Get in touch with Jordan: Conta ... Show More
54 m
Feb 2025
Elon Musk's Acquisition Made Me $50M, But Fatherhood Redefined My Life
What if the key to success wasn’t grinding harder—but learning to let go? Chris Bakke made 10s of millions selling two companies, including one to Elon Musk’s Twitter. But after years of chasing big wins, something changed: he had kids. And suddenly, the drive that once defined h ... Show More
46m 31s
Apr 2025
Should I Leverage Debt to Speed My Business Growth?
Today we’ll hear about: An owner looking to leverage debt to rapidly expand his business A businesswoman who’s trying to avoid bankruptcy after a costly mistake How customer service defines company success A father hoping to bring his kids into the family business Next Steps: 📞 ... Show More
1h 3m
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
Feb 2025
Money Expert: The GREATEST Wealth Transfer Just Started (Don’t Miss Out!) | Chris Camillo
Ramp: Now get $250 when you join Ramp at https://ramp.com/ich Oracle: Cut your cloud bill in half—switch to OCI today https://oracle.com/iced Gusto: Try 3 months free at https://gusto.com/iced Raycon: Get Up To 20% Off At https://buyraycon.com/iced/ Subscribe to @DumbMoneyLive He ... Show More
2h 27m
Sep 2022
KKR, Pete Stavros – Employee Ownership at C.H.I. Overhead Doors (PE Deals EP. 1)
Pete Stavros from KKR dives into C.H.I. Overhead Doors. Pete is the Co-Head of Americas Private Equity at KKR, the legendary firm founded in 1976 that today is a public company managing around $500 billion in assets. Pete previously led KKR’s Industrials team, where he pioneered ... Show More
47m 25s
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