logo
episode-header-image
Jun 26
1h 21m

From Stalled Search to $750k SDE: The Po...

Will Smith
About this episode

Register for the webinar:

A friend pressed Grania Michel to change her search as if she had to close in 4 months. She was under LOI 2 weeks later.

Topics in Grania’s interview:

  • Operating a business in Ecuador
  • Emotional ups and downs during the search process
  • Keeping her search private in the beginning
  • Sending LOIs as quickly as possible
  • Acquiring a commercial printing business in Miami
  • Managing the deal process, debt consolidation, and equity structuring
  • Translating her day one speech to Spanish on the fly
  • Losing key employees after transition
  • Why she recommends buying all the accounts payable
  • Building a long-term legacy for her daughters

References and how to contact Grania:

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

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

Download the New CEO’s Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Up next
Today
Stacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in Revenue
About fall conferences: Southeast Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Conference2025 Buy Then Build SummitMcguireWoods Independent Sponsor ConferenceM &A Launchpad's Fall Show (use ACQUIRINGMINDS for a discount)Kyle Boyden & Jake Furfaro bought tiny cleaning companies, five time ... Show More
1h 21m
Aug 21
4th Time's the Charm: 3 Broken Deals to Buy a Great Business
Register for the webinar:Overcoming Common Deal Sticking Points - Thu Aug 21st - https://bit.ly/4oB4zAkBryan Houck was fatigued of his search and broken deal costs when he finally closed on an award-winning creative agency.Topics in Bryan’s interview:Losing everything in a startu ... Show More
1h 14m
Aug 18
Buying and Building a Xerox Dealer to $30m
Register for the webinar:Overcoming Common Deal Sticking Points - Thu Aug 21st - https://bit.ly/3UrzG3FJeff Horn left a lucrative path to buy a $5m copier sales and service firm. 5 years later he exited for a great return.Topics in Jeff’s interview:Feeling a calling to leadLeavin ... Show More
1h 21m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Buying, Selling, and Investing in Businesses with Jaclyn Johnson and Lindsey Schwartz
How do you know if you should raise money for your business? In today’s episode, I’m joined by the incredible Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate and Cherub, and Founder of Powerhouse women, Lindsey Schwartz. Jaclyn shares how taking a break after selling her majority s ... Show More
43m 13s
Jun 25
#817: 4-Hour Workweek Success Stories — Charlie Houpert on Building “Charisma on Command” to 10M+ Subscribers, From Charging $10 for Seminars to Making Millions, Living in Brazil, Critical Early Decisions, and The Secret to Freedom
Charlie Houpert is the co-founder of Charisma on Command, a company that helps people develop confidence, charisma, and strong social skills. Originally launched as a 4-Hour Workweek-inspired “muse,” it has since grown into one of the largest platforms for social skills and confi ... Show More
2h 14m
Apr 2025
#806: How Rich Barton Built Expedia and Zillow from $0 to $35B — Audacious Goals, Provocation Marketing, Scrabble for Naming, and Powerful Daily Rituals
Rich Barton is the co-founder and co-executive chairman of Zillow, a company transforming how people buy, sell, rent, and finance homes. Before Zillow, Rich founded Expedia within Microsoft in 1994 and successfully spun the company off as a public company in 1999. He served as pr ... Show More
2h 25m
Jul 2024
Advice Line with Joe Kudla of Vuori
Vuori founder Joe Kudla joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they work through business challenges with three early-stage founders.Today we meet Laurie, a Florida-based physician with savings to invest back into her fashionable scrubs company. Then Brendan, who wants to bring his ... Show More
43m 59s
Mar 2025
85. Executive Recruiters
When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network. SOURCES:Julian Ha, partner at the executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles ... Show More
21m 11s
Feb 2025
Eli Lilly CEO: The Weight-Loss Drug Revolution, AI in Pharma, and Innovation
Nicolai Tangen meets with David Ricks, CEO of Eli Lilly, for a discussion about the pharmaceutical giant's remarkable journey. At the forefront is Eli Lilly's breakthrough work with weight reduction drugs, which are showing promise far beyond their original purpose - from treatin ... Show More
55m 40s
Feb 2025
HIGHLIGHTS: David Ricks - CEO of Eli Lilly
We've curated a special 10-minute version of the podcast for those in a hurry.   Here you can listen to the full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/eli-lilly-ceo-the-weight-loss-drug-revolution-ai-in/id1614211565?i=1000693848152&l=nb Nicolai Tangen meets with David Ri ... Show More
10m 31s
Mar 2025
HIGHLIGHTS: Debra Crew - CEO of Diageo
We've curated a special 10-minute version of the podcast for those in a hurry.   Here you can listen to the full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/diageo-ceo-shifting-drinking-trends-brand-innovation/id1614211565?i=1000700857139&l=nb Are our drinking habits changing? ... Show More
9m 48s
Aug 2024
The Deal Room: Unveiling the World of M&A with Peter Bell, Founder of Cardean Bell
In this episode, we chat with Peter Bell, founder and CEO of Cardean Bell, a leading M&A boutique advisory firm. With 24 years at top investment banks like Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Lehman Europe, and Nomura, Peter has advised on over $100 billion in transactions across ever ... Show More
53m 52s
Feb 2025
Advice Line with Vicky Tsai of Tatcha (September 2024)
Tatcha co-founder and former CEO Vicky Tsai joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Vicky explains her decision to briefly step back into, and then out of again, the CEO role.First we meet Jessica in Newport Beach, who’s wo ... Show More
49m 11s