Buyers and Builders
Business & Finance
About
The Buyers and Builders podcast with PrivateEquityGuy is a place where you can find meaningful conversations about holding companies, buying and building businesses, entrepreneurship, investing, and more. Be sure to follow the podcast, so you never miss an episode!
Episodes
- From Buying a Business to $1.3B Exit | Mark Sinatra of ETA Equity
Mark Sinatra of ETA Equity shares his experiences from acquiring Staff One HR, scaling the business, surviving the 2008 crisis, and selling to Oasis Outsourcing. He also discusses his role in building ETA Equity and insights gained from ba…
- What 137 Acquisitions Taught Me About Operational Excellence | Robert Irving Interview
In this episode, Robert Irving shares his experiences building a fire protection business to $20M in revenue, selling it to private equity, and participating in a 137-company rollup. He discusses operational excellence, the challenges of p…
- Buying Three Founder-Led SMEs: Lessons from the Trenches | Simon Plummer Interview
Simon Plummer, co-founder of Arbor Permanent Owners, discusses his experiences acquiring and operating three founder-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He shares a practical playbook for the first year of ownership, covering to…
- The Buffett-Munger Introduction That Changed Everything
This episode of Buyers and Builders discusses the importance of networks in the lower middle market. It covers how to build strong networks through trust, introductions, persistence, and generosity to gain a competitive edge.
- From Management Buyout to Fund of Funds | P. V. Ramanathan (Ram) Interview
P. V. Ramanathan (Ram) explains his journey from leading a management buyout of a cathodic protection business in 2003 to establishing Corrosion Technology Services. He also details the creation of Neeti Fund, a fund-of-funds that invests…
- 9 Add-Ons in 24 Months | Dan Lifshits of Dwelly Interview
Dan Lifshits, co-founder of Dwelly, discusses the company's buy-and-build strategy in the UK lettings market, detailing how they have completed nine acquisitions in 24 months to modernize agencies with AI-enabled software. The episode cove…
- How We Built IDUN Industrier: 20 Acquisitions and 60x+ P/E Ratio
This episode examines the business model of the Swedish serial acquirer IDUN Industrier. Discussion topics include their strategy of acquiring niche market leaders, their approach to portfolio construction, and the factors contributing to…
- What 100+ Investments Taught Me About Great Acquirers | Lacey Wismer Interview
Mike Markus interviews Lacey Wismer of Hunter Search Capital about her experience investing in over 100 search funds. They discuss permanent capital, the importance of operators in entrepreneurship through acquisition, and long-term busine…
- A Serial Acquirer Masterclass and The Story Of 47 Acquisitions Per Year
This episode explores the business model of serial acquirers, examining why some companies achieve high valuations through consistent acquisition strategies. The discussion covers reinvestment, the importance of balance sheets and speciali…
- 38 Acquisitions Generating $2 Billion in Revenue | Eric Wiklendt Interview
Mike Markus interviews Eric Wiklendt of Speyside Equity about the firm's approach to lower-middle-market private equity. The discussion covers the firm’s investment history, operational strategies, fund structure, and their focus on comple…
- How I Left PE and Bought 16 Companies | Kaido Veske Interview
Mike Markus interviews Kaido Veske of Livonia Partners about his career transition from US private equity to founding a $200 million fund in Europe. They discuss the fund's investment strategy, acquisition history, and lessons learned from…
- 10 Acquisitions in 24 Months, No Fund | Travis Jamison Interview
Mike Markus interviews Travis Jamison of CapitalPad regarding the development of a deal-by-deal investing platform that has facilitated 10 acquisitions in 24 months. The discussion covers the platform's operations, lessons learned from the…
- Why This Operator Won’t Raise a Fund (17 Companies, 9 Exits) | Vic Keller
Mike Markus speaks with Experience Ventures' Vic Keller about his experience building 17 companies, securing 9 exits, and utilizing an operator-first approach to business. The discussion covers his deal-by-deal investment strategy, the car…
- Off-Market Deal Flow for $2M-$200M Founder-Led Companies
This episode of Buyers and Builders explores strategies for building repeatable inbound deal flow for founder-led companies with $2-15M in EBITDA. The discussion covers relationship compounding using the frameworks of Larry Gagosian and Th…
- 5 Acquisitions in 24 Months: How I Got 60-70% Seller Financing | Millen Rastogi Interview
In this episode, host Mike Markus interviews Millen Rastogi of UniversaCare about his transition from finance to healthcare and his experience acquiring five companies in two years. They discuss his approach to deal sourcing, growth strate…
- How I Left PE to Buy Three Businesses in 90 Days | Reza Jafer Interview
In this episode of Buyers and Builders, host Mike Markus interviews Reza Jafer of Second Bite Capital about his transition from private equity to acquiring three businesses in three months. The discussion covers his deal-making process, pl…
- The Story of Bowles, Hollowell, Conner & Co
This episode examines the history and legacy of Bowles, Hollowell, Conner & Co., a Charlotte-based advisory firm that influenced lower middle market M&A. The discussion covers how the firm helped institutionalize transactions for founder-l…
- 30 Add-Ons in 48 Months | Luis Reyes of IBV
Mike Markus interviews Luis Reyes of Iberian Ventures about his experience completing over 30 acquisitions in four years while building a fire safety rollup in Europe. The discussion covers strategies for deal sourcing, integration, risk m…
- Search Fund Success Story: From $15M to $200M Through 7 Acquisitions
In this episode of Buyers and Builders, Christa Glassburn discusses her experience scaling a search fund from $15 million to $200 million through seven acquisitions. She covers her career transition, integration strategies, and the process…
- A $25 million LOI with a Ferrari 488
In this episode, Jeremy Giffon discusses his approach to special situations, forced sellers, and overlooked businesses in the lower middle market. He highlights the importance of understanding incentives and human behavior over complex fin…
- The Real Playbook Behind an Operator-Led Roll-Up (10 Acquisitions in 18 Months)
Mike Markus and guest Jeremy Yamaguchi discuss Yamaguchi’s experience acquiring 10 companies in 18 months, his background in home services, and his strategy for building the Cabana brand through M&A and vertical software.
- Why aren’t more $2-10M EBITDA companies hiring a CIO?
This episode examines why $2-10M EBITDA businesses should consider hiring a Chief Investment Officer to manage excess cash. The host presents two case studies illustrating how capital allocation can become a primary profit engine for tradi…
- From Near Collapse to $100M+ Exit: A Story of 8 Smart Acquisitions
Todd Saunders discusses how he pivoted his business to serve independent flooring retailers, ultimately leading to eight acquisitions and a $100M+ exit. He explains the strategic importance of building community and brand loyalty over focu…
- The Playbook Behind 605+ Acquisitions | Justin Ishbia research
This episode examines the investment strategies and operating systems of Shore Capital Partners and its co-founder, Justin Ishbia. The analysis synthesizes public commentary and performance history to explore how the firm approaches lower-…
- How I Bought 5 Businesses After Failing My First Acquisition
Steve Lawrence of Uncomplicated Group discusses his journey from corporate management to acquiring five manufacturing businesses. He reflects on his initial failed acquisition and how he refined his deal process, evaluated seller readiness…
- How Smart Buyers Create Alpha Without Cheap Debt
This episode explores the structural shift in the private equity model, moving away from relying on leverage and multiple expansion toward a focus on real value creation and industrial capability deployment.
- The Playbook for 50-200% Annual Company Growth
John Seiffer joins the Buyers and Builders podcast to discuss strategies for achieving 50-200% annual company growth. He shares insights on operational scalability, the importance of structure, delegation, and systems for founders looking…
- I didn't join PE to be an operator
This episode of Buyers and Builders examines the shifting career landscape for private equity professionals. The discussion explores why traditional models like carry are losing appeal and why more professionals are seeking paths toward di…
- There Is No Path — How Elite Investors Actually Build Their Lives, Careers, and Companies
This episode of Buyers and Builders examines Jeffrey Walker’s perspective on career and business success, focusing on the idea that successful individuals create their own paths rather than following existing ones. The discussion includes…
- How I Quit My 6-Figure Job and Bought 9 Companies
David Dowda of Dowda Holdings discusses his transition from a corporate career to acquiring nine companies through seller financing and creative M&A. He explores strategies for scaling businesses, managing operations across various industr…
- How These Firms Turn $5M-15M Companies Into 100x Returns
This episode analyzes the strategies used by serial acquirers that achieve high annual returns through the acquisition of small, niche, and profitable businesses. The discussion covers the playbook for programmatic M&A, the principles of l…
- From VC to Main Street: How AI Is Rewiring Service Businesses
Cyrus Hessabi from Shore Capital Partners discusses his career journey and how AI is impacting traditional service businesses. The episode covers evaluating AI in small-cap investments, the transition from venture capital to private equity…
- How to Find 10x MOIC, 30%+ IRR Deals (Step-by-Step)
This episode analyzes Yale data from 1,192 investor-level outcomes to discuss the drivers behind 10x MOIC and 30%+ IRR in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). It explores why access is the primary factor for high returns and how eli…
- 20 Acquisitions, 500 Investors, Zero Fund (The Private Equity Strategy No One Is Talking About)
Sequoya Borgman, founder of Borgman Capital, discusses his retail-funded private equity model, which involves raising deal-by-deal from individual investors rather than institutions. He covers his approach to acquiring off-market companies…
- How I Retired at 30 as a Family Office Investor (Here Are the Investments I've Made)
Retired family office investor Akshay Ramachandran discusses his investment strategy, his career path, and the factors behind his retirement at 30. The episode covers his approach to analyzing businesses, his experiences in the finance ind…
- Buy 5 Companies as Fast as You Can (1-on-1 Advice From Fredrik Karlsson That Changed Everything)
This episode examines the history and business model of RÖKO, a Swedish holding company founded by former Lifco CEO Fredrik Karlsson. The discussion covers RÖKO’s investment strategy, its portfolio of 29 businesses, and its operational app…
- Ian Rickwood on AI, Private Equity, Car Wash & Real Estate Investing | Henley Group
Ian Rickwood, CEO of Henley Group, discusses his career in private equity, his experience building food chains, and his current focus on using AI for car wash site selection. He also shares insights on partnerships, handling business chall…
- How to Win Deals Over Private Equity (Even if They Pay 10-20% More)
This episode of Buyers and Builders explores how buyers can compete with private equity through interpersonal connections and listening skills. It includes examples from Warren Buffett, Shopify, and Honeywell, offering practical advice on…
- The Private Equity Bubble? | Inside a Private Equity Firm Built for What Comes Next
Joel Mathew of Woodson Equity discusses his firm's strategy in diversified industrials and business services, focusing on hands-on control deals. The episode covers their operational playbook, deal sourcing methods, and perspectives on the…
- The One System That Scaled from $3.5M to a 15-Company Portfolio (Sid Jashnani)
Sid Jashnani shares how he scaled his firm from $3.5 million to a 15-company portfolio with $77 million in revenue by implementing EOS and optimizing operations. The episode covers key strategies for business growth, vertical integration,…
- 7 Acquisitions Done — Buying Businesses on “Easy Mode” in 2025 (here’s why)
Donza Worden and Travis Jamison discuss how the CapitalPad platform aims to streamline the process of buying small businesses and raising capital for independent sponsors. The episode covers deal curation, investment mechanics, and the mar…
- How to Build a 7-Figure Company from Scratch (with Mac Lackey)
Entrepreneur Mac Lackey joins Buyers and Builders to discuss his experience founding and selling multiple companies. He shares insights on building businesses for successful exits, strategic value, and optimizing founder mindset.
- How Builders Build Wealth That Lasts (and Mistakes to Avoid)
This episode explores strategies for long-term wealth preservation and management after business success. It discusses three pillars of lasting wealth: conservative fixed income, high-income strategies, and long-term asset growth.
- 4 Portfolio Companies and The Gritty Playbook of Value Investing | Reggie Pryor Jr.
Reggie Pryor Jr. of Pryor LLC discusses his value-driven investment strategy, focusing on rehabilitating neglected assets for long-term cash flow. He shares insights from his career, covering topics such as mentorship, asset valuation, and…
- How They Turned $8 Million into $450 Million (by Following THIS #1 SIMPLE Habit)
This episode explores the role of reading as a habit for building a mental warehouse of ideas and developing intuition. It features examples of how insights from reading influenced business leaders like Charlie Munger, Jeff Bezos, and Elon…
- How to Build Proprietary Deal Flow? (15 Off-Market Acquisitions)
In this episode of Buyers and Builders, Peter Lang discusses his approach to acquiring businesses off-market. The conversation covers advanced M&A tactics including pre-LOI audits, due diligence processes, and communication strategies for…
- Lessons from 100+ Acquisitions You Can Implement TODAY | Joe Liemandt
Joe Liemandt, builder of Trilogy Software and ESW Capital, discusses his operating philosophy and lessons learned from over 100 acquisitions. The discussion covers topics including value-based pricing, hiring and motivation, and his focus…
- How We Bought 27+ Businesses and Built a $1 Billion HoldCo at 39 | Steve Carroll Interview
Steve Carroll, CEO of Kelso Industries, discusses how he and his co-founder built a $1 billion holdco through 29 acquisitions. The episode covers their operational challenges, the transition to a partner-based model, and their strategies f…
- How I Completed 12+ Acquisitions and Still Built a New Roll-Up
Nick Hatchka of Cub Investments shares his experience completing over a dozen acquisitions and building a regional platform of generator businesses in California. He discusses working with his operating partner, Dylan Ferguson, and lessons…
- How to Raise $450 Million at 31 with No Track Record (and Do 90+ Deals) | Urs Wietlisbach Research
Urs Wietlisbach, co-founder of a private equity firm, discusses his journey in fundraising $450 million for a debut fund without a prior track record. He covers strategies such as building complementary founding teams, thematic deal resear…