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 industry
• Slow renovation creating a financial mess
• Delegation is the key to growth
• The real cost of a cheap turnaround
• Building a pet resort brand
• Accelerating growth with Store Capital
• Why franchising is a poor option in his industry
• Dealing with tire-kicking searchers
• Partnering with private equity
• Emotional rollercoaster of combining cultures

References and how to contact Phil:

• LinkedIn
• Pawville
• Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
• Taylor Wallace - first appearance on Acquiring Minds: Buying Doggy Daycares After 10 Years in Tech
• Taylor Wallace - second appearance on Acquiring Minds:Why Sell to Private Equity: Former Guest Has an Exit
• Store Capital

Get a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):

• Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring Minds

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

• From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com

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

• Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund Team

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar:

• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

Matt 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 a business
• Overcoming the fear of uncertainty
• Locally searching in St. Petersberg, FL
• Long term payoff of bringing donuts
• Quickly growing through marketing
• Using Pinterest to stoke demand for their product
• Introducing the Searcher in Residence concept
• Trade-offs and benefits for the SIR and owner
• Additional acquisitions in manufacturing
• Running the holdco with Traction

References and how to contact Matt & Kevin:

• Matt’s LinkedIn
• Kevin’s LinkedIn
• Sunrise Yacht Products
• JJ Plastics
• Custom Quality Covers
• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Kevin's one-pager

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

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

• The Acquisition Lab

Work with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:

• Pioneer Capital Advisory

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron

Register for the webinar:

• How to Offshore in a Blue Collar Business - July 1st - https://bit.ly/406jR5k

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:

• LinkedIn
• Associated Photo & Imaging
• Tripp Lawson and Mike McCoy at Viking Mergers
• Joe Spina and Taylor Gorman at Cullen and Dykman
• AppleTree
• Josh Richman at NewCo Risk
• Aspen HR
• Jared Johnson of First Internet Bank
• Search Fund Coalition
  
  

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

• The Acquisition Lab

Get a complimentary IT audit of your target business:

• Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you’re a searcher

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

• From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.com

Connect with Acquiring Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn
• Follow Will on Twitter

Edited by Anton Rohozov
Produced by Pam Cameron