New Podcast: This Investor Is Betting Millions on Entrepreneurs Buying Small Businesses

Hello SMB Deal Hunters!

I’m excited to share a new interview with Grant Hensel of Entrepreneurial Capital, a fund investing millions to back self-funded searchers buying cash-flowing small businesses.

Grant’s portfolio of 10+ investments includes an industrial fan motor distributor, a light manufacturing company, and a niche procurement consulting firm for schools.

Before launching the fund, Grant and his wife also acquired an SEO agency serving personal injury attorneys.

If you're curious about how capital is flowing into Main Street—and how investors like Grant are fueling the rise of entrepreneur-led acquisitions—this one’s for you.

Today's issue is sponsored by SMB Diligence, the platform I helped start for matching business buyers with vetted legal counsel and Quality of Earnings providers.

COMMUNITY WINS

Here’s what one SMB Deal Hunter Pro member shared this past week:

Want me and my team to work with you to find, finance, and acquire a million-dollar cash-flowing business in the next 6-12 months?

👉 Learn More and Book A Call

INTERVIEW

In this episode with Grant, we discuss:

• Why he gave up building businesses to start buying them, and why the success rate is night and day

• How he and his wife pulled off a rare “searcher-operator” split, and what others can learn from it

• The exact traits Grant looks for when deciding whether to back a searcher (including one simple red flag that disqualifies candidates fast)

• The unsexy but highly defensible businesses he has backed, including a fan motor distributor for chicken coops

• How self-funded search terms are becoming standardized, and what deal terms investors expect today

• His take on the real risks of roll-ups, the ‘J curve,’ and why year one is not the time to be optimistic

• Why he’s bullish on the future of the ETA space and thinks we’re still early despite all the buzz

👉 Watch the full 55-minute interview with Grant Hensel

PRESENTED BY SMB DILIGENCE

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Skip Due Diligence…

A friend of mine put a business under LOI and asked me for my advice.

I recommended he contract a 3rd party due diligence partner to rebuild the company's P&L from scratch.

Turns out their EBITDA was off by 2x 😳

Enter SMB Diligence.

SMB Diligence is the platform I helped start for matching business buyers with vetted diligence providers, from M&A lawyers to Quality of Earnings providers.

Their network of experts has worked on hundreds of small business transactions (including many from the SMB Deal Hunter community).

👉 Get introduced to due diligence experts today

COMMUNITY PERKS

• Ready to buy and operate a $1M+ business? Get expert help at every step.

• Want to invest passively in SMB acquisitions? Get access to investment opportunities.

• Get a personal introduction to my preferred SBA 7(a) lender, non-SBA lenders, Quality of Earnings providers, or legal counsel

• Raising capital for your deal? I’ll connect you with investors from the SMB Deal Hunter Community.

• Interested in selling your business? I’ll help you connect with buyers from the SMB Deal Hunter Community.

THAT’S A WRAP

Want me to interview you for my podcast? Hit reply.

See you tomorrow with some new deals!

-Helen Guo
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Disclaimer

This publication is a newsletter only and the information provided herein is the opinion of our editors and writers only. Any transaction or opportunity of any kind is provided for information only; SMB Deal Hunter does not verify nor confirm information. SMB Deal Hunter is not making any offer to readers to participate in any transaction or opportunity described herein.