Ep. 29 - The Value of Industry Experience in ETA

Ep. 32 - Building a Tech-Enabled Healthcare Roll-Up * Home Care Acquisitions & M&A Strategy

How do you go from running a family-owned home healthcare agency to building a technology-enabled acquisition platform? In this episode, Sean Smith, Managing Partner at Search Fund Ventures and Founder of SMB Investor Network, sits down with Karl Pierre, Founder of Aidbook Holdings, to discuss his unique journey from helping grow his family's healthcare business to over $10 million in annual revenue to launching a roll-up strategy focused on acquiring home healthcare agencies. Karl shares how conversations with private equity buyers completely changed the way he viewed business growth and valuation. Instead of selling, he decided to build his own acquisition platform—leveraging industry expertise, proprietary software, and strategic acquisitions to create long-term value. In this conversation, you'll learn: 00:00 The Journey Begins: From Family Business to Tech-Enabled Growth 05:13 Acquisition Strategy: Growing Through Consolidation 10:39 Tech Enablement: Building Solutions for the Future 16:11 Deal-Making Insights: Cash is King 21:26 Navigating Challenges: Lessons from Failed Deals 26:37 The Future of Home Care: Opportunities Ahead Whether you're an SMB investor, searcher, healthcare entrepreneur, or acquisition entrepreneur, this episode offers practical insights into building value through acquisitions and technology. If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe for more interviews with experienced operators, investors, and acquisition entrepreneurs. Leave your thoughts or questions in the comments—we'd love to hear your perspective. 📩 Connect with the speakers: * Karl Pierre LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-pierre-63028052/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-pierre-63028052/] * Aaidebook: https://www.aaidebook.com/ [https://www.aaidebook.com/] * Sean Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-smith-47ab2a70/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-smith-47ab2a70/] * SMB Investor Network: https://www.smbinvestornetwork.com/ [https://www.smbinvestornetwork.com/]

Ep. 31- Business Operating Systems for ETA and Small Businesses

Anthony Macleod shares his journey from entrepreneur to Pinnacle Business Guide, emphasizing the transformative power of business operating systems like EOS and Pinnacle. Discover how implementing these systems can drive focus, improve team alignment, and significantly increase enterprise value.

Ep. 30- Sales and Growth Strategy for Small Business Buyers

Tivan Amour shares his journey from being a serial entrepreneur to working with ETA (Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition) entrepreneurs. He discusses the importance of grit, patience, and the right mindset in entrepreneurship, as well as the transferable skills from startups to ETA. Tivan emphasizes the significance of sales strategies, experimentation, and building effective sales teams. He also provides insights for investors on assessing sales and growth potential in ETA entrepreneurs and the importance of systems in driving growth.

Ep. 29 - The Value of Industry Experience in ETA

In this conversation, Lisa Piercey shares her journey from being a physician to becoming a successful business buyer in the healthcare sector. She emphasizes the importance of industry experience in making successful acquisitions and building trust with stakeholders. Lisa discusses her approach to evaluating potential investments, structuring deals, and mitigating risks. She also highlights the emotional aspects of business buying and offers insights from her book, 'Natural Born Entrepreneurs,' which serves as a guide for mid-career professionals considering entrepreneurship through acquisition.

Ep. 28- Inside the Search Fund Playbook

In this in-depth conversation, Sean Smith, Managing Partner of Search Fund Ventures and Founder of SMB Investor Network, sits down with Jon Staenberg, Founder & CEO of Agate Hound Fund, to explore the evolution of search funds and the rise of microcap private equity. Jon shares firsthand perspective from the earliest days of search at Stanford Business School, how the traditional search fund model emerged, and why he views it as microcap private equity with a repeatable playbook. The discussion covers portfolio-style investing through a fund-of-funds approach, diversification and access for investors, and how demographic tailwinds are shaping the future of small business acquisitions. They also examine how the search ecosystem is evolving, differences between traditional MBA-led search and mid-career operators, and why technology and AI may meaningfully improve acquisition diligence, operating efficiency, and long-term outcomes in SMBs. This episode is essential viewing for investors, operators, and anyone interested in entrepreneurship through acquisition and long-term value creation in the SMB market. 👉 Subscribe for more long-form interviews on SMB investing and acquisition strategies.💬 Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below. 📩 Connect with the speakers: * Jon Staenberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstaenberg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstaenberg/] * Jon Staenberg Email: jon@aggathound.fund * Agate Hound Fund: https://www.aggathound.fund [https://www.aggathound.fund] * Sean Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-smith-47ab2a70/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-smith-47ab2a70/] * SMB Investor Network: https://www.smbinvestornetwork.com/ [https://www.smbinvestornetwork.com/]