The Secret to $10M: Why We Had To Take A Step Back To Grow | With Karen Balko!

Stop Being Your Business: The Scaling Strategy That Made Kenny Byrne Jr. Rich!

How to sell your business for life-changing money. Kenny Byrne's exact business acquisition strategy — scaling a home service business and exiting to private equity. Kenny Byrne built a blue-collar home service company that most people said couldn't attract private equity. He proved them wrong — and walked away with a life-changing exit. In this episode, Kenny breaks down the exact blueprint he used to go from "Chuck in a truck" to closing an 8-figure deal. If you're a small business owner grinding 16-hour days, undercharging, and feeling like you're building a job instead of a company — this one is for you. What we cover: → How to structure your business so private equity actually wants to buy it → The M&A process for home service businesses (step by step) → Why your pricing is your biggest exit killer — and how to fix it → The masterminds and relationships that unlocked Kenny's deal → How to build systems so your team runs it without you → The moment Kenny realized he was building a business to sell — not to survive This isn't theory. Kenny did it. Now he's telling you exactly how. 🎙️ Guest: Kenny Byrne, Founder of Call the Brands 🏠 Niche: Home Services, Blue-Collar Entrepreneurship, Business Exits 📈 Topics: Selling a business, M&A, Private Equity, Business Growth, Exit Strategy 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on how to build, scale, and sell. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify — "Build It To Sell It" with Lance Bachmann Chapters: 00:00 — Who is Kenny Byrne & His Origin Story. Introduction to Kenny, founder of Call the Brands, and how he started scaling! 03:45 — The "Chuck in a Truck" to Multi-Million Dollar Transition. How Kenny moved from contractor mindset to building a scalable business system! 12:30 — The Acquisition Strategy That Works. The specific systems and framework that made his business attractive to private equity buyers! 22:15 — Common Scaling Mistakes Home Service Owners Make. What kills businesses before they can be sold, and how to avoid it! 31:00 — The Exit Conversation: What Buyers Actually Look For. How to position your business for maximum valuation when it's time to sell! #entrepreneur #howtopriceyourbusiness #sellingmybusiness #privateequity #businessgrowth #homeservicebusiness #exitstrategy #smallbusiness #mergesandacquisitions #entrepreneurship

The Due Diligence Trap: Why Your Deal Might Fall Apart | Dustin Van Orman!

What separates the companies that get acquired from the ones that get passed over? In this episode of Build It To Sell It, Lance Bachmann sits down with Dustin Van Orman of Any Hour Services, a home service business generating nearly $400 million annually with over 30 locations and dozens of acquisitions across the country. Dustin breaks down exactly how acquisition teams evaluate businesses, the red flags that immediately kill deals, and why culture, leadership, and relationships matter more than most owners realize. If you're a home service business owner planning an exit, considering private equity, or looking to build a company that's actually sellable, this episode is packed with practical insights. In this episode: ✅ What buyers look for during due diligence ✅ Why private equity is searching for reasons NOT to buy your company ✅ The culture signals that instantly stand out during acquisitions ✅ How to structure a business for long-term value ✅ The truth about earnouts and rollover equity ✅ Why leadership teams matter more than owners think ✅ What happens after the acquisition closes ✅ How to determine if a partnership is the right fit Whether you're building to sell, scaling through acquisitions, or simply trying to create a better company, this conversation offers a rare look inside the buyer's mindset. Chapters 00:00 Meet Dustin Van Orman & The Power of Partnerships 03:40 How Private Equity Evaluates Your Business 06:45 The Hidden Signs Buyers Look For During Due Diligence 14:05 Why Acquisition Deals Fall Apart 29:15 Rollover Equity, Earn-outs & Final Exit Advice Sponsored by ServiceTitan, your technology of the trades. Subscribe for weekly conversations with entrepreneurs, operators, and investors who have built, scaled, and sold businesses at the highest level. #BuildItToSellIt #PrivateEquity #BusinessAcquisition #HomeServices #entrepreneurship

The Secret to $10M: Why We Had To Take A Step Back To Grow | With Karen Balko!

Karen Balko turned a dating app connection into a $10 million+ home service empire — and she's here to show you exactly how. In this episode of the Build It To Sell It Podcast, host Lance Bachmann sits down with Karen, co-founder and Director of Operations at Vector Services, to break down the real story behind scaling an HVAC, plumbing, and electrical business from zero to 8-figures — and positioning it for a high-multiple exit.Whether you're just starting out or already running a multi-million dollar operation, this conversation is packed with the financial literacy, systems thinking, and hard-won lessons that separate businesses that sell for top dollar from ones that trap their owners forever. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ How Karen went from tracking jobs on spreadsheets to running a $10M+ operation ✅ The truth about running a business with three partners — including your spouse ✅ Why switching to Service Titan and rebranding with Kick Charge were game-changers ✅ How to read your P&L like a buyer — not just an owner ✅ What HVAC market multipliers actually look like and how specialization affects your sale price ✅ Why offering equity to key employees can transform your team's commitment ✅ The "magic number" Karen and Tom are targeting before they exit ⏱️ CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction of Karen Balko 00:35 - The Origin Story: Meeting on a Dating App & Starting a Business 01:58 - Early Involvement: From Spreadsheets to Operations 03:12 - Business Evolution & Partner Backgrounds 05:20 - Building Systems & Commercial vs. Residential Work 06:23 - Partnership Dynamics & Friction in a Three-Person Team 07:58 - Top Business Challenges Over 10 Years 09:31 - Rebranding & Switching to Service Titan 11:15 - Financial Literacy & Taking a Step Back to Scale 13:30 - Building a Leadership Team for the Sale 15:00 - Analyzing the P&L: What Buyers Actually Look At 18:43 - Business Valuation, HVAC Multipliers & Installs vs. Service 22:04 - Managing Work & Family: Running a Business with Your Spouse 24:14 - Employee Relations & Offering Equity to Key Staff 29:20 - Joining a Coaching Group & Professionalizing Operations 31:33 - Legacy vs. Selling: Should You Leave It to Your Kids? 35:45 - Social Media Fakeness vs. Real Business Problems 37:03 - Future Goals & Exit Strategy 39:08 - Top Marketing Channels Driving Leads at Vector Services 📲 Connect with Karen Balko & Vector Services: https://callvector.com/ [https://callvector.com/] 🔔 Subscribe to Build It To Sell It for weekly conversations with entrepreneurs who are building businesses designed to be sold.

Scaling to $2.54 Billion: The Truth About Private Equity Due Diligence! | Part 2

Frank DiMarco closed a $2.54 BILLION deal with Blackstone — the world's largest private equity firm. This is the blueprint he used to get there. In Part 2 of this exclusive interview, Frank breaks down the exact strategies behind scaling a business from 20 operating companies into a world-class portfolio. If you want to understand what elite-level entrepreneur mindset and deal-making actually look like in practice, this is the conversation you need to hear. In this episode: — The "Locker Room" Culture: How Frank selected the right General Managers to run each business — Why market leaders are NEVER the lowest price — and what they sell instead — Inside the due diligence process with Blackstone and what they're really looking for — Why Frank still walks shop floors as a "constant student" — even after a billion-dollar exit — The influence of industry legend Leland Smith on Frank's private equity strategy Whether you're building your first business or scaling toward a major exit, Frank's framework applies at every level. 🎧 Listen to Part 1: https://youtu.be/A4Umheuc4n4 Connect with Lance: 🌐 [buildittosellit.com] | 📸 All Social Media: @lancebachmann

Third Generation Plumber to $2.5 Billion Sale: Frank DiMarco's Story Part One!

Join us for the first half of a legendary conversation with Frank DiMarco. Before the $2.54 billion sale to Blackstone, Frank was a blue-collar kid from Ohio learning the ropes from "old school guys" who demanded perfection. Frank recounts the "infamous list" of people he intended to prove wrong after being "kicked in the nuts" by a deal that left him with nothing. This is a masterclass in resilience and the blue-collar mindset.