Experience with Ben Kelly's Acquisition Ace? Other acquisition accelerators? - Searchfunder

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by a searcher from Indiana University at Bloomington
in Glencoe, IL, USA

5mos ago

Experience with Ben Kelly's Acquisition Ace? Other acquisition accelerators?

Self-funded searcher here in Chicago, been searching on my own for 9 months while working full time and supporting family. Does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, with Ben Kelly's Acquisition Ace? There are so many acquisition accelerators out there, has anyone found one that has truly been a game-changer for them? Thanks all!

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reply by a searcher 5mos ago
from University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, USA

I signed up for his package early in my search and ended up cancelling for a full refund. My onboarding meeting (not with him) felt like a scripted sales pitch and their materials were nothing special.

reply by a professional 5mos ago
from Providence College in Providence, RI, USA

I agree overall with comments here but I want to share my perspective on some of these comments as someone who joined the Acquisition Lab in 2023 and successfully closed on a business. Yes, helping you pull the trigger to acquire is part of it. But it's not the rah-rah support from a business coach or mentor or accountability buddies... Unless you have someone who has acquired SMBs multiple times, the experience gap is too great. That includes those who are working on mid-market deals, working in P/E, employees of Fortune 100 co's, etc. This is a unique journey. Nor is it the rah-rah from groups like Sanchez's, as I've heard from others. It's the guidance along the way that makes the difference. Yes, along your journey you can read blogs and books, listen to podcasts, and chat with others. But every deal and situation is so different and has so much nuance, the value of the Lab comes from being able to drill into what you are facing in this moment. If you want deal flow, yes there are buy side advisory services who do this. That is often a $5K monthly fee for potential results, that you can pursue on your own as well if you are properly equipped to do so. The Lab is a very reasonable expense to help support your search, position you to improve your deal flows, and get the job done. There's more coming in 2026 with the Lab also, which is exciting. Lots of news to be released while they amplify their offerings. I'm still a beneficiary of this while I look for my next acquisition. Final Note: Discussion is always good but placing Sanchez and Kelly in the same conversation as the Acquisition Lab or SMBootcamp is just not right... :)

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