From Self-Searcher to Business Owner: Closing My First Deal

I'm incredibly proud to share that I've officially closed on my first acquisition, a 40 year construction business that's been generating consistent $3-5M in revenue. This represents a $2.2M enterprise value deal structured with SBA financing, $350K seller carry, and $320K equity injection. The business is now 100% mine, and as of last week, I left my W2 to run it full-time. This took two years of grinding through the learning curve with no business school background, no Ivy League connections, and honestly, I didn't even grow up around business owners. Just me, a lot of late nights studying business fundamentals, analyzing what felt like endless deals, making plenty of mistakes, and refusing to give up. The biggest lesson I learned? In competitive deals, especially when you don't have an existing business or deep industry connections, 90% effort doesn't cut it. You need 100% relentless execution and follow-up. I mean truly relentless - returning calls within the hour, having answers ready before sellers ask questions, being the person who shows up consistently and does exactly what they say they'll do. That's what ultimately won this deal over other buyers who had better credentials on paper. I see really clear pathways to scale this company to $10-15M revenue over the next few years. The fundamentals are solid, the market opportunity is there, and I've got specific operational improvements mapped out. I'll be sharing progress updates here as we execute the growth plan because I know how valuable it is to see real examples of post-acquisition operations. While this first deal was sized for solo execution, I'm genuinely excited about partnering with others in this community for larger acquisitions down the road. What I've learned through this process is that we're a pretty unique tribe. The combination of ambition, analytical thinking, and willingness to take smart risks creates natural alignment for meaningful partnerships. Sometimes this path feels lonely, but building connections with like-minded people is honestly priceless. To anyone currently searching and feeling the weight of uncertainty right now - I see you. That loneliness and self-doubt is temporary. Relentless, intelligent pursuit always finds its target. You only lose if you give up. Keep pushing. Never give in. Cheers to 2026 my friends, onward and upward!