Grad student researching value creation in SMB acquisitions - need case studies from active searchers

Hi everyone, I'm a graduate student at George Mason University and an aspiring operator writing my thesis on how searchers and operators source deals and drive value creation in the lower-middle-market. I'd be grateful to interview active searchers at any stage and any level of experience. Whether you've already closed on a business, you're deep in proprietary outreach, or you're still refining your acquisition thesis, your perspective would be genuinely valuable to this research. The questions are focused on the challenges and pain points you've run into, mainly sourcing, diligence, operating realities, whatever has surprised you most. It's a short, casual conversation, and I'm here to listen and learn, not to pitch anything. If you're open to a brief 15min chat, I'd really appreciate it. You can grab a time that works for you here: https://calendly.com/yasser-mohmand/30min