You've sent the outreach. You've had the first calls. A couple of conversations looked promising, and then nothing. A broker stops replying. An owner says "let me think about it." Weeks go by. That silence is a big part of the job. A few things I've noticed from watching buyers work through it: They treat silence as information, not rejection. Often the owner is busy, nervous, or still deciding whether they're ready to sell at all. They follow up on a steady rhythm. A short, useful note every few weeks beats one long email. Not "just checking in," but something specific, like a thought on timing or a question about the business. They keep several conversations alive at once, so one quiet seller doesn't stall the whole search. And they stay human. Owners sell to someone they trust, not to the best spreadsheet. Search timelines are long. The middle is unglamorous, and it's usually where deals actually get decided. #SearchFund #ETA #Entrepreneurship