When Search Funds Don’t Go As Planned (Part 2): Trends & Observations With Jim Sharpe

July 06, 2023

by an investor from Harvard University - Harvard Business School in Toronto, ON, Canada

As I've mentioned previously: If one were to attend a randomly selected group of Search Fund conferences, they'd be forgiven for thinking that every search fund is a smashing success. Yet the data does not at all support this idea.

Last episode, I spoke with four entrepreneurs whose ETA paths deviated from their original plans. This week, I'm once again joined by , a pioneer in the Search Fund ecosystem, to get his perspective on the trends, commonalities, and themes that he has observed among: a) Searchers who failed to consummate an acquisition; & b) Searchers who did consummate an acquisition, but failed to “thrive” thereafter (either commercially or personally).

I hope this episode contributes to a more nuanced and well-rounded perspective on the merits and risks of pursuing any entrepreneurial endeavour. Please enjoy!

Reply by a professional
from Northwestern University in Breckenridge, CO 80424, USA

Thanks, Steve! This is going a panel topic at the Southeast ETA Conference

Reply by a searcher
from Brigham Young University in Boston, MA, USA

This is great. Thanks for sharing, Steve. Always full of wisdom.

+2 more replies.

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