Why Dan Certner’s Story Got Me Exploring Searchfunder

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a bit about how I discovered this community and why it caught my attention. A while back, I came across the My First Million episode with Dan Certner on buying Fleet Packaging, and one line really stuck with me: he said the Searchfunder community became like family during his search. That recommendation was enough for me to check it out for myself. I’m currently based in China, but my father is getting older, and I’m exploring opportunities to move back to the Midwest. One path I’m considering is becoming a business broker, working alongside established search funds and PE firms to connect them with potential sellers while gaining skills and experience before acquiring a business myself. I also recommend checking out the podcast episode with Matt Brunnig and Kevin Peer on the “Searcher in Residence” model, a great example of learning the ropes while contributing to an existing operation. Has anyone here taken a similar route before buying? What worked? What didn’t? And if you chose not to, what made you decide to go straight into an acquisition? I’ll be in the Midwest this September through early October and would love to meet up with like-minded folks, swap stories, and explore potential ways to collaborate. Feel free to DM me if you’d like to connect. — Martin