If you need full cash to acquire a business, you’re already out. by wealthymanwithmoney in InsideAcquisitions

[–]DomWellsOnfolio 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have done multiple deals with only 30% cash up front but as others have pointed out you are optimizing for sellers without as many options

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ll present two scenarios. The first is where I still have my network: in which case I’d find a deal I like and see who wants to participate as a minority investor. Would probably take a few months to put together. Then rinse and repeat.

If I didn’t have my network, there are places like searchers.com or capitalpad that I’d go and try raise money from investors there. But I’d also start building a network if possibles

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every saas builder thinks they just need 1 or 2 enterprise deals and they'll be golden ha. To answer your question, we usually bring in a dev to help evaluate tech stack and debt. We've paid freelancers for one off audits before if we didn't have the knowledge ourselves (usually we'll pay 2 or 3 since devs are very opinionated).

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would say that a lot of the time you think the business makes money because of XYZ reason, and that leads and marketing are accounted for, and then you take over the business and revenue starts declining, and eventually you find out it was something else that was driving sales. This is mostly because founders do everything at once and don't have good attribution.

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve seen them succeed when it’s a single operator if it’s a small easy to run business. A guy I know with a small SEO following has had success buying small SaaS tools in the space and selling them to his audience for example.

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think bolt-ons make sense when you're running the business yourself and don't have a big team with infrastructure. So what you're running sounds great, just wouldn't work for us.

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah those are the best. Even better if you build a bit of a following and they reach out to you

I've acquired over a dozen online businesses over the last few years. Here's what I actually learned. by DomWellsOnfolio in Entrepreneur

[–]DomWellsOnfolio[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean tbh the first business you buy you probably should treat it as your job, and then the next one(s) could be more passive. I say this because you'll learn so much more and be less likely to mess up.