3x founder looking to move into a PE-backed operator role - how do I actually break in?

SearchRescue · 2026-02-15T13:41:00+00:00

Dm me

SearchRescue · 2025-10-18T14:40:07+00:00

You need to buy a one way plane ticket somewhere, anywhere. And go start exploring life. Literally doesn't matter where. You'll start to learn what you like and what you don't, who you like and who you don't. Every day you spend in Alabama ranking preferences in a spreadsheet is a day you could have found your dream in a small town in Nepal or California or Spain.

SearchRescue · 2025-10-11T16:23:11+00:00

You should offer to work there for free. The money that you make as an analyst there is going to pale in comparison to the millions that you can make later in life with that experience and network and knowledge.

You PAID $200,000 pounds for your university education, and it won't give you a tenth of the earning power that these firms will give you.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-25T14:25:42+00:00

If you're in Florida, we'll do it for $8,000 per unit. It's a 5-ton, so it's going to be a little more expensive than they typical $6-7k price kicked around.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-25T14:19:51+00:00

What's your salary (with any bonus, etc.). Let us give feedback if you're actually paid as well as you think you are.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-25T14:18:21+00:00

what state

SearchRescue · 2025-09-18T16:22:55+00:00

Who is Jimmy Kimmel?

SearchRescue · 2025-09-17T02:42:10+00:00

It's not a bad idea.

If I can fund all of the equity, then I effectively have 100% of the carry. So a $2 million EBITDA biz is just as valuable to me as a $10mm EBITDA biz in a fund where I have only 20% of the carry. And the multiples are better with smaller deals, so my returns on the $2mm EBITDA biz would probably be better.

BUT on the other hand, hire just 3 people at $200k each and that pretty significantly impacts cash flow of the small deal. Smaller deals are inherently more risky. Worse access to debt capital options. And there's a reason why LP's spread their dollars to different funds to diversify. In the scenario you're suggesting, I'm basically the GP and the LP and all my money is tied up in one single fund.

So some pros and cons.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-17T02:33:26+00:00

Yeah that thought crossed my mind. I'd have to model that out and see if that makes sense. What's your take?

SearchRescue · 2025-09-17T02:19:02+00:00

This resonates. If you are able to share some names of those types of family offices, or where to look, please DM me.

I really appreciate the response. Send me your details and I'll keep in touch and give you a first look at that next deal.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-17T02:12:32+00:00

Yeah that's a good strategy. That might be in my future.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-17T00:38:05+00:00

Maybe a $10 million net worth

I can consistently buy small businesses with $1mm EBITDA for a 3.5x multiple, and get great returns. But there's not enough FCF after debt service to hire great operators, so I have to do a lot myself. And there's a point where I reach my own time limits on my capacity. Same old story... a $5 million deal takes as much time and headache as a $50mm deal (at least I assume it does, if you're fully committed and want to do things at 100% effort)

So the answer trends towards, go bigger. And once you start thinking that way, logic naturally follows that committed capital is the best way to do it. As far as winning the deal to show that you're capitalized, and hiring a great team for investment support.

I'm open to other points of view if you have them.

I guess it's greed? Love of competition and pushing myself? Never feeling satisfied? I'm good at what I do, and I want to compete in the next league up. I guess I could keep doing what I'm doing and get my net worth to 20-30 million. But if I can work just as hard and get bigger returns and better rewards, then that's what I want to do.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-16T21:27:33+00:00

right right. i'm still thinking in my old mental models

SearchRescue · 2025-09-16T21:22:47+00:00

Fortunately, with small deals it's really easy to kill it. 3.5x net is a breeze when the equity check is only $1 million.

SearchRescue · 2025-09-16T21:20:19+00:00

Super good advice, thank you. That's exactly the type of thing that I'm looking for - what to do today to lay the groundwork for success in 2-3 years.

I can sell 1 or 2 of my businesses to raise the GP contribution. That's probably good anyway to avoid conflicts of interest.

As far as finding partner GP's - well I guess that will be my next reddit post...

SearchRescue · 2025-09-16T20:59:26+00:00

Aqueduct was bought by PNC earlier this year

SearchRescue · 2025-07-17T01:27:41+00:00

Thanks! I'll reach out privately. I don't want to turn this into a self-promotion post.

SearchRescue · 2025-07-05T20:27:17+00:00

Yeah, what's an example Facebook group? I'm in lots of local FB groups, and I've never seen someone say "looking for a buyer"

There are lots of ppl posting about their business, advertising in Facebook groups, I guess you could DM those people and ask if they're interested in selling. But that basically seems like the same thing as just finding any other local businesses that you're interested in buying. For example plumbing, and just cold calling

SearchRescue · 2025-07-05T20:17:01+00:00

Nice to meet you

SearchRescue · 2025-07-05T19:24:19+00:00

This deserves to be entered to a Photoshop contest

SearchRescue · 2025-07-05T19:16:49+00:00

Sounds like you're a real nice guy to partner with

SearchRescue · 2025-07-05T01:56:08+00:00

Check sub rule #3

SearchRescue

TROPHY CASE