Reviving the American Dream on Main Street
America
Joined March 2023
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American Operator retweeted
We're hiring for a VP of Operator Selection.
North star is to build most elite talent pipeline of future smb owners in the U.S.
Inspired by organizations like Chick-fil-a, Delta Force, top universities.
If you know a killer in the talent world, send them my way!!
American Operator retweeted
Great time making the case for optimism and the American Dream 🇺🇸
Thanks for having me, @dagenmcdowell and @BrianBrenberg!
American Operator retweeted
This week on American Radio Journal: @BuySellSMB of @OperateUSA explains the small business succession crisis as baby boomers retire with no one to take over. Twenty years ago, 30% of owners passed businesses to their children. Today that number is 3%.
@ScottTParkinson of @club4growth covers primary results from Wisconsin and South Carolina.
@EricBoehm87 and @JoeRLancaster of @reason examine how government meddling helped kill Spirit Airlines.
@TaxEconomist of @ALEC_states looks at why California's proposed billionaires tax is already backfiring.
Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0EV…
American Operator retweeted
Had an interesting discussion with @OperateUSA CEO, Will Fry (@BuySellSMB) about how his company helps to modernize small businesses on @FAAjimmy
American Operator retweeted
American Operator (@OperateUSA) Founder/CEO Will Fry (@BuySellSMB ) on the myth that drives people to business ownership:
“I meet a lot of people who say: ’I want to leave corporate America and do business ownership because I’ll have freedom and autonomy.’”
“It’s the least free thing you could ever do.”
“You’re a slave to yourself.”
The American Dream isn't dead.
Had a great time chatting small business, AI and the case for small business ownership with @JTLonsdale.
There's a lot to be optimistic about on Main Street 🇺🇸🇺🇸
American Operator retweeted
"Most of the folks that we partner with are putting next to nothing into the deal."
Will Fry (@BuySellSMB), founder/CEO of American Operator (@OperateUSA), on the operate-to-own model: 10% at close, earning into 70% over a decade, on a $120–200K base.
Our CEO @buysellsmb chats with board member and investor @JTLonsdale on the @AmOptimistShow for one of his first full sit-down interviews to discuss their optimism for Main Street.
America is at an inflection point. Small businesses are the lifeblood of communities and the backbone of everything this country was built on. But every year, more owners are retiring than there are young people stepping into ownership, and many are getting bought out by coastal private equity firms.
Will shares why it's important to have a country of owners, and how AI may be the best thing to ever happen to small businesses.
The vision is not just to "create more millionaires on Main Street", but to make sure these local businesses stay in the hands of their communities.
Full episode below.
teapaw.org/AmOptimistShow/status/…
American Operator retweeted
Could small business ownership be a key tool for combating America's growing crisis of meaning?
@BuySellSMB thinks so.
American Operator retweeted
Why does it matter if small businesses are struggling?
Won't big businesses or private equity or UBI simply replace them without consequence?
@BuySellSMB argues, "You NEED a society of owners!"
American Operator retweeted
"Our mission statement is to 'Revive the American Dream,'" says @BuySellSMB.
Will explains what @OperateUSA does and why it's so important to the prosperity of America's next generation.
American Operator retweeted
Spent an hour with Nick on why local ownership matters.
The case isn't just economic. It's societal.
Small businesses are the #1 trusted institution. Their owners serve as leaders in their communities. Their profits bolster towns through donations and volunteer work.
There is no better way to achieve the American Dream than through owning a small business. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
America is sitting on a time bomb. Over half of our nation’s small business owners are approaching retirement, and most of them don’t have a plan other than selling out to private equity.
Wherever America’s small businesses go, the state of the country is sure to follow.
@BuySellSMB and @OperateUSA have a totally novel solution to solve this succession crisis. The entrepreneur may be endangered, but he’s not an extinct species yet, and Will and his team are ready to make a big bet in order to preserve our heritage of capitalistic freedom for another generation.
I really enjoyed this episode and I highly recommend it to you.
(02:21) What Is American Operator
(06:32) Refusing the McKinsey Path
(09:21) How the American Operator Model Works
(14:28) What Happens to Main Street if Nobody Solves This Problem
(17:42) Civic Renewal
(19:59) Is Private Equity Evil?
(24:26) How the SBA Seven A Loan Program Works
(29:45) The Deez Nuts Grill Brush and American Manufacturing
(31:22) What Makes the Best Operator
(35:46) Hiring Philosophy and Interviewing
(38:27) How American Moment and American Operator Find Talent
(48:51) The SBA Loan Cap Needs to Rise With Inflation
(50:41) Fixing the Purgatory Between Seven A and SBIC
(53:28) Rural America Is Where This Matters Most
(55:24) Defining the Win — 10,000 Businesses and a Main Street ETF
American Operator retweeted
America is sitting on a time bomb. Over half of our nation’s small business owners are approaching retirement, and most of them don’t have a plan other than selling out to private equity.
Wherever America’s small businesses go, the state of the country is sure to follow.
@BuySellSMB and @OperateUSA have a totally novel solution to solve this succession crisis. The entrepreneur may be endangered, but he’s not an extinct species yet, and Will and his team are ready to make a big bet in order to preserve our heritage of capitalistic freedom for another generation.
I really enjoyed this episode and I highly recommend it to you.
(02:21) What Is American Operator
(06:32) Refusing the McKinsey Path
(09:21) How the American Operator Model Works
(14:28) What Happens to Main Street if Nobody Solves This Problem
(17:42) Civic Renewal
(19:59) Is Private Equity Evil?
(24:26) How the SBA Seven A Loan Program Works
(29:45) The Deez Nuts Grill Brush and American Manufacturing
(31:22) What Makes the Best Operator
(35:46) Hiring Philosophy and Interviewing
(38:27) How American Moment and American Operator Find Talent
(48:51) The SBA Loan Cap Needs to Rise With Inflation
(50:41) Fixing the Purgatory Between Seven A and SBIC
(53:28) Rural America Is Where This Matters Most
(55:24) Defining the Win — 10,000 Businesses and a Main Street ETF
American Operator retweeted
We’ve worked with tens of thousands of buyers and are processing nearly 100 offers every week
Speaking from experience, AO’s process and docs are world class.
But not only do they have great docs/process, they also have a team that genuinely respects entrepreneurs and goes in trying to build a relationship with the exiting owner. Highly recommend 🔥
American Operator retweeted
We had a fun event at HQ yesterday.
@SBA_Kelly joined us to chat about Main Street and the work her team is doing to support local SMBs.
In honor of the fight she’s leading for American owners, I presented her with her own “Not for Baseball” bat.
I assume it can get a lot of use in Washington 😂😂
Thanks to all the owners who joined us!
American Operator retweeted
The POM Industries American Operator baseball bat.
If you’re like me you’re probably familiar with POM for their great pepper spray, but these are cool.
Also great conversation starters and that’s how I got to meet Will and learn more about American Operator.
American Operator retweeted
"A lot of people think of AI, and they think of cost cutting.... That's not the right lens to look at small businesses."
@JTLonsdale and @BuySellSMB discuss new opportunities for small businesses in the age of AI.
Joe Lonsdale: How is AI impacting small business?
Will Fry: These service businesses are the last businesses to be impacted.
Joe: Someone's going to come and fix your toilet. Anthropic might not fix that.
Will: Not yet. Optimus Prime is not running around inside your home fixing your toilet just yet. And so we're at a very interesting time where these businesses will only go up in value.
Joe: So on one hand, these things are kind of hedged from a lot of the current AI disruption. On the other hand, isn't it easier to run a business with AI?
Will: 100%... A lot of people think of AI and they think of cost cutting. And they're like, oh, we can really optimize our P&L. We can use AI, automate all these jobs, cut costs. That's not the right lens to look at small businesses.
And it's not right for really one reason, which is that most of the folks in the back office of the small business are wearing multiple hats. If Susie does payroll, route planning, HR, and you automate one of those jobs, you're not coming to Susie and saying, 'Congrats, you just got a 33% discount on your payroll.' She's going to walk out of the door and tell you you're crazy.
So what really it is... is revenue growth. What you have to do is work with your employees in small businesses, figure out, hey, how can we leverage AI to reduce the amount of monotonous work that you're doing and then help you identify, okay, what's the best way for you to take that time and reallocate it to something that generates revenue?
EPISODE 149: The Small Business Succession Crisis & New Possibilities in the AI Age
@JTLonsdale sits down with @BuySellSMB, Founder & CEO @OperateUSA.
(00:00) Episode intro
(01:25) Will’s entrepreneurial journey
(04:15) The small business succession crisis
(06:40) American Operator’s approach vs. private equity
(08:35) "We're creating millionaires on Main Street"
(11:55) Does AI mean boom or bust for small business
(15:55) Forget law school? Buy a small business instead?
(21:20) AI use cases for small business
(23:00) Why many SMBs shut down instead of sell
(26:00) How the operate-to-own model works
(33:50) Optimism for Main Street America