Allow me to reintroduce myself.... my name is... B to R to the... well, you can read the rest. Lots of new people following, plus I haven't posted in months. Here is a refresher: -3x Founder -1 Successfulish exit -Lots of failures -Acquired my next adventure in 24' -Love ETA and sharing my journey -I live it while others write about it -Keynote Speaker -Father of 4 -Sports and Cars I enjoy -Sober 3 years and counting -Recent FL transplant from the DMV -I'm a part of the best generation - Millennials -Now I chart my journey in the hopes of helping others What to expect: ETA, SMB, Leadership, SBA, X Growth, everyday life as a business owner, father, and husband. DMs are always open, if I can help, I am all ears. To those who are still tuned in, thank you! Drop me a line and say hello. If you are new, introduce yourself. Love to learn more about you.

Line at our local @fivebelow for the Squishy Dumplings release. Insane, but what a great business strategy. This is a win for five below. If you have kids under 10 you know what this is about.

An MBA grad who just bought a plumbing company thought this lambo came with the deal. Not today Junior.

FITFO Do you know what this means? If you are a business owner, you should. - Customers paying late, bank doesn't care - FITFO - Techs out sick, customers don't care - FITFO - Lack of work, techs don't care - FITFO There isn't anyone coming to save you, so FITFO. Get it?

Personal Email has no place inside a business. After acquiring PGM, one of the things I sought to change was email. And not for vanity but for the control and security of information. The seller used a personal email account (Gmail, Yahoo, AOL) And I knew it was going to be a mess to clean up. Post-closing, I found that everyone used a personal email account. Everyone in the back office! AP emails, AR emails, Vendor emails, Apple IDs, and customer emails. All going to different email addresses that were personal accounts. Ten months in, we are finally at a point where emails flow into our domain rather than a personal account. The time it took to correct this was massive. More than I accounted for. This is not thought about when acquiring a small business and is often overlooked. If you are buying, ask about emails. Sellers, do yourself a favor and get a business email domain separate from your personal accounts.

When you buy a business, get ready to have your credit run over and over again. Suppliers, Vehicles Leases, Working capital, Vendor Terms, Credit card processing, Insurance companies, and more. When acquiring a company via an Asset Purchase, remember you are transferring the seller's assets to your "New" company. Meaning a new LLC. You don't get to keep the seller's LLC with all the credit history. I say new because, in the eyes of the creditors, it is. Your new company has no credit. Be prepared to have your personal credit run and even personally guarantee any new loans (Auto). But hey, what's a new auto loan when you've got a PG in the millions for the SBA loan?

We average 420 service calls a month. With an average ticket price of $576.36. These were the numbers at acquisition. It's not a home service, as I didn't want to compete in that space. What could this company be? It's an essential business for commercial customers. How about a commercial food service equipment repair and maintenance company? (not cleaning Nik) Yes, that is a mouthful. But at its core, we service commercial kitchens. Some of our customers are restaurants, QSRs, hotels, resorts, schools, hospitals, and anything with a commercial kitchen. It's simple and direct. Equipment breaks, we fix. Since its beginning, it's been a "hot side" service company only, meaning no refrigeration. But, I look to change that. Reasons why this company appealed to me: 1) Established brand in its service area (15+ years) 2) Scalability 3) Tenured employees 4) Poised for the next level of growth 5) In a market that thrives on tourists and dining out No, it's not perfect, and neither was the acquisition. But we got the deal done and are close to the one-year mark. Over the next few months, I'll share my journey's ups and downs. While maintaining some confidentiality. I hope this will help others on their #ETA #SMB journey. Lots to discuss, and I hope you find it valuable. Please give me a following, and turn on those alerts. 🚨

MAC or PC? I've used both; they have their pros and cons. MACs are powerhouses for computing power. They are well made and last longer. PCs integrate with Office 365 seamlessly. What should I choose next? Which is your preference? Why?

Just to confirm, the blue check has returned. All is right in the world.

Competition for Bobs Discount Plumbing is about to get fierce.