Happy Friday!
On Monday, I told you about Cody, who spent six months searching, beat 17 other offers on a 20-year-old excavation company, relocated with his wife to run it…
And is now projecting $400K in cash flow after debt service in year one.
Today, you’ll hear how he did it, and what his biggest lessons are for others looking to acquire their first business. 👇
Before revealing Cody’s top 3 takeaways, here’s a great Acquisition Ace community success spotlight story.
Lindsay closed on a $999k carpet cleaning business in just 6 months and 15 days after joining Acquisition Ace, and said:
“I absolutely could not have done it without this community and the many people that I’ve met through it and continue to connect with.”
She’s still connecting with new members and getting value every single day, and that’s what sets our community apart.
👉 Want to join a community that supports you from day one through closing and beyond? Book a call with our team here.
“Don’t feel pressured into something. Wait for the right one. Just because you missed one deal doesn’t mean another good one won’t come up — stuff can move fast when it’s the right fit.”
That’s what Cody told me after spending six months walking away from deals that were close but didn’t feel right…
Then moving from offer to contract in under a month when the right one finally appeared.
3 key takeaways from our conversation
1. Get in front of the seller before you submit your offer
Cody was competing against 17 other offers - several of them higher than his.
He won because he arranged a face-to-face meeting first, connected personally with the sellers, and made clear he shared their values around the crew and the legacy they’d built.
The sellers chose him because they trusted him.
2. Going above asking can be the right move - with the right protections
Cody offered above the listed price to stand out in a competitive situation, but built in a performance clause that reduced the seller note by ~$70K if the business didn’t hit its projected growth targets.
He paid more to win the deal, and structured it so the seller’s optimistic numbers carried real accountability.
(Cody’s broker asked if a lawyer had written his LOI. It was built from Acquisition Ace templates. Inside Acquisition Ace, members get access to the same deal documents. If you’d like to use them too, book a call with our team here and see if Acquisition Ace is a good fit.)
3. Patience and decisiveness aren’t opposites
After six months of searching and multiple deals walked away from, Cody took just seven days from finding the listing to submitting an offer, and was under contract within a month.
Cody was patient because he had clear criteria, and decisive the moment something actually met them.
That combination separates buyers who close from buyers who don’t.
This week’s action item
Before your next offer, request a face-to-face meeting with the seller (in person if possible, video if not).
Come prepared with two or three genuine things you admire about what they’ve built, and be honest about why you want to own it.
Sellers who’ve spent decades building something aren’t just looking for the highest bid. Give them a reason to choose you!
To hear the full story of how Cody structured this deal and beat 17 other offers to close it…
Watch our full interview here.
P.S. Cody spent six months searching on his own before joining Acquisition Ace, then closed his first deal within months of joining.
The framework, the templates, and the community made all the difference.
If you want that same foundation behind your search…
👉 Book a call with our team here and let’s talk to see if Acquisition Ace is right for you.
