Personally, franchise resales aren’t my preference. I like the flexibility and upside that come with independents, even if they require a bit more or even a ton more heavy lifting upfront. There’s something about being able to make whatever changes I darn well please without corporate approval that I find hard to give up. To your questions: 1. Is it a good path?It can be for the right person — especially if you’re looking for a proven system, built-in training, and you’re okay operating within a set framework. Some folks really thrive in that model. I've seen people who've spent their lives as employees or middle managers in corporations thrive in the franchise model. That person is not me, but it opens business ownership to people comfortable with defined constraints. 2. How does it compare to buying an independent business?Independent businesses tend to come with more quirks — both good and bad. You get more control, better margins, and no franchise fees. But you also inherit whatever systems (or lack thereof) the previous owner had. With a franchise, at least you know what the playbook is — even if it comes with a few pages you’d love to tear out and burn. At the end of the day, it depends on your goals and doing some soul searching to decide what you really want and need. If you want autonomy and long-term upside, independent might be the way to go. If you want predictability and guardrails, a resale franchise might fit. Just depends if you want to test the recipes, find out what works, and then write the cookbook or just follow the recipe.

Thanks for the intro, Erik. Having built businesses from scratch, you’re already ahead of the curve — but you’re right, the acquisition process is its own kind of learning curve. You mentioned manufacturing as your ideal target — curious what your background is as it relates to that space. Have you worked in or around manufacturing before? For example, my buddy worked in HVAC for 22 years and now he's manufacturing a patented bolt on wiring control panel that makes it 10x easier (as compared to random wire nuts all over the place) to techs to observe / diagnose and repair air handler wiring faults. Understanding where your experience lines up can go a long way in shaping your buy box and spotting the right kind of opportunities.

Welcome, Muhammad. It’s a smart move to take your time learning the process before jumping in. Out of curiosity — have you started thinking about your buy box yet? Things like industry, location, deal size, or whether you want to be an operator or more hands-off? Also, are you looking at any specific financing routes — SBA, seller financing, partnerships — or still mapping out your options? Happy to compare notes as you get further into the process.

Hey Cipriano, Thanks for sharing this. That’s a hellava first acquisition — a golf course with SBA financing and a partnership structure is about as hardcore as it gets. Well done getting it across the finish line. I'm super impressed. You mentioned how fast everything moves once the LOI is submitted. That resonates. A lot of buyers underestimate the pace and the coordination required between diligence, financing, legal, and operational prep. Out of curiosity, what was the most unexpected challenge you ran into once things were underway? And now that it’s closed, how are you thinking about operations? Are you managing it directly, or do you have a team in place? Would be interested to hear what lessons you’re taking into your next deal.

Hey Lashawn, you mentioned assisted living — curious what drew you to that space in particular? Are you more interested in owning the real estate, operating the facility, or both? And are you thinking more about converting an existing property or acquiring something turnkey? Also wondering: what kind of support or connections would move the needle for you right now? Operators, brokers, capital partners, M&A deal flow? Happy to share insights or swap notes if you're game.