Financials matter. But a business can look good financially and still be fragile operationally. Before getting involved in a business, I would check these 3 areas carefully. 1. Backlog shows the future Past revenue tells you what already happened. Backlog tells you what is coming. A company can show stable historical revenue, but if the current backlog is much lower than last year, the decline may not have hit the financial statements yet. This is especially important in construction, industrial services, and B2B companies. What to ask for: Current backlog, backlog from the same date in prior years, active bids, and bid-to-contract conversion rate. What to watch: If the current backlog is only 40% of what it was last year, you may be buying a future revenue problem. 2. Owner dependence can turn the acquisition into a job Ask two simple questions: Can the owner leave for 3 weeks without revenue being affected? Do the top clients have a relationship with the team, or only with the owner? If the business depends heavily on the owner, you are not buying a machine. You are buying a job with extra risk. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad deal. But the price, structure, and transition terms need to reflect it. What to ask for: Org chart, roles, key employee list, customer relationship map, and seller transition plan. What to watch: If the seller refuses to let you speak with key employees before closing, ask why. 3. The commercial lease can make or break the business For location-dependent businesses, the lease is not a detail. It is part of the foundation. Restaurants, retail shops, garages, clinics, workshops, and local service businesses can be heavily exposed to lease risk. What to ask for: The full lease agreement and all amendments. What to watch: How much time is left on the lease? Are there renewal options? Can the lease be transferred? Are there rent increases coming? Are there demolition or repossession clauses? Have a commercial real estate lawyer review the lease before signing the LOI.

A business can show great profit on paper and still be a bad acquisition. The danger is not always in the revenue. Sometimes it’s hidden in the way the profit is presented. Here are 3 areas I would watch closely : 1. EBITDA adjustments can become creative Normalized EBITDA is useful. It removes unusual expenses or owner-specific costs to show the real earning power of the business. But sometimes sellers get very creative. Example: Accounting EBITDA: $90K Seller-adjusted EBITDA: $400K That gap needs to be reviewed line by line. What to ask for: A detailed list of every EBITDA adjustment. What to watch: Ask this question for every adjustment: “Will this expense truly disappear after I buy the business?” If the answer is no, it should not be fully added back. 2. Deferred capex is a hidden bill Capex means capital expenditures: trucks, equipment, machinery, tools, vehicles, major replacements. A seller can delay investments for 2 or 3 years before selling. The result? The business looks more profitable than it really is. But after closing, you inherit the bill. Example: A company shows $280K in EBITDA, but the fleet needs $380K of vehicle replacements in the next 18 months. That changes the whole deal. What to ask for: A full asset list with age, condition, replacement timeline, and expected replacement cost. What to watch: Recalculate profit after subtracting the annual capex needed to keep the business operating at the same level. 3. Accounts receivable may not be worth full value Accounts receivable is money customers owe the business. But not all receivables are equal. If a customer invoice is 10 days late, that’s one thing. If it’s 120 days late, that’s different. What to ask for: The accounts receivable aging report. What to watch: If 25% of receivables are older than 90 days, that’s a problem. Receivables older than 90 days may not be worth 100 cents on the dollar. They may be worth 60 or 70 cents — sometimes less. Simple takeaway Profit is not just what the seller says it is.

Everyone loves to talk about the numbers. Revenue, profit, multiple. But the real game? It’s emotional stamina. 💡 It’s waking up after a seller ghosts you — and calling the next one anyway. 💡 It’s realizing the “perfect deal” isn’t perfect once you look under the hood. 💡 It’s pushing through rejection until one “yes” changes your life. The truth is, buying a business isn’t a financial challenge. It’s a psychological endurance test. If you’ve been through it, you know. If you’re starting — you’ll find out. So let’s help the next wave: 👉 What’s one lesson you wish someone told you before your first deal?

Every business has a website .But most websites don’t convert. Why? Because visitors:• Have small doubts• Want instant answers• Want to book an appointment now, not later• Don’t want to fill long forms And most websites still rely on manual lead capture. That’s broken. 🚀 This is where AI comes in. I’m building an AI Website Voice Assistant that:• Talks to visitors like a real human• Answers FAQs instantly• Handles customer support 24/7• Captures leads automatically• Schedules meetings & appointments for you• Never misses a visitor Think of it as a sales + support rep living inside your website. No chat bubbles. No forms. Just real conversations that convert visitors into customers. If your website gets traffic but not leads ,you don’t need more ads — you need better conversations. DM me “VOICE AI” if you want this on your website.

I’ve been off the radar for a few weeks. In a world obsessed with "daily grinds" and performative updates, silence is often mistaken for a lack of movement. For the business buyer, however, silence is often the sound of upgrading the lens. I spent the last few weeks at MegaSuccess and CES 2026. I didn’t go there to see "cool gadgets" or hear "motivational speeches." I went to sharpen my ability to see what others miss. The Reality of the "Lens" Most people look at a business for sale and see a list of problems: aging staff, outdated tech, or messy books. They see difficulties. When you upgrade your lens through high-level exposure—to the scale of thinking at MegaSuccess or the technological shifts at CES, you stop seeing "problems" and start seeing arbitrage opportunities. At CES, I didn't see toys; I saw the tools that will make a "boring" HVAC or manufacturing business 3x more efficient than its competitors. At MegaSuccess, I didn't see hype; I saw the psychological frameworks required to lead a team through an acquisition when everyone is afraid of change. The Lesson for this Community : If you are struggling to find a "good" deal right now, the problem likely isn't the market. The problem is your lens. You are looking at 2026 opportunities with a 2020 perspective. Buying a business is a game of Execution + Vision. If your vision is blurred by outdated thinking, your execution will be directed at the wrong targets. The Hard Truth Upgrading your lens is uncomfortable. It requires stepping away from the "busy work" of sending low-quality emails to actually invest in your own mental infrastructure. You cannot buy a 7-figure company with a 5-figure mindset. The Move: Weekly Audit I want you to stop looking at "deals" for one hour today and look at how you look. Post in the comments below: One "difficulty" in your current business search that you suspect might actually be an opportunity if you changed your perspective. What is one specific "input" (book, event, or mentor) you are using this month to upgrade your lens?