Ep. 14 - How Empire Flippers Facilitates 7-Figure Online Business Deals | Andy Allaway & Sean Smith
In this episode, Sean Smith (Managing Partner at Search Fund Ventures and Co-Founder of SMB Investor Network) sits down with **Andy Allaway**, CEO of **Empire Flippers**, a leading marketplace for buying and selling online businesses.Andy shares the origin story of Empire Flippers, how the platform evolved from flipping small content sites to facilitating multi-million dollar online business acquisitions, and what makes their buyer/seller vetting process so robust—verifying liquidity, ID, and more.Throughout the conversation, Sean and Andy discuss:- How Empire Flippers ensures trustworthy transactions through buyer verification and redacted listings.- Common deal sizes and the most active buyer profiles (from first-time operators to family offices).- Use of SBA loans and bank financing in online acquisitions.- Key risks in internet business deals—like high owner involvement, IP ownership, or lack of transition planning.- Exciting success stories (including a $5M deal with a $78K YouTube referral payout!)- War stories from deals gone sideways and the importance of transparency in due diligence.- What traditional brick-and-mortar investors can learn from digital-first acquisitions.Whether you're an SMB investor, aspiring buyer, or just exploring the online M&A space, this interview offers deep insight into how digital deals are done—and how to avoid common pitfalls.🔔 Subscribe for more interviews like this and leave a comment if you’ve considered buying or selling an online business.🔗 Andy Allaway on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyallaway/🔗 Empire Flippers Website: https://www.empireflippers.com🔗 SMB Investor Network: https://www.smbinvestornetwork.com/
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Ep-13 How to Finance SMB Acquisitions with SBA Loans
In this episode, Sean Smith (CEO of SMB Investor Network) interviews Mathias Smith, CEO and Founder of Pioneer Capital Advisory. Mathias shares a comprehensive breakdown of the SBA lending process for small business acquisitions, offering valuable insights for first-time buyers, experienced investors, and equity sponsors alike.They cover:The end-to-end SBA loan processKey components of a winning business planWhat lenders look for (and what they don’t)How recent SOP changes from the SBA will affect buyers and syndicatesThe impact of foreign ownership restrictionsWhat’s changing with down payments, seller notes, and licensing requirementsThis conversation is a must-watch for anyone looking to close SMB deals with SBA financing.🔔 Subscribe for more investor insights and founder interviews.💬 Drop your questions or feedback in the comments.#SBAloans #SmallBusinessAcquisition #SearchFunds #PrivateEquity #SMBinvesting #SBAfinancing #MathiasSmith #SeanSmith #InvestorEducation #CapitalAdvisory
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Ep 12. How to Make 7 Micro-Acquisitions by Age 23 | Dev Shah
Sean Smith, Managing Partner of Search Fund Ventures and Co-Founder of the SMB Investor Network, sits down with Dev Shah, a rising micro-acquisition entrepreneur and founder of Pocket Fund. At just 23 years old, Dev has already completed seven digital business acquisitions — starting with a $4,000 SaaS deal that delivered a 40x return.Together, they unpack:Dev’s first acquisition and early playbookHow Pocket Fund sources undervalued digital businessesValue creation via social media, AI, and team arbitrageUnique deal structures and investor collaborationThe rise of “zombie VC startups” and hidden gems in the downturnHow AI tools are transforming deal diligence and operations📌 Key Insight: Dev’s approach isn’t about finding perfect businesses — it’s about spotting broken-but-profitable digital assets, fixing them fast, and flipping or operating them for strong returns.This is a masterclass in practical SMB investing, especially for those interested in:Micro-SaaS acquisitionsAI-enabled operational improvementsCreative capital structures without heavy debt🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on small business investing, micro-acquisitions, and operator-led deals.
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Ep. 11 - Disciplined Investing and Sponsor-Led Growth with Ian Reynolds
In this episode, Ian Reynolds, Managing Partner at Thesis Capital, joins Sean Smith to explore what makes an SMB acquisition truly sustainable. Ian shares how his firm evolved from a traditional search model into an operator-led sponsor platform, why capital structure can make or break a deal, and how to evaluate leadership teams for long-term success. They also dig into real lessons from past transactions — the good, the bad, and the recoverable — and highlight how to avoid the most common pitfalls in lower middle market investing. A must-listen for investors, searchers, and anyone thinking about buying a business.
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Ep.10 - Top Leadership Traits for Small Business CEOs
Discover the top leadership traits every small business CEO needs to succeed! In this episode of SMB Investor, Sean Smith from Search Fund Ventures and Burton Francis of ECA Partners explore the essential qualities like scrappiness, coachability, and adaptability that drive success in small businesses. Learn how investors and entrepreneurs can identify and develop the right leadership talent, build strong teams, and create strategies to thrive in the unique ETA and independent sponsor ecosystems. Whether you're a small business owner, investor, or aspiring leader, this discussion is packed with actionable insights to help you navigate leadership challenges and achieve your goals. Don't miss out! Watch now to unlock the secrets of effective leadership in small businesses.
Forget startups. Forget climbing the corporate ladder.
The real path to wealth? Owning profitable small businesses.
Hosted by Sean Smith and Nick Bryant, The SMB Investor dives into how investors, operators, and dealmakers are building wealth through small business acquisitions, syndicates, and holding companies.
We talk to the pros—fund managers, investors, searchers, and service providers—who are making SMB investing the next big asset class.
Whether you want to invest, operate, or build your own holding company, this podcast is your playbook.
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