Buyers and Builders

PrivateEquityGuy
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The Buyers and Builders podcast with PrivateEquityGuy is a place where you can find meaningful conversations about holding companies, buying and building businesses, entrepreneurship, investing, and more. Be sure to follow the podcast, so you never miss an episode!

  1. The Story of Bowles, Hollowell, Conner & Co

    3D AGO

    The Story of Bowles, Hollowell, Conner & Co

    The lower middle market runs on trust and relationship building. In this episode, we explore Bowles Hollowell Conner & Co., the quiet Charlotte-based advisory firm that shaped how lower middle market M&A gets done. Before private equity was institutionalized asset class, BHC figured out how to turn founder-led businesses into transactions lenders could underwrite and capital could trust. This is a story about credibility over capital, why bad packaging can kill deals, and how preparation - not promotion - closes deals in the lower middle market. Timestamps: 0:00 Why great investing ecosystems can be traced back to a few hidden origins 1:10 How a small Charlotte firm became a training ground for middle-market M&A 3:27 What Erskine Bowles saw at Morgan Stanley in the 1960s 6:35 How BHC turned founder chaos into lender confidence 10:12 Why BHC became the default choice for family-owned businesses 14:22 The true job of a great lower-middle-market advisor 15:21 Cash flow as downside protection 19:17 How BHC helped fuel middle-market efficiency 21:08 Where BHC alumni show up today 22:07 Attention to detail, low ego, and a partnership mindset Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire Follow Mike/PrivateEquityGuy on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    25 min
  2. 30 Add-Ons in 48 Months | Luis Reyes of IBV

    JAN 29

    30 Add-Ons in 48 Months | Luis Reyes of IBV

    Mike Markus ( ⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy ) talks to Luis Reyes of Iberian Ventures ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/luiz/ ) about how he has completed over 30 acquisitions in 4 years and is building a fire safety rollup in Europe. Snow notes: 0:00 From rural Mexico to more than 30 acquisitions 4:00 Buy-and-build thesis 6:45 Funding the first deals 11:55 The 100-day integration playbook 19:00 Using AI to scale operations and service quality 32:05 Deal sourcing at scale without spam 37:05 Managing risk, customer concentration, and diligence 44:35 Takeaways for other buyers 53:00 Hold vs sell and capital discipline Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    57 min
  3. Search Fund Success Story: From $15M to $200M Through 7 Acquisitions

    JAN 23

    Search Fund Success Story: From $15M to $200M Through 7 Acquisitions

    Mike Markus ( ⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy ) talks to Christa Glassburn about how she joined a search fund, acquired seven companies and scaled revenue from $15 million to $200 million. Snow notes: 0:00 Christa’s $15M to $200M scaling story 2:30 FBI operator lessons 3:37 Jump to a search fund and move to rural Virginia 11:51 First acquisition and integration learning curve 17:28 Culture reset and global expansion via acquisitions 20:05 Post acquisition playbook 23:08 7 total acquisitions and off market sourcing 30:25 Transition to launching Harbor Capital 39:36 How to find invisible small town deals Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    57 min
  4. A $25 million LOI with a Ferrari 488

    JAN 19

    A $25 million LOI with a Ferrari 488

    This episode breaks down how Jeremy Giffon ( https://x.com/jeremygiffon ) thinks about special situations, forced sellers, and overlooked businesses, showing why the best investments come from understanding incentives, human behavior, and coordination problems rather than complex models or market timing. Show notes: 0:00 Special situations in the lower middle market 6:18 The perfect business is getting paid for your words and gaining access 9:44 Coordination problems and forced sellers create the best deals 11:44 Ghost ship companies and orphaned assets that VCs misunderstand 15:28 Patience and selectivity outperform constant deal activity 18:42 Negotiation and the 25 million LOI with a Ferrari 488 21:19 Six unconventional truths about making better business decisions Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire Follow Mikk/PrivateEquityGuy on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    26 min
  5. The Real Playbook Behind an Operator-Led Roll-Up (10 Acquisitions in 18 Months)

    JAN 13

    The Real Playbook Behind an Operator-Led Roll-Up (10 Acquisitions in 18 Months)

    Mike Markus ( ⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy ) talks to Jeremy Yamaguchi ( https://x.com/jeremyyamaguchi ) about how he acquired 10 companies in 18 months. Show notes: 0:00 How Jeremy built and exited 3 home services businesses 5:48 Why “boring” home services were a massive tech opportunity 8:11 Why he chose venture for Lawn Love + the YC story 12:41 Why home services are still wildly fragmented and why most founders misunderstand the space 13:59 Sponsor: CapitalPad (backing searchers + proprietary deal access) 17:36 Game selection 27:23 Cabana thesis: national pool brand via M&A + ops + vertical software 28:45 Sponsor: SpaceBar Studios (35,000 newsletter subs in 90 days guarantee) 34:48 10 deals in 18 months, 4x YoY growth 59:45 Only buy from good-faith sellers Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    1h 2m
  6. Why aren’t more $2-10M EBITDA companies hiring a CIO?

    JAN 10

    Why aren’t more $2-10M EBITDA companies hiring a CIO?

    This one hire is something all profitable, cash-flowing traditional businesses can do. Yes, it can be a significant investment -- great specialists aren’t cheap -- but in the right setup, it can completely change the trajectory of a company. I share two real-world examples of owner-operated, non-glamorous businesses that hired a Chief Investment Officer to professionally manage excess cash. In both cases, capital allocation quietly became the dominant profit engine, generating the majority of group earnings while the core operations remained stable and conservative. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 The hidden problem of excess cash in profitable businesses 1:55 When reinvestment, M&A, and dividends all stop making sense 2:00 Hiring a Chief Investment Officer 3:10 Case study: a fruit importer that turned cash into its main profit engine 4:40 Case study: a family manufacturer where capital allocation drove 80% of profits 6:45 Why capital allocation becomes the real growth engine over time Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire Follow Mikk/PrivateEquityGuy on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    10 min
  7. From Near Collapse to $100M+ Exit: A Story of 8 Smart Acquisitions

    JAN 6

    From Near Collapse to $100M+ Exit: A Story of 8 Smart Acquisitions

    In this episode, Todd Saunders shares how one small group of customers with much better retention changed the direction of his entire business. Instead of chasing trends or going broader, he went deep into a simple, overlooked niche -- independent flooring retailers -- and ended up building the core software used across the industry. Todd explains why brand and community mattered more than features, how Facebook groups and events became his main growth drivers, and how that approach helped him roll up 8 niche software companies, grow past $30M in revenue, and exit for $100M+. Show notes: 0:00 From Google to flooring software 5:19 The retention data that changed everything 7:44 The bold pivot (and why revenue collapsed first) 8:37 8 acquisitions lead to a platform build 13:35 Sponsor: CapitalPad 15:40 51% brand, 49% product (the real moat) 18:58 The Facebook group engine 25:05 FloorCon: turning community into a movement 28:12 Sponsor: Spacebar Studios 31:09 The “great idea” that nearly blew up the business 40:07 Buying niche software: relationships vs outreach 44:03 Integration: the stuff nobody tells you 57:47 His founder filter: “I know in 5 minutes” 59:22 Hospitality vs service (the lesson that explains everything) Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire Follow Mikk/PrivateEquityGuy on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    1h 1m
  8. The Playbook Behind 605+ Acquisitions | Justin Ishbia research

    JAN 1

    The Playbook Behind 605+ Acquisitions | Justin Ishbia research

    We go deep on Justin Ishbia, co-founder and Managing Partner of Shore Capital Partners - one of the most successful lower-middle-market private equity firms in the U.S. After inviting Justin on the podcast and being asked to reconnect in early 2026, I used the time to study Shore’s work more closely. This episode is the result: a synthesis of Justin’s long-form interviews, public commentary, and Shore’s operating history, focused on the systems behind their results. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Why to study Justin Ishbia 1:30 Buy small, professionalize, roll up, sell the platform 2:20 The numbers: Shore’s reported track record (platforms, exits, and why the median matters) 3:15 “I’m not smart, I just know who to copy” 4:30 How “luck” is earned through repetition 6:55 Reserving most capital for add-ons to create multiple paths to 3x - 8x outcomes 8:43 Sponsor CapitalPad: backing acquisition entrepreneurs buying real, unsexy businesses 9:47 Why “the system is the star” Sponsors: https://capitalpad.com/ https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquire Follow Mikk/PrivateEquityGuy on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuy This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

    13 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

The Buyers and Builders podcast with PrivateEquityGuy is a place where you can find meaningful conversations about holding companies, buying and building businesses, entrepreneurship, investing, and more. Be sure to follow the podcast, so you never miss an episode!

Information

  • Creator
    PrivateEquityGuy
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    225
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Buyers and Builders
  • Show Website
    Buyers and Builders

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