From Search to CEO: Mastering the ETA Journey

From Search to CEO: Mastering the ETA Journey

Offered by Jim T.

5.0

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Successful Search Fund/ETA Operator with full search cycle expertise

Stanford Graduate School of Business Logo

Studied at Stanford Graduate School of Business

Sentry Road Logo

Works at Sentry Road

Package Description:

The Search Fund Coaching package is designed for entrepreneurs who are ready to pursue the ETA path and take ownership of a business. This package offers comprehensive guidance to help you confidently move through every stage of the journey, from shaping your strategy to stepping into the CEO role post-acquisition. Key components of this package can include, but aren't limited to: • Clarify your goals, strengths, and areas for development to ensure you’re prepared for the ETA process. • Compare self-funded, traditional, and incubated approaches to determine the structure that best fits your vision. • Build a differentiated investment thesis and map industries that align with your skills and investor appetite. • Develop polished materials, refine your narrative, and learn effective tactics for securing investor commitments. • Establish a repeatable sourcing engine, including outreach strategies, broker relationships, and deal tracking systems. • Use structured criteria to screen targets quickly and dig deeper into the most promising opportunities. • Learn strategies for structuring offers and managing seller dynamics to reach favorable terms. • Apply a disciplined process to uncover risks across financial, legal, and operational dimensions. • Prepare for the first 100 days post-close, focusing on culture-building, strategy execution, and team management. • Access ongoing mentorship to adjust your strategy, solve challenges, and maximize value creation as an operator. By the end of this package, you’ll walk away with a comprehensive ETA playbook, a refined strategy tailored to your profile, and the confidence to lead a successful acquisition and transition into the CEO seat.


What you'll get from this package

Customized ETA Roadmap – Tailored plan based on your goals, readiness, and fit across ETA models

Investor & Fundraising Playbook – Guidance on crafting your pitch, building relationships, and raising capital

Evaluation & Diligence Frameworks – Tools to analyze targets, run valuations, and conduct disciplined due diligence

Acquisition & Negotiation Support – Strategies for structuring offers, managing terms, and closing deals

CEO Transition Plan – Practical guidance for stepping into leadership and creating value post-close


Additional details

Coaching delivered via live sessions and .

Refund Policy

Services included:

Deal Sourcing

Due Diligence

Investment Analysis

Industry & Company Targeting

Thesis Development

Process Roadmap

Operational Strategy & Support

Board & Investor Management

Funding Strategy

Investor Selection


Jim T.

Offered by Jim T.

Joined September 2025

5.0

Successful Search Fund/ETA Operator with full search cycle expertise

TLDR: Started self-funded search fund in 2023, acquired business 8 months later, have been successfully scaling it ever since. After being the CEO for two private equity backed companies, I wanted to branch out on my own and control more of the pie. I found that constraints from the PE model sometimes negatively influenced business decisions and I wanted to have more control over how to improve and scale a business (not to mention the capital structure). Six months after beginning my search, I submitted the LOI for the business I ultimately closed on two months later. I've been running that business since June of 2024 and we've been growing it nicely while paying down debt. I explored both traditional and self-funded search and completed diligence across a wide range of industries. I've looked at proprietary and brokered deals, received compelling financing terms from lenders and equity investors alike, and have gone through the full ETA cycle. I'm a regular speaker at SMBootCamp and have robust experience with M&A from my previous investment banking and private equity experience. I feel lucky to be doing what I'm doing right now and would love to help others achieve their goals within the Search Fund/ETA space.

Experience level: Executive

$7,624.50

30h of coaching

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