Schedule a call with a Leland team member who can help you explore your options.
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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.
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
Coaching delivered via live sessions and .
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
Schedule a call with a Leland team member who can help you explore your options.
Schedule a call
Build a compelling roadmap that attracts investors and guides your search
$1,420.255h of coaching
Equip yourself with the tools to raise capital effectively
$1,420.255h of coaching
Create a repeatable sourcing system that delivers qualified leads
$1,420.255h of coaching
Get help with Deal Sourcing and Due Diligence.

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.
30h of coaching