Search Fund (ETA) | Search to CEO Coaching

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) offers a compelling path to business ownership, but successfully navigating the process requires more than finding an attractive company. From defining your investment thesis to negotiating a transaction and assuming the CEO seat, each stage presents distinct strategic, financial, and operational challenges. As an HBS graduate, former McKinsey consultant, and current CEO, I bring a combination of strategic and hands-on operating experience. My approach is structured, direct, and grounded in the realities of running a business—not just acquiring one. I'll work with you to develop a personalized ETA strategy, evaluate opportunities, navigate the acquisition process, and prepare for the transition from investor to operator. Coaching will focus on: ETA strategy: Assess your goals, strengths, risk tolerance, and readiness for business ownership. Search model selection: Evaluate traditional, self-funded, and incubated search models to determine the right approach for your objectives. Investment thesis: Develop clear acquisition criteria, identify attractive industries, and establish a differentiated investment strategy. Capital raising: Refine your investor narrative, develop fundraising materials, and prepare for investor conversations. Deal sourcing: Build a repeatable sourcing process across direct outreach, brokers, intermediaries, and proprietary opportunities. Target evaluation: Develop structured screening criteria to assess financial performance, business quality, growth potential, and operational complexity. Deal structuring & negotiation: Evaluate transaction structures, develop offers, and navigate seller conversations. Due diligence: Apply a disciplined framework to identify financial, commercial, operational, and organizational risks before closing. CEO transition: Develop a practical first-100-days plan focused on leadership, organizational assessment, operational priorities, and stakeholder alignment. Value creation: Establish a long-term operating strategy focused on profitable growth, organizational performance, and execution. How we'll work together: Strategy & kickoff: Assess your background, define your acquisition objectives, and establish a personalized ETA roadmap. Search foundation: Develop your investment thesis, acquisition criteria, sourcing strategy, and evaluation framework. Deal evaluation: Pressure-test potential acquisitions, identify key risks, and evaluate transaction economics and strategic fit. Transaction support: Work through diligence priorities, negotiation strategy, financing considerations, and closing preparation. CEO transition: Build a first-100-days plan, establish operating priorities, and prepare for the transition into business leadership. Ongoing advisory: Address emerging challenges, refine your strategy, and work through real-world decisions as opportunities develop. Coaching is tailored to your current stage, whether you're exploring ETA, actively searching, evaluating a specific transaction, or preparing to take over an acquired business. The objective is straightforward: develop the judgment, tools, and operating mindset required to acquire the right business, avoid costly mistakes, and successfully transition into the CEO seat.