When Your Buyer Is Risking Their House with Joe Soelberg
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
About this Episode
Most business owners assume their buyer will be a private equity group or a strategic acquirer.
But if you run a smaller business in a niche category, the person most likely to buy you is an individual — someone who likes what you’ve built, can see a path to improve it, and is willing to put their own name on the line to finance the deal.
This week on Built to Sell Radio, Joe Soelberg joins the Inside the Mind of an Acquirer series to pull back the curtain on what that kind of buyer actually looks like — and what it means for you as a seller.
Listen and you discover how to:
Spot the tells of a real buyer versus “capital partners” theater.
Pressure-test proof of funds without turning it adversarial.
Use a seller note as a credibility filter, not just a concession.
Understand why individual buyers consistently misread the cash down, seller note, bank structure and how to use that to your advantage.
Ask questions that surface risk early, before lawyers get involved.
About Our Guest
Joe Soelberg
Joe Soelberg is a business buyer and operator focused on acquiring and growing service-based companies.
After leaving a corporate career to pursue entrepreneurship through acquisition, Joe completed his first acquisition — a 3D design firm — which generated approximately $400K in SDE and eventually became a semi-passive investment under professional management.
Building on that experience, he acquired Plan B Communications, a branding agency generating over $9M in revenue and approximately $1M in SDE, where he now focuses on strategy and growth initiatives rather than day-to-day operations.
Definitions
Due-Diligence: This is a comprehensive appraisal of a business or investment undertaken before a merger, acquisition, or investment. It seeks to validate the information provided and uncover any potential risks or liabilities.
Earn-out: This is a financing arrangement for the purchase of a business, where the seller must meet certain performance goals before receiving the full purchase price. It reduces the buyer’s risk and aligns the interests of both parties post-acquisition.
Roll Over Investor: A rollover investor, in the context of selling a business, refers to an individual or entity that rolls some of their proceeds from the sale with the buyer. This strategy allows the seller to defer capital gains taxes and potentially leverage their expertise or resources in a new venture.
The Transfer of your Business may be the Biggest Financial Transaction of your Life!
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