Think Big, Buy Small
Episodes
Season Three Questions and Answers with Rick and Royce
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hosted by producer Katie Zandbergen, Rick and Royce return for their end-of-season dive into listeners’ most pressing questions – those that many ...
Partnership, Purpose, and the ETA Path to Concierge Medicine
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Partners in search, Nick Kerr and Shaquille Walker, join Rick and Royce to share their journey from risk-averse upbringings to acquiring HealthBridge,...
Navigating Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition as a Family
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special “Friends and Family Night” episode, Rick and Royce speak with Meghan Orzetti about the experience of entrepreneurship through acqu...
Reshaping One’s Career Through Acquisition Entrepreneurship
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ike Ukawuba was a self-funded searcher whose path to entrepreneurship began far from the boardroom. Raised in a single-parent household in Chicago, he...
Pioneering Search in Frontier Markets
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rick and Royce sit down with Rob LeBlanc, Co-Founder at Ambit Partners, to explore the evolution of search fund investing beyond tra...
CEO Success in Operating Small Business Acquisitions
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Aubrey, having walked the path from searcher to successful operator and investor, draws on his wealth of experiences to offer a masterclass in...
Bonus Episode: The Art and Strategy of Negotiation, with Jim Sebenius
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, hosted by Adam Outland, we're featuring a conversation from our friends at The Action Catalyst, a top-rated leadership and en...
Climbing the Revenue Ladder: Understanding Quality in Business Acquisitions
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rick and Royce are joined by A.J. Wasserstein, Senior Lecturer at the Yale School of Management, for a deep dive into one of the most...
The Journey From Engineer, To Entrepreneur, To Exit
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rick and Royce sit down with a former student of theirs, Paige Sopcic, an engineer turned entrepreneur, to discuss her inspiring entrepreneurship thro...
An Experienced Lender’s Perspective on Acquisition Financing
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we’re joined by Bruce Marks, a veteran SBA lender with decades of experience and well over 1,000 business acquisition deals under h...
You Don't Need an MBA to Pursue ETA
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's always fascinating to hear the journey of someone who doesn't have a conventional MBA background but still finds their way to ETA, identifies hig...
A Bird’s Eye View of ETA
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Will Smith, Partner at Minds Capital, has been host of the Acquiring Minds podcast for over four years and, during that time, has had the opportuni...
The Value of Roll-Ups As Seen Through the Lens of Music Schools
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Homer is the founder of Ensemble Performing Arts, an organization that provides back-of-house support to music schools, allowing teachers to foc...
Where Are They Now? A Conversation with Nick Wheeler
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last summer when, after a self-funded search, Nick Wheeler was only a few months into his new role as President at Tra-Cal, Rick and Royce had a chanc...
Questions and Answers with Rick and Royce
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the end of each episode, Rick and Royce ask listeners to reach out with any questions they may have related to entrepreneurship through acquisition...
A Successful Model for Roll-Ups in Automotive and Beyond
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A few years ago, Logan Leslie began his search with the goal of rolling up smaller, same-industry enterprises under the umbrella of one company. Fast ...
The Journey and Impact of a Mission-Driven Searcher
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the last three years, Adriana Garcia Ceja graduated from Harvard Business School, became a mother and, after a funded search, acquired an aging lif...
Learnings From a Former Searcher, Current Investor, and Industry Wise Man
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kent Weaver was an early participant in the world of search, completing a self-funded search that led to his acquisition of a healthcare company in 20...
Acquiring Outdoor Recreation Programs as Co-CEOs and Spouses
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Connor McCarthy and Caroline Matthews are not only a married couple and new parents, but they’re also funded searchers turned co-CEOs at Canyonlands...
The Acquisition, Transition, and Operation of a Technology Solutions Company in Texas
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
William Young became CEO of Aerowave Technologies in January of 2021. While he has no regrets about his pursuit of the ETA path, his journey to the co...
Insights From a Recurring Investor in Self-Funded Searches
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sam Rosati is a former searcher turned active equity investor in self-funded searches and, given his experiences, an important focus of this conversat...
The Purchase, Carve Out, and Transformation of a Remote Software Company
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Betsy Harbison, CEO at Softrip, successfully completed a funded search in 2021. Her story, however, is rather unique in that the business she acquired...
From W-2 Job, To Startup Life, To Acquisition Entrepreneurship
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In May of 2024, after a self-funded search, Brian Seeling became CEO of PGM Service, a Florida-based company that focuses on maintenance, service, and...
Practical Takeaways From A Seasoned Lender To Smaller Firms
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Not only is Zach Duprey a highly experienced commercial lender to those seeking to acquire a small business but, in helping to create a national marke...
The Acquisition of a Remarkable Recurring Revenue Business
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a brokered search, Jenn Braus became CEO at Systems Design West, a company that provides customized ambulance billing, emergency medical service...
Finding One's Way To ETA
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In May of 2021, after a self-funded search, Nick Vandam became CEO of MCI, a telecommunications infrastructure company based in St. Paul, Minnesota. I...
Where Are They Now? A Conversation with Geoff Duckworth
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starting in early February, we’ll begin releasing new episodes of Think Big, Buy Small, season two. Rick and Royce are looking forward to sharing so...
Listeners’ Questions, Rick and Royce's Answers
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout the first season, Rick and Royce have asked listeners to reach out to them with any queries they may have related to entrepreneurship throu...
From Misfortune To Great Fortune
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Despite growing up in unstable and challenging circumstances, Jerod Pierce changed the trajectory of his life by embracing educational opportunities, ...
A Seller and Business Broker’s Perspectives
19 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In discussions of the entrepreneurship through acquisition journey, our attention is often drawn to the experiences of the searchers, those looking to...
An Acquisition Entrepreneur’s First Months As CEO
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In February of 2024, after a self-funded search, Nick Wheeler took the helm at NSCA & Tra-Cal, an enduringly profitable small business that’s been s...
Searching Where Few Have Searched Before
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After years spent studying and working in the United States, Alexander Wallace recently returned to his native New Zealand to launch a self-funded sea...
The Fantastic Economics of SBA Loans
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program offers acquisition entrepreneurs an incredible opportunity to buy a company with little equity, a...
Explaining The Success Of First-Time CEOs
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How is it that so many searchers become successful CEOs, even when many have never run a company before and may not have the relevant industry experie...
Why A Long Island Swimming Pool Company Was An Ideal Acquisition Target
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As an acquisition entrepreneur, Jackie Kopcho is now CEO of Tortorella Swimming Pools, where she leads a team that engineers, builds, and services poo...
Acquisition Versus Working For Someone Else
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ari Santos and Allan Newman, about to graduate from business school, reflect on the choice between buying their own business or working for someone el...
Acquisition Versus Startup: Weighing The Risks And Rewards
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Daniella Bertolotti and Steve Goulas discuss the more traditional startup route versus entrepreneurship through acquisition. Just wee...
The Self-Funded Journey From Searcher To Seller
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Geoff Duckworth’s story is that of a self-funded search that transformed him from being an employee at a larger firm, to CEO of an enduringly profit...
Buying A Seasonal Gift Basket Business In Canada
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ten years ago, Robin Kovitz became President & CEO of Baskits, now one of Canada’s leading gift services companies, by purchasing the company from i...
Introducing Think Big Buy Small
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own startup seem too risky? There's another compelling path open...