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How I Bought 24 Companies And Here's Everything I Learned Looking At 1000s | Xavier Helgesen Interview
Description
If you are ever considering buying or investing in a profitable small business…
Or you want to build a holding company where each company is run by a CEO...
Here's my talk with Xavier Helgesen (co-founder of Enduring Ventures), where he shares everything he knows about buying businesses after 20+ acquisitions and looking at 1000s
- Currently 17 companies in the portfolio
- Revenue $100 million+
- Spends plenty of time with family and children
"Pay for Quality of Earnings even on small deals."
"The best way to find a CEO for a business is to ask the seller who has asked about buying it in the past."
"Look for the smallest, weirdest niches. Less competition, greater margins."
We discuss:
– Everything he knows about buying businesses after 20+ acquisitions and looking at 1000s
– His MEMO to his 25-year-old self that he posted on his 45th birthday
– The biggest risks and rewards of buying small businesses
– What makes Nick Huber one of the best entrepreneurs he’s ever met
– Finding the best CEO for Portcos
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:31 - Most “bad” things that happen to you are not as important as they feel at the time
00:04:29 - Selling Apple and Nvidia in 2011 and Google in 2008. “Don’t be me.”
00:08:27 - Consistency for physical activity matters more than maximal excursion
00:13:36 - Your most important mission in your 20s is to surround yourself with the most talented people in the world in your chosen craft and learn from them
00:20:27 - Owner operated businesses are super efficient. Owner does six jobs. You will probably spend more to professionalize
00:29:40 - Look for rich owners as there are a lot of small business owners who are not that rich
00:37:34 - Make sure management only gets paid bonuses when they distribute cash flow to owners
00:41:19 - The best way to find a CEO for a business is to ask the seller who has asked about buying it in the past
00:43:35 - Most CEOs and entrepreneurs have no idea how to build an audience that they can use to raise capital or sell products and services
00:56:46 - Don’t fall too in love with the business. You’ve always got to be ready to walk away.
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Xavier on Twitter: https://twitter.com/XavierHelgesen
This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.