Post-mortems of real deals
Educated. Successful. Smart.
Still, they failed.
Learn why — before you buy a business. Buyers and founders tell on camera how their acquisition fell apart. Each story becomes a case study: what went wrong, at which stage of the deal, and the due-diligence step that would have caught it.
1 fatal · 5 major
1:10:13
When a $2.8m Acquisition Is More Like Zero to One | Dave Gilbert Interview
“If the EBITDA, customers, people, and sales engine are not verified bottom-up, you may buy a “cash-flowing” business that is really a leveraged turnaround.”
5 major
1:04:15
We Bought a Business for $1.1M and Nearly Broke
“A small, local service business can look cheap until debt, key-person risk, accounting complexity, and dozens of tiny operating details consume all the margin.”
$5M lost
6 major
1:32:58
The 7 Year Collapse of an SBA Acquisition | Scott Duncan Interview
“If the seller, a few craftsmen, or one customer relationship are the real business, you are not buying systems—you are buying people who can walk out the door.”
$300K lost
5 major
10:50
I Lost $300K On This Business… Do I Close It?
“A great road and a familiar brand cannot save a location if the unit economics and the store manager do not work.”
$100K lost
2 fatal · 4 major
28:50
I Lost $100K Trying to Save a Failing Franchise
“In a distressed franchise, the cheapest-looking option is often to sell now, because waiting for a higher price can burn far more cash than the discount you refused.”
3 major
1:20:53
Raise $800k to Buy an $8m Business | Kevin Bibelhausen Interview
“In an inventory-heavy acquisition, closing the deal is not enough—you must also finance the cash gap between buying product and getting paid.”
$1M lost
6 major
1:49:06
Lessons from 24 Acquisition Nightmares | Jed Morris Interview
“Do not let a successful first close turn you into a roll-up buyer before you have truly learned the cash, people, and operating rhythm of the first business.”
$160K lost
2 fatal · 4 major
1:29:13
How 1 SBA Loan Brought Down 2 Businesses | Edgar Galindo Interview
“Do not let a new add-on acquisition borrow against your healthy platform until the people, liabilities, and downside are fully understood.”
$230K lost
3 fatal · 4 major
1:26:18
Plumbing Acquisition Gone Wrong | Josh Key Interview
“A rushed partner can be more dangerous than a bad business—diligence the person, lawyer up early, and write the breakup plan before you close.”
$8K lost
2 fatal · 5 major
1:09:23
How This Entrepreneur Failed At A Turnaround Acquisition And What He Learned Through The Experience
“In a turnaround, do not buy the P&L—buy only what you can prove transaction by transaction.”