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Home/r/Entrepreneur/2025-06-28/#3421
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How do I buy a business as a normie?

r/Entrepreneur
6/28/2025

SAAS TOOLS

SaaSURLCategoryFeatures/Notes
FlippaBusiness MarketplacePlatform for buying/selling small startups and micro businesses

USER NEEDS

Pain Points:

  • Lack of experience in buying/selling businesses
  • Risk of losing money through SBA loans if business fails
  • Difficulty in researching market trends for new businesses
  • Underestimating business expenses
  • Poor work-life balance as a business owner

Problems to Solve:

  • How to gain experience in business acquisition without prior knowledge
  • How to research market viability (e.g., foot traffic for boba shop)
  • How to find trustworthy M&A advisors/brokers
  • How to finance a business purchase with limited capital ($15k)

Potential Solutions:

  • Hire M&A experts/business brokers for guidance
  • Work in the target industry first (e.g., 6 months in a boba shop)
  • Read educational books (e.g., 'Buy Then Build', 'HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business')
  • Listen to acquisition-focused podcasts (e.g., Acquisitions Anonymous, Acquiring Minds, Inspired or Acquired)
  • Start with low-cost businesses like vintage/thrift stores
  • Use real estate (house) as collateral for loans

GROWTH FACTORS

Effective Strategies:

  • Acquiring established businesses rather than starting from scratch
  • Using SBA loans for financing larger acquisitions
  • Starting with smaller, low-risk businesses to gain experience

Marketing & Acquisition:

  • Networking with industry professionals to discover acquisition opportunities
  • Leveraging business marketplaces like Flippa for micro-business acquisitions

Monetization & Product:

  • Targeting businesses with $300k-$350k SDE for $1M acquisitions
  • Ensuring sufficient working capital (15% down payment recommended)
  • Focusing on businesses with manageable owner workload

User Engagement:

  • Participating in specialized subreddits (e.g., r/SellMyBusiness, r/buyingabusiness) for community knowledge
  • Learning from experienced members through direct messaging and content review