01 / The business
What are you buying?
Separate the company’s operating story from the seller’s pitch. Look at customers, management, earnings quality, and the work the owner actually does.
Define a useful target →A field guide to acquisition entrepreneurship
Buy an existing business.
Build from there.
Starting a company from scratch is one route to entrepreneurship. Buying an existing profitable business is another: start with customers, employees, revenue and operating history, then take responsibility for what comes next.
This changes the risks; it does not remove them. Existing profit needs validation, and purchase price, financing and the ownership transition can change the outcome.
For aspiring acquisition entrepreneurs and first-time buyers, operators considering growth by acquisition, and finance professionals learning practical business-acquisition mechanics.
20 course lessons44 topic guides119 source videosFree course no account needed
The course and source-linked education are free. For optional interactive AI analysis and practice, Deal Lab is a U.S.-only paid beta for customers 18 or older: $19/month or $190/year, with up to 100 AI requests per UTC month. View Deal Lab plans or sign in.
Three questions before making an offer.
Browse every topic →02 / The economics
How much cash is available?
Work from earnings to cash, then consider valuation and the timing of repayments. Keep a worked illustration separate from a lender’s actual terms.
Understand the numbers →03 / The capital
Who funds the acquisition?
Compare the roles of a bank, equity partner, seller, or institutional lender. Understand what each contributes and what each expects in return.
Read the capital stack →Continue through diligence, deal structure and closing, then plan for ownership after the purchase.
A closer look at financing
Build a capital stack the business can carry.
See how buyer equity, bank debt, seller financing and other capital sources fit together — and what the business actually has to support after closing.
Put examples in context
A rate can be an illustration. A large capital amount can be a target. A promising lender conversation can remain a proposal.
Read beyond the guide
A companion to the source material.
Our first collection brings together education from Yusufa Sey. Acquisition Companion is independently authored: creators are sources, not collaborators, and source attribution does not imply endorsement. This site adds original explanations, comparisons, and learning paths. The videos remain the primary source.
Machine transcripts can contain errors. We flag incomplete evidence and link you back to the original material rather than presenting every practitioner statement as a settled fact.