In this episode of The 7-Minute Takeover, we break down one of the most misunderstood parts of buying a business: the exclusivity period.An exclusivity period is a commitment from the seller — usually agreed to under a Letter of Intent (LOI) — to stop marketing the business, entertaining other offers, or sharing information with other buyers. For buyers, it creates certainty. For sellers, it can feel risky.In this episode, we cover:• What an exclusivity period actually is• Why exclusivity is critical for buyers during due diligence• Common seller objections and where those fears come from• How long exclusivity periods should last (and when shorter timelines make sense)• Using milestones and extensions to protect both sides• How buyers can build trust — including deposits and good-faith commitmentsWe also discuss how exclusivity protects buyers from spending significant hard dollars on legal, accounting, and financing costs without certainty, and how structuring exclusivity properly can turn a potential “lose-lose” into a deal that moves forward.Whether you’re buying a business or preparing to sell one, understanding exclusivity periods can make the difference between a deal that falls apart and one that closes successfully.🎧 Listen to The 7-Minute Takeover on your favourite podcast platform📺 Watch the full episode here on YouTube___________________________________________________________________________Village Wellth is where entrepreneurs go to buy and own businesses the smarter way. Buying a business is complex, and doing it alone makes it harder than it needs to be. Village Wellth exists to give buyers clarity, tools, and expert advisor guidance at every stage of the acquisition journey.From finding quality listings and understanding deal structures to navigating due diligence, financing, and seller relationships, we help buyers make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes that save them not only money but time too. Buying a business takes a village, let us be your Village. #BuyingABusiness #BusinessAcquisition #EntrepreneurMindset #VillageWellth

In today’s acquisition market, standing out as a buyer matters more than ever.Brokers and sellers are fielding more inquiries — and the buyers who get attention are the ones who are prepared. In this episode of The 7-Minute Takeover, we break down the core materials serious buyers use to differentiate themselves, build credibility, and make it easier for brokers to send them deals.We will cover:✔️ Why buying a business requires personal branding (even if it feels uncomfortable)✔️ The key assets brokers expect to see from motivated buyers✔️ What to include in a buyer bio and search criteriaIf you’re actively searching — or planning to — this episode will help you approach the market with more clarity and confidence._______________________________________________________________Ready to buy a business the smart way? Get the tools, listings, and support you need at www.villagewellth.com And don’t forget:👍 Like🔔 Subscribe👉 Follow us on our socials for more acquisition insightsWant more than just content? Follow us on all your favourite platforms: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/villagewellth/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@villagewellth.com LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/villagewellth/posts/?feedView=all

Buying a business is NOT like buying real estate.In real estate, your relationship with the seller ends at the closing table.In business acquisitions? The relationship is everything.In this episode of The 7-Minute Takeover, we break down the misconception that the seller relationship doesn’t matter in ETA, and show why trust, rapport, and communication are the backbone of a successful transaction.Here’s what we unpack:✔️ Why business acquisitions are deeply personal✔️ How the seller relationship impacts training, transition, and post-close success✔️ Why misunderstandings blow up deals when there’s no trust✔️ The invisible “life of the relationship” that continues after closing✔️ How to build rapport BEFORE and AFTER the LOI✔️ How brokers fit into the communication dynamic✔️ What to actually do during diligence (cadence, calls, expectations)Deals fail because relationships break down.If you’re buying a business, you can’t just analyze the P&L. You need to build trust with the person who built the business.___________________________________________________________________________Get the tools, listings, and support you need to buy a business at www.villagewellth.com And don’t forget:👍 Like🔔 Subscribe👉 Follow us on our socials for more acquisition insightsWant more than just content? Follow us on all your favourite platforms: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/villagewellth/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@villagewellth.com LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/villagewellth/posts/?feedView=all

It’s one of the biggest fears buyers have when acquiring a business...that the seller will vanish on Day 1, leaving no training, no transition, and a massive learning curve.In this video, we break down where that fear comes from, why the myth exists, and what actually happens in most small-business acquisitions. You’ll learn the three types of sellers you’re likely to encounter, what a normal transition period looks like, and how to legally protect yourself from a seller who wants to exit quickly.We cover:✔️ Why most sellers don’t disappear and genuinely care about a smooth transition✔️ The 3 types of sellers: helpful, available, and immediate exit✔️ What a 6–12 week transition usually includes✔️ How compensation, subcontractor agreements, and earnouts play into post-closing support✔️ How buyers can protect themselves with transition plans, incentives, and structured agreements✔️ When a seller’s fast exit is actually reasonable — and how to adjust the deal accordinglyIf you’re buying a small business — or preparing to — this is essential knowledge. The more clarity you have around seller participation, the smoother your acquisition and post-closing period will be.Get the tools, listings, and support you need to buy a business at www.villagewellth.com And don’t forget:👍 Like🔔 Subscribe👉 Follow us on our socials for more acquisition insightsWant more than just content? Follow us on all your favourite platforms: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/villagewellth/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@villagewellth.com LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/villagewellth/posts/?feedView=all

Most buyers rely on brokers and marketplaces… and miss the hidden deal flow hack that brings opportunities directly from business owners. The key is to create a network. In this episode of the 7-Minute Takeover, we break down the hidden network that advisors, suppliers, and insiders use — and how YOU can tap into it to uncover off-market deals that no one else sees.You’ll learn:• How to get (and make) warm introductions to unlisted business owners• The networking mistake that kills deal flow immediately• Why telling your “why” is more important than sharing criteria• How trust transfers through advisors straight to the seller• What to leave behind so people actually remember youWant more than just content?Get the tools, listings, and support you need to buy a business:🔗 villagewellth.comAnd don’t forget:👍 Like🔔 Subscribe👉 Follow us on our socials for more acquisition insightsINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/villagewellth/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@villagewellth.com LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/villagewellth/posts/?feedView=all

Seller notes are one of the most misunderstood parts of small business acquisitions — and one of the most negotiated.In this episode of The 7 Minute Takeover, Liz and break down the objections buyers will face and how to handle them with confidence.We cover:• What interest rates sellers typically expect (and why)• How banks view interest payments during postponement periods• What collateral sellers can realistically request• How GSA/UCC filings work in Canada & the U.S.• When personal guarantees show up — and whether they're common• Why seller notes help maximize senior debt availability• How to negotiate terms without blowing up the dealWhether you’re a first-time buyer or an experienced searcher, understanding seller notes is critical to getting deals done.👉 Subscribe for more acquisition insights👉 Create a FREE buyer account and start browsing verified business listings: https://www.villagewellth.com/ #Acquisitions #SellerNotes #SMB #SearchFund #DealMaking #VillageWellth #MergersAndAcquisitions #BuyABusiness #Entrepreneurship

In this episode of The Village Wellth Podcast, Liz and Eamonn tackle one of the biggest myths in business acquisitions — that you only need one lender to get your deal done.

You’ll learn:

• Why not all banks are created equal — and how their lending appetite changes by industry

• How having multiple lenders at the table creates leverage and backup options

• The key difference between the banker and the bank (and why relationships matter)

• How healthy competition can lead to better terms and faster closes

• What to do if your preferred lender backs out late in the process

  
  

Whether you’re just starting your acquisition journey or already in deal mode, this episode gives you a playbook for building stronger banking relationships — and protecting your deal flow.

🎧 Subscribe to the Village Wellth Podcast for more real-world insights on buying smarter, building wealth, and turning ambition into ownership.

Ready to start your ownership journey or already on it and want to browse our verified listings? Create a free account: ⁠villagewellth.com⁠

In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the different types of business buyers, and why understanding which one you are is critical to getting noticed by brokers.Brokers meet hundreds of buyers every month. With deal flow more competitive than ever, they’re looking for one thing: fit. Knowing how to position yourself, communicate your funding structure, and present your background can be the difference between being taken seriously… or getting ignored.In this episode, you’ll learn:0:20 - The importance of “fit” when talking to brokers1:15 - Mistakes buyers make during their intros to brokers2:10 - The most common buyer types2:13- Buyer type 1 2:38- Buyer type 22:59- Buyer type 34:27 - How to improve credibility with brokers4:59 - Acceleration tipsSubscribe to the Village Wellth Podcast for more practical insights on buying smarter, building wealth, and turning ambition into ownership.Explore the Everything software for buying a business and create a free account today: https://www.villagewellth.com/

In this episode of The 7 Minute Takeover, Elizabeth MacRae and Eamonn Gamble explore the realities of buying businesses across borders—specifically, Canadian buyers entering the U.S. market and vice versa. They unpack key challenges around financing, deal credibility, and return potential, while inviting community input on future cross-border topics.

Eamonn highlights common buyer hesitations, including access to financing, lender limitations, and ensuring credible offers. Elizabeth stresses that success often depends on being a strong strategic buyer with a clear rationale for going cross-border—especially in competitive environments.

They also examine the lender landscape: most banks require local presence, and Canadian buyers face hurdles like ineligibility for SBA loans without a U.S. partner. While multinational banks can help, that’s typically limited to larger corporate deals.

Despite the complexity, both agree cross-border acquisitions can deliver strong returns if managed strategically. The key lies in understanding the risks—like local market unfamiliarity and FX exposure—and structuring deals to mitigate them.

In this episode of The 7 Minute Takeover, Eamonn Gamble and Robert Irwin break down a real business listing from the Village Wellth Marketplace: a turnkey kitchen and bath design-build company based in Barrie, Ontario.

Eamonn and Rob dig into the company’s biggest selling points—its stellar reputation, repeat customer base, and one-stop-shop model that covers design, sourcing, and construction—and why those strengths might translate into healthy margins and a sticky client base. But they don’t shy away from the challenges: project-based revenue, sensitivity to economic downturns, niche focus that could limit growth, and the operational complexity of scaling a renovation business.

Key insights include:

• Why a strong reputation and repeat business create a moat in the renovation sector

• How full-service models can protect margins (but also complicate operations)

• Economic cyclicality and why project-based revenue can be risky

• Growth constraints of focusing purely on residential kitchen and bath projects

• The three must-have diligence items before making an offer: 3–5 years of financials, customer/project pipeline, and competitive analysis

Valued at under 3× SDE, this business might be a solid acquisition target—if the numbers, pipeline, and competitive moat check out.

In this episode of The 7 Minute Takeover, Elizabeth MacRae sits down with Madison Clohessy, who recently acquired Urist Cosmetics—a private-label skincare manufacturer just outside Vancouver. At the request of a Village Wellth member, Madison shares a candid look at what it’s really like to step into ownership during the first 100 days.

Madison reveals how she and her dad at EGP Capital found Euris, what it felt like to walk in on Day 1, and how she approached leading a team that only learned about the ownership change the morning of closing. From navigating surprise operational challenges (like no ERP system and FDA shipment holds) to managing the emotional transition for staff, Madison’s insights are practical and refreshingly honest.

Key insights include:

• Why the first 100 days require balancing stability with fresh energy

• How to earn employee trust while reshaping roles left by the previous owner

• Turning operational “shocks” into opportunities for improvement

• Making decisions with imperfect information—and why speed matters

• The mindset shift from trying to control everything to embracing uncertainty

If you’re preparing to buy a business, Madison’s story is a must-listen for understanding how to lead with confidence, adapt quickly, and make the most of your first months as a new owner.

In this Deal Decode edition of the 7 Minute Takeover, Eamonn Gamble and Robert Irwin break down a marketplace listing for an accounting and financial services firm on Vancouver Island, BC. With 35+ years in business, eight staff, and subscription-based revenues trending upward, the firm offers a stable foundation with meaningful growth potential.

Eamonn and Rob explore what makes this opportunity attractive—and what risks buyers should watch for. They dive into the industry’s resilience through economic cycles, the rise of advisory services, and how cloud tech and AI are reshaping bookkeeping.

They also flag critical diligence items: labor shortages in accounting, cybersecurity risks, competition from both local firms and the Big Four, and the need to verify profitability, client contracts, and staff qualifications.

Key insights include:

• Why subscription-based revenue and client trust are major assets

• How accounting’s shift toward advisory services opens new growth avenues

• The looming CPA labor shortage and how it impacts acquisitions

• Cybersecurity as a non-negotiable diligence factor

• What buyers must validate: profitability margins, client mix, employee retention, and tech stack readiness

For buyers exploring professional services acquisitions, this episode offers a rapid-fire decode of what makes accounting firms attractive, and where to dig deeper before making an offer.

In this episode of 7 Minute Takeover, Elizabeth MacRae and Eamonn Gamble unpack the strategy of proprietary search—direct outreach to business owners who aren’t officially selling their companies.

They explore why some buyers pursue this path, weighing the pros—like less competition, better terms, and stronger seller relationships—against the cons, such as guiding unadvised owners through a slow and uncertain process. Elizabeth breaks down two key approaches:

• Mass outreach campaigns that play the numbers game

• Targeted, researched outreach designed to connect with high-fit businesses

They also explain how your resources—time versus money—should guide whether you manage the process yourself or outsource.

Key insights include:

• Why proprietary search can unlock unique acquisition opportunities

• The trade-offs between broad outreach and targeted strategies

• How resource availability shapes your approach

• Why this path may be challenging for first-time buyers

• When outsourcing sourcing makes the most sense

  
  

If you’re serious about buying a business, this episode gives you a clear, practical look at proprietary search—helping you decide if it’s the right path for your acquisition strategy.

In this episode of 7 Minute Takeover, Elizabeth MacRae and Eamonn Gamble break down one of the biggest misconceptions in buying a business—how lenders actually evaluate acquisition financing.

While real estate lending revolves around loan-to-value (LTV), business lenders care far more about cash flow and debt-to-EBITDA ratios. Eamonn explains why EBITDA is the gold standard for measuring a business’s debt capacity, how lenders “stress test” earnings, and what typical debt-to-EBITDA ranges look like. Elizabeth underscores why “cash is king” for lenders and how many buyers get blindsided when their high LTV expectations clash with weak cash flow.Key insights include:

• Why cash flow matters more than collateral in business lending
• Typical debt-to-EBITDA ranges lenders use to gauge debt capacity
• The role of buyer equity—why 10–20% is often the minimum
• How lender due diligence works (and why you should provide more than three years of financials)
• Strategies to secure better financing terms by creating a competitive lender process

If you’re thinking about buying a business, this episode will give you a clear, lender-focused perspective to avoid financing surprises and make stronger offers.

In this episode of 7 Minute Takeover, Eamonn Gamble is joined by M&A lawyer Brad Schneider (Partner at Fasken) to demystify indemnities—one of the most critical protections in any business acquisition.

Brad explains what indemnities are, why they’re included in almost every purchase agreement, and how buyers can use them to guard against post-closing risks like lawsuits, environmental fines, or unpaid taxes. He breaks down four essential deal terms every buyer should understand:

• The scope of indemnification

• Survival periods and how long protections last

• The use of escrow/holdbacks

• Caps and baskets to limit and qualify claims

Brad also shares a real-world example where indemnities saved a buyer from costly environmental fines—and gives final advice on what to look for (and negotiate) when reviewing your next definitive agreement.

Whether you're a first-time buyer or knee-deep in due diligence, this episode will help you close smarter, safer deals.

In this episode of 7 Minute Takeover, Liz MacRae and Eamonn Gamble introduce Village Wellth’s powerful new acquisition tooling—designed to help buyers evaluate, structure, and manage small business deals more effectively.

They walk through a live demo of key features, including:

• A streamlined Deal Dashboard for organizing listings from brokers and marketplaces

• AI-powered uploads that automatically extract deal data and generate SWOT analysis

• A flexible Deal Structure Calculator to compare multiple price and financing scenarios

• Built-in tools for analyzing counter-offers, return on equity, and debt service ratios

Whether you're actively searching for a business to buy or want better tools to make smarter acquisition decisions, this episode offers a firsthand look at how Village Wellth’s platform combines AI and financial modeling to simplify the buying process.

In this episode , Eamonn Gamble and Robert Irwin analyze a $2 million vape shop for sale in Toronto—offering a step-by-step example of how to evaluate a small business acquisition using limited deal information.

Through a detailed SWOT analysis, they assess the vape industry’s growth potential, regulatory risks, competition, and the importance of location. Eamonn highlights opportunities in customer retention and recurring revenue, while Robert questions the valuation and stresses the need for reliable foot traffic data and three years of clean financials.

They walk through key steps for evaluating retail acquisitions, including:

• Reviewing three years of financial data: revenue, EBITDA, and SDE

• Assessing storefront location, foot traffic, and nearby competitors

• Checking for regulatory compliance and risk of legal infractions

• Judging the strength of the customer base and retention metrics

• Validating whether a 4x SDE multiple is justified for a vape retail business

If you’re learning how to buy a small business, this episode offers practical insight into evaluating deal quality, asking the right broker questions, and avoiding overpaying in a regulated, competitive industry.

In this episode of 7 Minute Takeover, Elizabeth MacRae and Eamonn Gamble challenge the myth of "love at first sight" in business acquisition. Instead of expecting instant clarity, they encourage buyers to embrace a process of trial, error, and self-discovery, often involving pivots across industries.

They outline a practical three-step framework:
1️⃣ Define your acquisition criteria on paper2️⃣ Engage actively with the market to gain experience3️⃣ Reflect on passed deals to sharpen your focus

With most searches taking 12–24 months, Eamonn and Elizabeth stress the importance of patience, discipline, and trusting your gut. Whether you're just starting your search or reevaluating your criteria, this episode offers realistic, grounded advice for finding the right business—often where you least expect it.

In this episode, Jim Friesen of Portage M&A joins Elizabeth MacRae to discuss the evolving landscape of buying a business in Canada, particularly in Ontario. With fewer quality businesses hitting the market—and more qualified buyers ready to move—Friesen shares strategies to stand out in an increasingly competitive acquisition environment.

🔍 Topics Covered

• Why deal volume is down despite strong buyer demand

• How political and economic uncertainty (like the housing market and lending trends) is affecting M&A

• Real-world examples of high-demand deals, like a snow plowing business with 50+ inquiries

• How new buyers can position themselves as serious, credible successors

• The importance of seller rapport, relevant experience, and hands-on intent in closing deals

Jim Friesen also shares how buyers can connect with Portage M&A to discover acquisition opportunities in Ontario.

In this episode, Liz and Eamonn tackle the often misunderstood role of business brokers in the business acquisition process.

🎙️ Listen now to learn how to rise above the noise and secure the right business—even in a crowded market.

In this episode, Liz and Eamonn tackle the often misunderstood role of business brokers in the business acquisition process. While some buyers view brokers as roadblocks or gatekeepers, the hosts explain how experienced brokers can actually accelerate deals, reduce friction, and protect both sides of the transaction.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• Why business brokers get a bad rap—and what they’re actually hired to do

• The key traits of a high-quality broker: experience, transparency, organization

• How to handle deals with inexperienced or disorganized brokers

• Strategies for buyers to get better information and reduce risk during due diligence

• Why partnering with reputable brokers (like those at Village Wellth) improves deal flow

Whether you're actively buying a small business or just starting your acquisition journey, this episode gives you a practical framework to evaluate broker relationships and navigate deals with confidence.

🎙️ Tune in now and learn how to work with brokers—not against them—for a smoother acquisition experience.