Here’s What You Get: Unit 1: Foundation Learn the foundational mindset and knowledge needed to successfully buy a business, including the deal lifecycle and what it takes to run a company. Why acquisition entrepreneurship? The 10 Acquisition Entrepreneur Mindset Pillars The deal journey & lifecycle Do you have what it takes to run a business? Resource: Action Steps Checklist Resource: Acquisition Journey Reference Sheet Resource: Acquisition Self-Reflection Worksheet Unit 2: Deal Clarity Gain clarity on your personal acquisition criteria using the Contrarian Deal Clarity Framework, focusing on income goals, skills, and target industries. Get clarity on why you want to own a business Characteristics of the business you should buy Which industries you should target Create your own Deal Box to find your ideal business Resource: Zone of Genius Worksheet Resource: Deal Clarity Worksheet Resource: Industries Database Selector Resource: Personalized Deal Box Unit 3: Origination Discover techniques for finding on-market and off-market deals that fit your criteria, and learn to track deal flow using the Contrarian CRM Database How deal sourcing works: finding businesses to buy Finding deals through marketplaces like BizBuySell How to find off-market deals 7 other methods for finding off-market deals How to track if you’re making progress in business buying Resource: Business Sourcing List Resource: Business Broker List Resource: Deal Sourcing CRM Unit 4: Outreach Master the art of positioning yourself as a qualified buyer, engaging sellers, and building relationships with owners and brokers. How to position yourself as a qualified buyer How to engage with sellers (including scripts) FROG Method for meeting sellers How to get responses from on-market deals Bonus: 3 methodologies for seller outreach Resource: Buyer Profile PDF Resource: Cold Email Outreach Scripts Resource: Questions To Ask Sellers Unit 5: Evaluation Learn to evaluate potential deals, sign NDAs, assess valuation using cash flow and market comparables, and decide whether to make an offer. How to assess valuation before submitting an offer 2 methods for assessing valuation How to calculate SDE The 10 Contrarian Business Value Markers Framework How to quickly crunch the numbers on a deal with our deal calculator Resource: NDA Template Resource: Deal Decision Tree Resource: Contrarian Deal Navigator Resource: Deal Calculator Resource: SDE Calculation Resource: 10 Contrarian Acquisition Value Markers Unit 6: Offer & Negotiation Understand the differences between LOIs and purchase agreements, structure creative deals, make offers, handle counteroffers, and negotiate win-win outcomes. How & when to use professionals at the offer stage What to include in your LOI (with templates!) When to use LOI vs APA What money is at risk during this stage How to present your offer How to negotiate your offer with sellers Resource: Offer Checklist Resource: LOI Template (advanced) Resource: LOI Template (simple) Resource: Asset Purchase Agreement Template Unit 7: Due Diligence Navigate the due diligence process, build your deal team, evaluate key information, and identify potential issues or red flags. How to perform due diligence How to build your deal team to verify due diligence When to use LOI vs APA What information to look for during due diligence How to present your offer How to negotiate your offer with sellers Resource: 60+ item due diligence checklist Unit 8: Financing Explore the five main acquisition funding methods and 21 specific financing strategies, including seller financing, SBA loans, and sweat equity. Learn the main ways deals are financed How & when you should leverage debt to finance your deal How to combine debt & equity Deep dive into seller financing Deep dive into SBA loans Deep dive in sweat equity Resource: 21 Financing Options Sheet Resource: Expertise to Equity Terms Worksheet Resource: Seller Financing Avatar Checklist Unit 9: Closing Master the formal closing process, resolve outstanding issues, finalize legal documents, and understand escrow and purchase price allocation. Learn how the closing process works How does escrow work during closing Who are the key people involved in closing? Models: Services, products and systems Buying franchises with Wayne Lucier Resource: Closing checklist Unit 10: Day Zero Prepare for the transition to ownership by completing essential tasks and setting the stage for a successful first day. What do you do on day 0 How do you prepare to operate the business Resource: Day zero checklist Resource: Working capital needs