Andrew Gazdecki joins Kaustubh Deo and Sam Rosati for a wide-ranging conversation on building, buying, and selling small businesses. Andrew shares the origin story of acquire.com, from selling his first startup to realizing how broken the small business M&A process was for founders. The discussion explores how sales, market selection, and distribution matter more than perfect products, along with the realities of valuation in small tech-enabled businesses. The episode also dives into Andrew’s personal journey, including burnout, delegation, and redefining success as a founder.

They discuss:

• Why sales is the most important role for owners of small businesses under $3–5M in revenue
• How acquire.com evolved from a side project into a marketplace with thousands of closed transactions
• The difference between startup-style valuations and how small businesses are actually priced and sold
• What makes a strong buyer in competitive acquisition processes, and why trust often beats price
• Lessons from burnout, delegating control, and building a company that supports long-term personal fulfillment

Support our Sponsors:

The Kalmar Group is a recruitment firm who partners with small business owners around the nation to find Manager to VP level hires in sales, marketing, operations, and finance across multiple niche industries. 

Website: https://www.thekalmargroup.com

Twitter: https://x.com/thesmbrecruiter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanscroggins/

Aspen HR 

Please contact our valued sponsor Aspen HR (www.aspenhr.com, sales@aspenhr.com) for a quote on PEO services and a complimentary HR due diligence assessment

Links:

Kaustubh on Substack - https://bigdealsmallbusiness.substack.com/p/read-me-first

Sam on X - https://x.com/Sam_Rosati

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:03) - Andrew's entrepreneurial journey (00:03:03) - The birth and growth of acquire.com (00:03:57) - Challenges and successes in acquisitions (00:06:53) - Marketplace dynamics and buyer profiles (00:20:28) - Andrew's first startup experience (00:25:14) - The role of luck and market trends (00:30:33) - Building the marketplace: from script to success (00:31:53) - Non-technical founders and code scripts (00:33:08) - Early influences and entrepreneurial drive (00:35:01) - Day in the life: from hustle to balance (00:40:07) - Burnout and finding balance (00:45:29) - Delegation and business growth (00:47:56) - The rewarding journey of entrepreneurship (00:54:03) - Advice for aspiring buyers (00:59:52) - Final thoughts and reflections