Colin Keeley – How to Buy a Small Business
How to Buy a Small Business
How to Buy a Small Business By Colin Keeley
Colin Keeley – How to Buy a Small Business Download
Colin Keeley – How to Buy a Small Business is a complete, step-by-step acquisition toolkit that shows you exactly how to source deals, value businesses, negotiate terms, finance creatively, and close—without wasting years on the startup grind. Built from real-world acquisitions, it includes templates, legal docs, diligence checklists, negotiation frameworks, and financing playbooks so you can move from “curious” to “owner” with confidence.
Whether you’re targeting local services, online businesses, or SaaS, this program gives you the operating system to find off-market opportunities, structure low-money-down deals, and manage a smooth transition post-close. Join 700+ students turning deal flow into cash flow.
Colin Keeley – How to Buy a Small Business Course
This course is designed to shortcut the acquisition journey—helping you define your target, build a pipeline, underwrite deals quickly, and negotiate win-win structures. You’ll use field-tested email scripts, live sourcing examples, and ready-to-use legal templates (NDA, LOI, APA) to move fast and professionally with sellers, brokers, lenders, and investors.
What’s Included
- Getting Started: Why “buy then build,” entity setup (US), niche selection, solo vs partner, uneven cap contributions, and co-founder considerations.
- Sourcing System: Dealflow sources (marketplaces, brokers), proprietary outreach, list building, outbound scripts, finder’s fees, local search playbook, live sourcing + Q&A, target templates.
- Diligence Pack: Qualitative & quantitative analysis, financial model template, red/green flags, good reasons for selling, legal templates (NDA, LOI, APA), asset vs equity checklists, live deal analysis & growth planning, fraud protection.
- Valuation & Negotiation: Revenue vs profit multiples, size-based valuation, SaaS valuation, managing seller expectations, margin of safety, low-price SaaS angles, deposit & PG questions, renegotiation after findings, technical debt, cash-heavy deals.
- Financing & Closing: Creative structures, outside investors, building a track record, real PE deal structures, transfer & login templates, escrow & mechanics, SBA (incl. SaaS), non-dilutive financing, asset vs equity purchase.
- Growth & Ops: Hiring developers/SEO writers (templates), content & SEO, competitive advantage, holdco structure, taxes at exit, Berkshire-inspired PE models, separate vs consolidated entities.
- Community & Support: Lifetime access, alumni group, service-provider rolodex, live breakdowns of real deals.
How to Buy a Small Business Course (Modules Overview)
Getting Started
- Why Buy then Build
- Setting Up a Legal Entity (US)
- Choosing Your Niche
- Q&A: Do I Search Solo or With a Partner?
- Q&A: Do I Need a Technical Co-Founder?
- Q&A: Uneven Capital Contributions with a Partner
Sourcing
- Sourcing Overview
- Dealflow Sources – List of Marketplaces, Brokers, etc.
- Proprietary Sourcing: List Building & Emailing Guide
- Outbound Email Scripts
- Paying Finder’s Fees
- Building Outbound Target List Example Live
- Building Outbound Target List Notes
- Outbound Acquisition Targets Template
- How to Find a Local Business to Buy
- Live Sourcing Session + Q&A
Diligence
- Qualitative Diligence
- Qualitative Deal Analysis Template
- Financial / Quantitative Diligence
- Financial Terms to Know
- Financial Model Template (Quantitative Deal Analysis)
- Due Diligence Questions
- Legal Templates – NDA, LOI, APA, etc.
- Diligence Checklist (Asset Sale)
- Diligence Checklist (Equity Sale)
- Due Diligence Q&A
- Good Reasons for Selling
- Green & Red Flags in a Deal
- Live Deal Analysis & Growth Planning
- Q&A: How Do I Protect Myself Against Fraud?
Valuation & Negotiation
- Negotiation Walkthrough
- Negotiation Flowchart
- Valuing a Business
- How to Value a Software Business
- Revenue vs Profit Multiples
- Valuation by Company Size
- Managing Seller Expectations
- Negotiation & Deal Structure Q&A
- Deal Breakdown: Ottomatik
- Deal Breakdown: Scout
- Margin of Safety
- SaaS at a Low Price
- Q&A: Seller Wants a Crazy High Price. How to Talk Them Down?
- Q&A: Should I Renegotiate After Learning Something in Diligence?
- Q&A: How Do You Value a Business With No Revenue?
- Q&A: How Do You Factor Technical Debt Into Your Valuation?
- Q&A: How Do I Buy a Cash-Heavy Business?
- Q&A: Should I Make a Deposit for the LOI?
- Q&A: Should I Personally Guarantee a Seller Note?
Financing & Closing
- Structuring a Deal
- Structuring a Deal with Outside Investors
- How to Find Investors
- Building a Track Record
- Real Sample PE Deal Structures
- Transfer Worksheet Template Walkthrough
- Asset & Login Transfer Template
- Closing Mechanics & Escrow
- General Transition Guide
- How to Get a SBA Loan
- How to Get Non-Dilutive Acquisition Financing (Guest Lecture)
- SBA Loan for SaaS
- Asset Purchase vs Equity Purchase
- Planning to Exit
- Financial Modeling for an Acquisition Deal (Guest Lecture)
Growth
- Hiring & Managing Developers / Product Team
- Hiring SEO Writers
- SEO Writer Sample Job Description & Form
- Constellation Software – Largest SaaS HoldCo
- Minimizing Taxes on Exit
- Structuring a Holding Company
- Finding Your Competitive Advantage
- Q&A: Should All Companies Be Separate or Together?
- Q&A: Berkshire Inspired Private Equity Models
- Partner Deals & Discounts
- Supercharge Your Growth
Key Benefits
- Deal Flow on Demand: Proven outreach and broker playbooks to fill your pipeline.
- Underwrite in Hours, Not Weeks: Templates to evaluate risk, returns, and fit quickly.
- Creative Financing: Structures to lower upfront cash while aligning incentives.
- Professional Process: Legal docs, diligence checklists, and transition frameworks.
- Operator’s Edge: Execution plans that move revenue, margins, and cash fast.
Who This Is For
- First-time acquirers seeking a step-by-step roadmap.
- Operators and marketers ready to buy, improve, and hold.
- Indie PE / ETA searchers building a small holdco.
- Technical and non-technical buyers targeting SaaS or digital businesses.
Included Templates & Tools
- Outbound target list, scripts & sourcing tracker
- Qualitative + quantitative diligence templates
- Financial model (deal analysis)
- NDA, LOI, APA (legal starters)
- Asset vs equity diligence checklists
- Negotiation flowchart & talk-tracks
- Transfer worksheet & login handover template
- General transition guide & 90-day plan
About the Creator
Colin Keeley shares a decade of buying and operating small businesses, distilling lessons from real acquisitions. The program packages his sourcing systems, negotiation approach, financing playbooks, and post-close operating frameworks—so you can skip mistakes and close smarter.
FAQs
Does this work if I’m outside the US?
Yes. While there’s US-specific content (e.g., SBA), the sourcing, valuation, negotiation, and transition frameworks apply globally.
How much cash do I need to start?
The course covers creative structures (seller notes, earnouts, investor capital, SBA) to minimize upfront cash.
Is this only for SaaS?
No—local service businesses, e-commerce, content sites, and SaaS are all covered with model-specific notes.
Are legal documents included?
Starter templates (NDA, LOI, APA) and diligence checklists are provided to work with your counsel.
What happens after closing?
You get a structured 90-day transition plan, KPI setup, and growth levers to execute immediately.
Conclusion
Colin Keeley’s How to Buy a Small Business gives you the full acquisition OS—from pipeline to close and beyond—so you can skip the startup grind and acquire a cash-flowing asset with confidence.
Download How to Buy a Small Business by Colin Keeley.
