Play 1: Establishing Your Dealmaker Identity

Overview

This foundational play helps you define who you are as a dealmaker before chasing a single opportunity. Without this clarity, ambitious entrepreneurs waste months or even years chasing deals that don't align with their strengths, resources, or goals.

Key Insight from Chris Moore

"Those who struggled the most weren't lacking skills, connections, or even opportunities. They were missing clarity about themselves. They hadn't defined what I now call their dealmaker identity."

The Garden Analogy

Think of your journey to becoming a business buyer like planting a garden. You wouldn't just scatter random seeds and hope for the best, right? You'd first decide what you want to grow, understand your soil conditions, and make a plan.

Business acquisition works the same way. Before you start looking for businesses to acquire or partnerships to secure, you need to answer crucial questions about yourself.

Core Questions to Answer

What do you want buying a business to do for you?
What does business ownership look like in your vision?
What change are you seeking in your life?
Are you planning to acquire businesses solo or with partners?
How might financing options like SBA loans shape your approach?

Crafting Your Dealmaker Vision

1. Define Your Motivation

Not everyone pursues business acquisitions for the same reasons. Your primary goal will dictate your entire acquisition strategy:

Common Motivations:

Time Freedom: Own a business that runs without daily involvement
Cash Flow: Create reliable monthly income streams
Wealth Building: Grow portfolio by increasing business value
Lifestyle Business: Build around your passions
Portfolio Diversification: Add businesses to existing assets

2. Identify Your Preferred Role

There are multiple ways to be involved in businesses you acquire:

Owner-Operator: Running the business day-to-day, deeply involved
Owner-Investor: Own but hire capable people to run it
Strategic Partner: Leverage expertise for equity (partnering for equity)
Roll-Up Investor: Acquire multiple businesses in same industry
Board Member: Equity position with guidance, not operations

3. Assess Your Resources

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Resource Assessment Exercise

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you have capital ready to deploy, or will you need creative financing?
Are you planning to utilize SBA loans or traditional bank financing?
Have you considered partnering with others who have complementary resources?
What specific industry experience or specialized skills can you leverage?
Have you built a network that can open doors to deals?
Are you prepared to be hands-on or prefer a passive approach?

4. Stay in Your Lane

Focus on industries and business models that align with your strengths. If you've spent your career in software development, acquiring a restaurant will likely be challenging. If you've built marketing agencies, a manufacturing company presents different challenges.

Case Study: Sarah's Healthcare Expertise

Sarah initially felt she had nothing to offer because she lacked capital. When we dug deeper, we discovered her 15 years in healthcare administration gave her unique insights into operational efficiencies that many medical practices desperately needed.

Result: She's now built a portfolio of equity partnerships with healthcare businesses by solving their operational challenges.

Creating Your Dealmaker Blueprint

Here's an example of a fully defined dealmaker identity:

Example Dealmaker Identity Statement

"My goal is building a portfolio of cash-flowing businesses that don't require my daily presence. I want to be an owner-investor, hiring strong operators rather than running businesses myself. My key resources include a network of investors and expertise in scaling through digital marketing. I'll focus on digital businesses, SaaS companies, lead generation, and service-based businesses. My ideal acquisitions are businesses with $1 million+ in revenue and at least $200,000 in EBITDA, where I can add value through marketing and rapid scaling. I prefer structures like partnering for equity, performance-based buyouts, and seller financing arrangements."

Case Study: Rebecca's Professional Services Strategy

Rebecca is a former corporate finance executive who wants to acquire a business in the professional services sector. Her goal is to apply her financial expertise while maintaining work-life balance to spend time with her family.

Strategy: She's planning to utilize an SBA loan for the acquisition with an angel investor providing the 10% downpayment in exchange for a 20% equity stake.

Target: Business with $2-5 million in revenue, strong management already in place, and potential for growth through improved financial systems.

Role: Strategic leader rather than day-to-day manager, focusing on growth initiatives while her team handles operations.

Timeline: Hold the business for 5-7 years before executing an exit strategy.

Dealmaker Checkpoint

Before moving on to the next play, complete this checklist by answering these questions:

What primary outcome do you want from business acquisitions? (Time freedom, cash flow, wealth building, etc.)
What role do you ideally want to play in the businesses you acquire?
What unique resources, skills, or advantages can you leverage in deals?
Which industries or business models do you have experience with or knowledge about?
What specific characteristics would make a deal perfect for your situation?
Are you planning to acquire businesses solo or with partners? If partners, what complementary strengths would they ideally bring?
What financing methods are you considering? (SBA loans, traditional financing, seller financing, angel investors, etc.)
What is your timeline for acquisition and eventual exit?
How much time can you realistically commit to your business or businesses weekly?
What specific value do you bring that would make you attractive for partnering for equity arrangements?
Draft your concise dealmaker identity statement that will guide your acquisition journey

Downloads

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Taking Inventory Worksheet

Chris Moore's proprietary self-assessment worksheet to identify what you have to trade for equity

Equity Partner Playbook

Establishing Your Dealmaker Identity