Acquiring Minds Year 1 in a $300k SDE Services Business
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Feb 23, 2026 Scott Crosby, owner of American Services St. Louis and an acquisitions entrepreneur with roots in politics, media, and construction. He talks about buying a small HVAC/refrigeration firm, replacing most of the staff, modernizing dusty operations with software and vendors, handling early cash-flow and credit gaps, and using networking and a deal analyzer to find and value targets.
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Make B2B Versus B2C A Buy Box Filter
- Add B2B vs B2C as a fourth buy-box criterion because customer type affects your fit and ability to leverage personal strengths.
- Scott preferred B2B because his network and relationship skills translate to account management work.
Don't Take Accelerated Seller Notes
- Avoid short-term seller notes with accelerated amortization; a five-year seller note can create large monthly payments during slow seasons.
- Scott regrets splitting an $80k seller note into a five-year tranche that increased monthly cash pressure.
Require Down Payments On Big Jobs
- Negotiate customer contract payment terms and require down payments for large equipment jobs to avoid working capital shortfalls.
- Scott won a $100k bid day one but lacked a 50% down payment and had to inject capital to fund vendor costs.