The Acquirers Podcast SMB acquirer Colin King on Entrepreneurship-through-Acquisition and Search Funds | S07 E36
19 snips
Oct 16, 2025 Colin King, founder of Circle City Capital Group and seasoned SMB acquirer, dives into his entrepreneurial journey from CPA to private equity. He shares how his first acquisition—a trucking business—taught him invaluable operational lessons. Colin discusses the shift to e-commerce and the importance of finding smaller, less complex businesses for acquisition. He emphasizes leveraging AI for efficiency and explores the current private market dynamics while providing sage advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the search fund space.
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Use SBA Leverage Wisely
- Early deals often rely on heavy SBA leverage like 10% down, 90% borrowed; plan for long amortization.
- As you scale, prefer more equity or lower leverage and larger teams to manage operations.
Scale Unlocks Manageability
- Scale reduces operational headaches by enabling dedicated operators for functions.
- Multiple small tuck-ins become easier to manage once you reach critical mass.
Tucking Vermont Teddy Bear In
- Circle City bought Vermont Teddy Bear (~$10M revenue) and folded it into their consumer group.
- They also prepared to acquire an accounting firm to tuck into their financial training business.
