Ep 498 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Understanding the Buyer Who Pays 100% at Close

Ep 498 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Understanding the Buyer Who Pays 100% at Close

Author: John Warrillow June 13, 2025 Duration: 47:41

Most acquirers want you to stick around. Roll equity. Hit targets. Train your replacement. 

But there's a different kind of buyer out there. One who wires 100% of the money at closing—and lets you walk. 

Dan Mytels represents this type of buyer. Through his firm, Salt Creek, he's acquired 100 businesses—most of them mature, profitable, niche companies where the owner was ready to move on. They don't always offer the highest multiple, but they do offer something many founders value more: a clean break. 


For any entrepreneur, the idea of selling the company they've built is both a daunting prospect and a potential pinnacle of success. Built to Sell Radio, hosted by John Warrillow, steps into that complex space with a clear, practical focus. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a weekly conversation grounded in real experience. Every episode features a different founder who has recently navigated the sale of their business. The discussion goes straight to the heart of the matter: understanding the personal and strategic reasons behind the decision to sell. Listeners get an honest breakdown of what worked, from preparation and valuation to negotiation, and perhaps more importantly, the unforeseen pitfalls and mistakes made along the way. It’s that candid post-mortem, the lessons learned in the trenches of a transaction, that provides unparalleled value. By compiling these firsthand accounts, the podcast builds a comprehensive library of exit strategies and cautionary tales. Tuning in feels like gaining access to a private mastermind, where seasoned entrepreneurs share the unvarnished truth about cashing in their life's work. If you're contemplating your own eventual exit, this series offers the nuanced, peer-to-peer insights you need to think like a buyer, protect your interests, and ultimately, build a business that is truly desirable. Built to Sell Radio serves as an essential guide, transforming the opaque process of selling a business into a clearer, more manageable journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Built to Sell Radio
Podcast Episodes
Ep 458 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer with Tim Schumacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:04
On this week's Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow talks to Tim Schumacher, co-founder of SaaS Group, about the mindset of an acquirer. Tim shares Peter Thiel's "zero to one" versus "one to ten" concept and how knowing w…
Ep 453 The Small Business Acquirer: Inside the Mind of Kristi Herold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:54
Most people hear about spectacular acquisitions made by strategic acquirers or giant private equity groups. But the reality is, you're likely to sell your company to a small business in your sector that nobody outside yo…