“Everyone told me to walk away. I didn’t.”

Happy Friday!

On Monday, I shared Brittany’s story of how she spent 9 months on a deal that 15 banks rejected, that most people told her to abandon…

That ultimately closed at $850K with 100% seller financing and a growth trajectory that could turn it into a seven-figure business within 18 months.

Today, you’ll get her biggest lessons from that journey, and our full conversation about how she pulled it off. 👇

Community Spotlight

Before sharing Brittany’s key takeaways, I wanted to share Mario’s success story from our Acquisition Ace community.

Mario bought an $1.8M homecoming mum and party supply store for just $20K out of pocket, and 10x’d his investment in 6 months.

He went from CPG sales to owning a seasonal retail business making 40% more than the previous owner.

👉 Want all the tools, responsive coaches, and community support you need to succeed in your first acquisition? Book a call with our team here.

“Everyone told me to walk away. The bank said no. But I knew the principles. I knew the deal. Don’t let one obstacle or one person’s opinion kill something that fundamentally makes sense.”

That’s what Brittany told me after closing on her first acquisition - a medical weight loss clinic that was flying under the radar in a market hungry for exactly what it offers.

3 key takeaways from our conversation

1. Bank rejection doesn’t mean deal rejection

Fifteen banks passed on this deal because of commingled financials between two businesses.

Brittany understood why the numbers looked the way they did, and knew the underlying business was sound.

When the seller agreed to owner-finance, the problem disappeared entirely.

A bank’s “no” is one data point, not a final verdict.

2. Defer your first payment whenever possible

Brittany negotiated 90 days before her first seller financing payment was due.

That window gave her time to build cash reserves, cover payroll, and stabilize operations before debt service kicked in.

On a fee-for-service business with same-day cash collection, that buffer made the transition far less stressful than it could have been.

(Brittany recognized that the commingled financials were a solvable problem, not a fatal flaw. Inside Acquisition Ace, members learn how to evaluate deals that look messy on the surface but have real underlying value. To see how you can benefit from the Acquisition Ace community and make your first acquisition, book a call with our team here.)

3. Get the seller out as fast as you can

Even with a perfectly pleasant seller, Brittany found the lingering presence created friction she hadn’t anticipated.

The energy of a retiring owner who no longer has authority but still has emotional attachment to the business is a real dynamic, and one that resolves itself much more cleanly once they’ve fully moved on.

This week’s action item

Look at one deal you’ve previously dismissed, whether because a bank passed, a number looked off, or someone advised against it…

And run it through the fundamentals yourself.

Is the underlying business sound? Is the problem structural or solvable?

Looking at it with fresh eyes might reveal potential you hadn’t previously considered.

To hear Brittany’s full story of how she held on for 9 months and closed a deal most people told her to quit…

Watch the full interview with her here.

P.S. Brittany said it herself: the principles she learned inside Acquisition Ace are what gave her the confidence to push through when everyone else said stop.

If you want that same foundation behind your search…

👉 Book a call with our team here to see how the Acquisition Ace community could help you land your first business acquisition.