#216 How One Operator Is Making Big Waves in Business Acquisitions

Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast

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4d ago 46:39

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Want to buy a small business using smart deal structures like earnouts, seller financing, and low-risk offers? In this episode of Jackquisitions, host Jack Carr sits down with Chris Barr, a first-time buyer navigating the ups and downs of business acquisitions—from walking away from bad fits to crafting a $900K cash-plus-earnout offer for a pressure washing company.

Learn how Chris is sourcing off-market deals, avoiding shady broker tactics, and building a personal brand that attracts sellers. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how new acquirers can finance service businesses, evaluate seller terms, and structure deals that actually close. If you're buying a business or scaling through acquisition, this episode is packed with actionable insight.

⚡ What you’ll learn

Why Chris walked away from an art-framing shop that didn’t fit his criteria
How a pool-route deal fell through—and the red flags you should watch for with brokers
The numbers behind a $900 K cash-at-close + earnout offer for a thriving pressure-washing business
Proven frameworks for earnouts, seller notes, and revenue-share agreements that reduce risk and align incentives
Tips for building a credible personal brand (see his Quick Staffers journey) to source off-market deals
Step-by-step due-diligence tactics, valuation shortcuts, and negotiation language you can use today
When to pivot, when to persist, and how to decide if a deal really moves the needle

Whether you’re a first-time buyer, an operator expanding a portfolio, or a service-business owner curious about exits, this conversation is packed with actionable M&A strategy, deal structuring hacks, and outreach scripts that close.

👤 Hosted by:

Jack Carr

👤Episode Guest

Chris Barr

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC
Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $1,000 off your first placement here

💼 Special Thanks to First Internet Bank!

Looking to buy or expand a business? First Internet Bank is a National Preferred SBA lender specializing in acquisitions for the skilled trades. Their SBA loan program offers up to 90% financing for business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate—plus optional lines of credit to fuel future growth. Unlike traditional lenders, they take a “how can we” approach, making deals happen for both first-time buyers and experienced operators.

👉 Special Offer: Mention Owned and Operated for a reduced good faith deposit and a complimentary deal review + buyside prequalifi

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC
📌 Disclaimer:
Some links may include UTM parameters for tracking. Episodes may feature paid sponsors, but all opinions are our own. Always do your own research before making business decisions.

Chapters

1. Introduction and Recap (00:00:00)

2. Navigating Business Deals and Strategies (00:04:42)

3. Mitigating Risks in Acquisition Deals (00:23:23)

4. Balancing Growth and Risk in Business Acquisitions (00:28:56)

236 episodes

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