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Youknowyouwanttoown a business.
Youjustdon’tknowhowtogetthere.
AcquiPilot helps experienced professionals buy a small business by telling them exactly what to do next and keeping them moving until they close.
Start for free
Most first-time buyers fail at one of three moments.
You don't know where to start
You complete a structured self-assessment, build an investment thesis, and download an acquisition profile before you talk to a single broker. Most buyers skip all of this. You won't.
You evaluate the wrong deals
Every deal runs through the same financial framework: reconstruct the owner earnings, run the stress test, and check the valuation. You see the real numbers before you make an offer.
Momentum dies in the middle. That's where deals die too.
Due diligence, financing, and closing preparation run in parallel. The platform tracks every milestone and flags what needs attention before it becomes a problem.
Most buyers overestimate their career's financial upside and underestimate the acquisition's.
See your real numbers. Plug in your salary, capital, and timeline.
Opportunity Cost Calculator
Stay in career
$2.15M
10-year accumulated
$3.15M
+$1.01M over Staying in career
Accounts for unsuccessful deals.
If it goes well
$5.15M
Above-average exit
All values in nominal (future) dollars.
Deal snapshot
Year 1 cash flow to equity
$184K
at 15% reinvested
Deal you can afford
$1.20M
SDE target
$375K
at 3.2x
Year 1 cash flow to equity covers your current salary.
10-year projection
| Stay in career | If it goes well | Realistic estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yrs income | $1.82M | $2.70M | $1.87M |
| Equity at exit | $324K | $2.44M | $1.29M |
| Total | $2.15M | $5.15M | $3.15M |
In the realistic scenario, buying a business returns $3.15M over 10 years, above the $2.15M you would accumulate staying in your career. If things go well, that number rises to $5.15M.
The honest question is not whether this can work. It clearly can. It is whether you are prepared to improve your odds. That is what the rest of this process is designed to help you figure out.
From first decision to closing day.
Step 1
Show up credible before your first broker meeting
Answer a guided self-assessment. Walk away with a formatted acquisition profile that signals you're a serious buyer, not a tire-kicker.
Complete the self-assessment. Download your acquisition profile. Hand it to a broker.
That's free.
Free
$0Everything you need to prepare before your first broker meeting.
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Most popularWhen you find a deal worth pursuing. Every tool from evaluation to closing day.
SubscribeWalk away with an acquisition profile that makes brokers return your call.
Complete the self-assessment. Download your acquisition profile. Show up as the buyer brokers take seriously.
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