Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
Mergers and acquisitions have long been a hot topic in the business world. From small businesses to large corporations, the strategy of acquiring or merging with other companies has been used to increase market share, streamline operations, and maximize profits.
In recent years, entrepreneurs have increasingly turned to this strategy as a way to jumpstart their growth and gain a competitive edge in their industry.
One such entrepreneur, Michael Byars, founder of Acquisition CEO, has built an impressive portfolio of 20 companies through mergers and acquisitions, amassing over $140M/year in revenue. With over 20 years of experience in buying, scaling, and exiting companies for the highest value possible, he has become a master at navigating the complexities of the business world.
Now, he helps business owners and entrepreneurs create their own success stories, offering invaluable insights into the art of growing a business through mergers and acquisitions
Michael’s journey started in rural South Carolina, where he bet on himself and started his first business at the age of 19 in the tech industry. He took that company from 2 locations to an impressive 10,000 endpoints, generating $40M/year in revenue.
Subsequently, he obtained his first acquisition deal by purchasing a failing restaurant and grew the restaurant from $50k in net profit to over $1M/year net within the first 2 years. He then bought a similar restaurant that was netting a loss and was able to quickly grow it to over $1M in profit in the first 12 months. He exited this business in just 13 months, demonstrating his ability to create value quickly.
Using the profit from the sale of his businesses, Michael purchased single-family homes and commercial buildings, and later bolt-on companies including plumbing, HVAC, and property management.
In 2020, he capitalized on the opportunity to purchase an e-commerce company. Through strategic development and implementation of automation software, he was able to take the company from $1.3M in revenue 18 months prior to buying it, to $10M in revenue within the first 6 months of ownership.
Michael Byars is also the co-founder of a business acquisition specialist firm helping entrepreneurs acquire, scale, and sell 7 and 8-figure businesses. In the last year, he trained 350+ entrepreneurs on market strategies, resulting in $60M+ worth of deals for students in the program, leading to potential profits of $15M+ for them and their families.
The prospect of diving into the business world can be daunting for entrepreneurs, with its inherent risks. To combat this uncertainty faced by many, Acquisition CEO has launched a new mastermind program and course that draws upon Michael’s impressive 20-year track record of buying, scaling, and exiting companies for maximum value.
The Mastermind program aims to educate business owners and entrepreneurs on the strategic benefits of acquiring an established business, equipping them with the necessary tools to identify potential target companies, negotiate favorable deals, and unlock optimal value for their business.
Michael’s “why” is rooted in his passion for changing lives by creating legacy wealth for his mentees. He states that at age 19, he was fortunate enough to have a mentor who poured into him and educated him on the principles and strategy of entrepreneurship at a young age, and he now seeks to do the same for others.
