Mike Andes explains how to buy lawn care companies: check Craigslist in off-season or use BizBuySell for broker listings. The real asset is the client list and contracts, not the equipment. Sellers often offload gear separately while you focus on acquiring customers and their contact information.
All right. The honorable Kevin Fairburn.
Kevin.
Hello, Kevin.
He has the same birthday as me.
He asks how do you find or ask to acquire other businesses or accounts?
How do you find or ask to acquire other businesses or accounts?
Craigslist is honestly a really good spot in the middle of winter or when your slow season is for someone that's just trying to get out of the business and they're usually lower priced. If they have a broker involved, then you're looking on like biz Buy sell the, for example, that's a good place to look. It's kind of like the MLS of businesses when they go for sale. And so that is usually gonna have a broker involved though, or at least an agent. And those are usually priced a lot higher. If you're trying to get a deal, Craigslist is usually the best way. And that's not even as good as actually just personal connections. This is when having good connections and good relationships with other landscapers comes into play. Because if they know you're a mover and shaker in your local market and you've talked to them and you're nice to them and you cover their and you help them when you can, they're going to come to you first. Because sometimes it's a little bit shameful if you've got to close your business or if you're not succeeding and they're going to come to you who they can trust and know that you're not going to make them feel like an idiot. And so having those good connections with other landscapers is what's going to lead to a really good acquisition. That being said, if you're trying to move into a new market, I would look on Craigslist during the slow season for someone that's retiring, trying to get out of the business and they're usually going to be selling it for really just the cost of their equipment plus, you know, a little bit of money for say their website, phone number and client list. That's really what you're trying to buy. The value of your business is in your client list and in your contracts. It is not in your equipment. When we bought companies in the past, equipment has never been involved. I always tell them, hey, go get someone else to buy your equipment on Craigslist or something. I just want your contact list. That's where the money's at.
