Buy Well, Exit Better: A $67m Win in 4 Years

Will Smith interviews Greg Geronemus, former co-CEO of Smart Tours and now managing partner at Footbridge Partners, about his journey into entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA). Greg shares his background, including his upbringing in a medical family that transitioned into a small business, and how he discovered the search fund concept at Harvard Business School. He details the search process he and his partner embarked upon, emphasizing the importance of both high-volume outreach and in-person networking. Greg breaks down the acquisition of Smart Tours, a tour operator business, including the deal structure, the challenges they faced, and the strategies they implemented to de-risk and grow the company. He also reflects on the lessons learned from the experience and discusses his current role at Footbridge Partners, where he supports traditional searchers in acquiring businesses, particularly in the travel space.