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.

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

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

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