Harvard Business School · Business

Think Big, Buy Small

Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own startup seem too risky? There's another compelling path open to you: acquiring a small business and running it as CEO. Co-hosted by Harvard Business School Professors Richard Ruback and Royce Yudkoff, the show is an extension of their courses on small firms, including Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition, which has been taken by thousands of MBA students, and their highly-regarded book, HBR Guide To Buying A Small Business, which has sold more than 65,000 copies. In this series, Rick and Royce guide listeners through the different milestones of the journey to acquiring an enduringly profitable small business, sharing insights on how to evaluate prospects, raise capital, and ultimately determine if this path is right for you.

Episodes

The Acquisition, Transition, and Operation of a Technology Solutions Company in Texas

17 Mar 2025

59m

Insights From a Recurring Investor in Self-Funded Searches

10 Mar 2025

1h 1m

The Purchase, Carve Out, and Transformation of a Remote Software Company

03 Mar 2025

53m

From W-2 Job, To Startup Life, To Acquisition Entrepreneurship

24 Feb 2025

49m

Practical Takeaways From A Seasoned Lender To Smaller Firms

17 Feb 2025

57m

The Acquisition of a Remarkable Recurring Revenue Business

10 Feb 2025

56m

Finding One's Way To ETA

03 Feb 2025

54m

Where Are They Now? A Conversation with Geoff Duckworth

21 Jan 2025

16m

Listeners’ Questions, Rick and Royce's Answers

09 Sep 2024

58m

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Entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) offers a viable path to business ownership by focusing on established, profitable firms rather than high-risk startups. Success in this field requires prioritizing businesses with recurring revenue, low customer concentration, and operations that function independently of the ...