🌊 Lake Management Business making $289k/yr!

Here’s what we have for you today:

Confusing Corporate Sayings:

“We like to foster independent thinking here.”

Professional Translation
“They encourage employees to make their own decisions.“

Corporate Pivot Translation
“We provide zero guidance, zero training, and will still blame you when it goes wrong.“

Sam’s Perspective (1st Time Buyer)

🆕 Status Update: This week was slow on the business buying front, but I did mess around and try out some no code apps this weekend. If you’re like me and don’t know—and honestly don’t ever want to know—how to code, this week’s lesson might save you some pain.

I tried messing around with Firebase Studio, which is supposed to make building apps easy without needing a tech background. Spoiler: it wasn’t easy. Even the basic stuff felt confusing and way more complicated than it should’ve been. So much for “no-code.”

The good news? Procrastination finally paid off. Now there are tools like Cursor where you can basically type, "make me an app," and it figures out most of the hard parts for you. Turns out you don’t need to fake being a software engineer—you just need to know how to ask the right questions.

Moral of the story: if you’ve been putting off learning to code, you might not need to anymore. Just let the machines do what they’re good at.

Tyler’s Perspective (Experienced Buyer)

🆕 Status Update: We’ve talked a lot about how to structure acquisitions in the past—and we have a potentially interesting structure coming up soon that we’ll share more about—but we haven’t touched much on how to actually finance a deal.

If you’re looking to buy a small business, you’ve probably noticed that traditional financing is expensive right now (thanks to where interest rates are across the board). One financing option you shouldn’t overlook is seller financing. It’s exactly what it sounds like—the current owner agrees to let you pay part of the purchase price over time, often with flexible terms and lower upfront costs. For buyers, that usually means cheaper debt and less money out of pocket on day one.

Of course, you’ll want clear, legally binding terms—repayment schedule, interest rates, contingencies, all of it spelled out up front. These agreements can be as simple or as detailed as you and the seller are comfortable with.

In today’s competitive market, seller financing can be the difference between landing a great business or losing out to someone else. Always make sure to ask about it early in the conversation.

💰 Deals < $500k 💰

Business Name: Pool Service Route
Revenue: $351,680
Asking Price: $288,680
Profit: $152,990 (Profit Margin = 43.5%)
Location: Deland, FL
Established: 2021

✅ Pros:

• Recurring Revenue Base: 159 clients with monthly recurring billing over $21k.

• Included Equipment: Comes with 2 equipped trucks, Riptide vacuums, and other necessary gear.

⚠️ Cons:

• Geographic Constraints: Route spread across two counties (Volusia and Flagler) may create some travel inefficiencies.

📈 Growth Opportunities:

• Upsell Repair Services: Pool repair, chemical balancing, and heater maintenance could add high-margin revenue.

• Marketing Push: Local SEO and Google Ads could bring in high-value residential accounts rapidly.

💰💰 Deals $500k - $1m 💰💰

Business Name: Lake Management Business
Revenue: $887,709
Asking Price: $725,000
Profit: $288,810 (Profit Margin = 32.5%)
Location: Missouri
Established: 1989

✅ Pros:

• Recurring & Diverse Client Base: Private landowners, HOAs, resorts, and municipalities across a 150-mile radius.

• High-Margin Services: Biological treatments, dock installations, and aeration systems generate strong cash flow.

⚠️ Cons:

• Seasonal Nature: Revenue has slight seasonal swings depending on aquatic management needs.

📈 Growth Opportunities:

• Digitize Operations: Little to no online presence—building SEO and social media could massively expand reach.

• Expand Dock & Chemical Divisions: Under-marketed services that could drive major revenue gains.

💰💰💰 Deals $1m+ 💰💰💰

Business Name: Excavation Company
Revenue: $1,736,047
Asking Price: $1,295,000
Profit: $369,806 (Profit Margin = 21.3%)
Location: Nashville, TN
Established: 2019

✅ Pros:

• $1M in Equipment Included: Nearly 80% of the sale price is backed by tangible, high-value equipment.

• High Demand Sector: Consistent growth in both residential and commercial development drives service needs.

⚠️ Cons:

• Labor-Intensive Business: Excavation work requires managing crews and maintaining expensive machinery.

📈 Growth Opportunities:

• Expand New Line – Pickleball Court Installations: A hot trend that taps into affluent residential markets.

• Increase Fleet Utilization: Adding new crews or subcontractors could allow more jobs to be completed simultaneously.