Finding Your Deal Box

Hey there entrepreneurs,

Welcome to the Better Business Brief, where I share takeaways from:

running a business I’m building to sell for millions
my consulting with business owners building to sell for millions
tips and tricks you can use to do the same

Recently on my weekly show, we talked all about something that I think way too many people skip: how to figure out what kind of business you should actually buy.

Buying a business sounds exciting — but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll waste months (or even years) chasing listings with no clear strategy. Trust me, I’ve been there...

So today, in less than 5 minutes, I’ll give you:

📦 What your “deal box” is — and why you need one

📈 What to consider when narrowing down your target business

🧠 What I’ve learned the hard way (so you don’t have to)

All of this hinges on one thing - focus.

📦 The Deal Box: What Is It and Why It Matters

Your “deal box” is just a fancy way of saying: what kind of business makes sense for you to buy.

When we were first starting out, my partner Ryan and I looked at everything. HVAC, marketing companies, laundromats, you name it. And here’s what we learned fast:
If everything is a target, nothing is.

The clearer we got on our box, the faster good deals started to pop out. And more importantly, the easier it was to say “no” to stuff that looked shiny but didn’t fit.

So if you’re in the market, here’s what your deal box should include:

✅ Are you buying a business or buying a job?
✅ What industry are you playing in — and why?
✅ How much profit do you need to make?
✅ What’s your price point (and capital stack) to afford it?

It sounds simple, but most people skip these and end up stuck.

📈 Buying a Business vs Buying a Job

This is the first big fork in the road.

Some businesses are basically jobs in disguise. You buy it, and now you’re the technician, the operator, the one answering the phones and running the day-to-day. And if that’s what you want — that’s great. Just be honest about it.

Other businesses are set up to run with a team in place. The owner is more of a manager (or even fully removed). These cost more, but they’re structured more like investments — not full-time commitments.

You need to decide upfront:
Do you want to own and operate something, or do you want to buy a machine that can run with your leadership, not your labor?

🧠 My Hard-Earned Lessons from the Field

Here’s what I’ve personally learned searching for businesses:

1. Start with the cash flow you need
Forget the price tag. Start with what you need the business to produce. If you’re leaving a $100K salary, don’t buy a business that nets $60K unless you love stress and hate money. Figure out what net income you need, then work backward to find a business (and deal structure) that can get you there.

2. Know your capital limits — and what that buys you
If you’ve got $250K, you’re not buying a well-oiled machine. You’re likely buying a fixer-upper — probably one where you’ll be answering phones and running jobs yourself, at least at first. Be real about what your capital unlocks and whether you need SBA financing, seller financing, or a partner.

3. Pick an industry that fits your skills (or your network)
You don’t have to be “that guy” for the business… but you better know that guy. If you’re not technical, maybe don’t buy a complex trade business without someone on your team who is. We like home and commercial services - but even there, the competition is heating up. Look for strong margins in industries that aren’t already picked over.

4. Stay out of the McDonalds trap
We joked on the show that scrolling BizBuySell is like staring at a McDonald’s menu — you already know what’s there, but you keep reading it like something new will magically appear. Stop browsing. Get clear. Then only hunt within that clear box.

This stuff has taken me and my partners a long time to figure out — and we’re still refining it. So if you’re early in your journey to buy a business, I hope this saves you some time.

If you want to hear the full breakdown, watch it here and catch future episodes of DealFlow Live every Tuesday at 6PM Eastern. Come hang out with us, bring questions, and send us deals you want us to break down.

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Happy value-building to you!

See you next time for Better Business Brief,

-Brody