# Ep 552: What to Know Before Selling to an ETA Buyer | Built to Sell Radio

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/built-to-sell-radio-3693/ep-552-what-to-know-before-selling-to-an-eta-buyer-built-to-sell-radio
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/built-to-sell-radio-3693/ep-552-what-to-know-before-selling-to-an-eta-buyer-built-to-sell-radio.md
Podcast: [Built to Sell Radio](https://stenobird.com/podcast/built-to-sell-radio-3693)
Published: 2026-06-26T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://builttosell.libsyn.com/ep-552-what-to-know-before-selling-to-an-eta-buyer-built-to-sell-radio
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/builttosell/Will_Smith_Episode_Edit.mp3?dest-id=269159
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/built-to-sell-radio-3693/episodes/ep-552-what-to-know-before-selling-to-an-eta-buyer-built-to-sell-radio
Duration seconds: 3291

## Resource

What do you need to know before selling your business to an ETA buyer? Most owners have received the email. It usually starts with something flattering: "I love what you've built…" Then comes the ask: a quick call to learn more about your business. Increasingly, those emails are coming from ETA buyers — entrepreneurs using entrepreneurship through acquisition as their path into business ownership. Instead of starting a company from scratch, they look to buy an existing business and run it themselves. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio , John Warrillow talks with Will Smith , host of Acquiring Minds , one of the leading podcasts covering entrepreneurship through acquisition. Will has interviewed hundreds of ETA buyers and brings rare insight into how they think, how they finance deals, and where deals fall apart. What You'll Learn in This Episode Whether you're actively considering selling your business or just exploring your options, this conversation covers what every owner should understand before entertaining an offer from an ETA buyer: How to tell the difference between a funded searcher and a self-funded buyer — and why it matters for your deal structure Why some ETA buyers use heavy debt to acquire a business — and what that means for you as a seller How to spot the hidden risk in a seller note — a key piece of most ETA transactions How to evaluate whether a young buyer has the leadership experience to run your company after you exit How to protect your employees from a buyer who may not fit your culture Better questions to ask before signing a letter of intent (LOI) with an ETA buyer How to judge whether a buyer can actually close — not just sign Are ETA Buyers Right for Your Business? ETA buyers can be a great fit for owners of profitable niche businesses t…

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## Transcript

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