How to Buy a Small Business With Little Money Down

Seller financing, earn-outs, SBA, partner equity, and creative deal structures that make business acquisition possible without a fortune. The playbook for buying your first business.

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You Don't Need to Be Rich to Buy a Business. You Need to Understand Deal Structure.

Most people assume buying a business requires a fortune in cash. It doesn't. The entrepreneurs who acquire businesses are not the ones with the biggest bank accounts — they're the ones who understand deal structure: seller financing, earn-outs, SBA loans, partner equity, and the creative arrangements that make acquisition possible with little money down.

This field manual gives you the complete playbook. Not theory — actual deal structures, scripts for talking to sellers, due diligence checklists, and the negotiation framework that turns "I can't afford it" into "Here's how we structure it."

What You'll Discover Inside

The 7 deal structures that make acquisition possible with little cash

Seller financing — how to structure it, what sellers want, and how to ask

Earn-outs — when they work, when they don't, and how to negotiate them

SBA 7(a) loans — eligibility, process, timeline, and common pitfalls

Partner equity — bringing in capital partners without losing control

Management buyouts — buying the company you already work for

How to find off-market deals before they hit the broker circuit

Valuation for small businesses — the real numbers, not the textbook ones

Due diligence checklist — what to verify and what to walk away from

The acquisition timeline — from first contact to closing

Who This Field Manual Is For

For

Aspiring entrepreneurs who want to buy instead of start
Business owners looking to acquire a competitor or complementary business
Professionals who want to leave corporate and buy a business
Anyone who thinks they can't afford to buy a business

Not For

People looking for 'no money down' scams
Anyone unwilling to do due diligence
Those who think buying a business is easier than running one

Where This Fits in The Acquire Method

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Publisher's Imprint

How To Buy a Small Business is a publication of Acquire Publishing, a division of Acquire, Inc. — Business Acquisition Collection

Practical education, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Acquire Publishing publications are educational resources designed to help entrepreneurs think better, act smarter, and build with more ownership. Consult qualified professionals for decisions specific to your situation. View our full disclaimers.

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