Master the Art of Buying Online Businesses—Confidently, Strategically, and Profitably
Buying an online business can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make… or one of the worst. The difference between success and failure often comes down to your knowledge, strategy, and preparation. That’s why Acquisition Game exists—to put the odds in your favor.
Online businesses have an undeniable allure. They offer freedom, flexibility, and the potential for limitless growth. But starting a business from scratch can be overwhelming and full of uncertainty. There’s no guarantee it will succeed, and in fact, most businesses fail. The early days of an online business are usually grueling, with lots of hard work and little profit.
Acquisition can be a game-changer. Buying an existing business is a shortcut to success, allowing you to focus on growth and scale rather than on the concept. For most people, buying an existing business is a better pathway to success than building from the ground up.
Of course, every investment brings risk, and buying an online business is certainly no exception. But with the right strategy and approach, risk doesn’t have to stop you.
This course covers the details you need to consider as a buyer and provides insight to help you identify the right opportunity, stand out from other buyers, and close the deal with confidence.
Hi, I’m Brad Wayland, a lifelong entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in online business and M&A. I’ve operated online businesses from e-commerce (including a multi-million dollar t-shirt company) to content and everything in between. I’ve acquired 26 online businesses and had 4 exits, including selling a portfolio of sites to private equity.
For the past 8 years, I’ve used my experience to help entrepreneurs with their own exits as an M&A advisor with Quiet Light, where I’m currently the Managing Director. As a broker, I’ve led and closed nearly 100 business sales.
When it comes to M&A, I have experience from all sides (buyer, seller, and broker). I believe my experience and access to the industry uniquely qualify me to help others, like yourself, who want to learn more about the strategy behind an acquisition with a high ROI.
I’ve made plenty of successful acquisitions on my own, and also a few that haven’t been so great. And in my daily interactions with buyers and sellers over the past 8 years, I’ve learned even more.
If you’re interested in acquiring an existing online business, I believe this course can help you on that journey.
Buying an online business isn’t hard. Anyone with a little bit of money and a willingness to take action can do it. But doing it successfully and getting a good return on your investment is a different story. I’d love to share everything I’ve learned with you and increase your odds of success.
Acquisition Game includes 20 video lessons totaling 5+ hours of content, with downloadable transcripts of each lesson.
The course is relevant for acquisitions of all sizes. The content is based on my experience with deals from 5-figures to 8-figures, so it’s applicable to a very wide range of buyers.
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What You’ll Learn in Acquisition Game
I've called this course the Acquisition Game for a reason. I do think of it as a game. The game requires strategy. Over time, I’ve figured out what works and what doesn't work. I share that with you in this course because I believe you can find meaning and monetary gains by going through the game plan.
Why Buying Beats Starting from Scratch
If you don't want a high percentage chance of failure, buying a business that's already working is a better approach than starting from scratch. We’ll take a detailed look at how the two options compare and why buying is the better option for most entrepreneurs.
What Type of Business is Right for You?
Not all online businesses are created equal, and finding the right one depends on your skills, interests, and goals. We’ll look at the important details of the primary online business models so you can assess your strengths and determine which aligns with your vision and expertise.
Valuing and Evaluating Businesses
Understanding valuations is a critical part of the process. We’ll explore typical valuations and multiples, what influences them, what types of businesses typically sell for higher or lower multiples, and how the deal structure impacts the valuation.
Buying a Thriving Business vs. a Turnaround Project
Should you buy a business that’s growing quickly (and pay a higher multiple) or one that needs to be turned around (and pay a lower multiple)? We’ll cover the pros and cons of each approach, as well as the impact of your personal strengths and experiences. You’ll learn when to be cautious, the best way to think about your ROI, and how to find the right fit for your skillset.
Where to Buy Online Businesses
We’ll cover the different ways to find online businesses to buy, as well as the pros and cons of each. We’ll also talk about deal size and how that impacts where you’ll find business for sale.
How to Finance Your Acquisition
Some of the most common questions from buyers involve financing. We’ll look at several options and the factors you should consider, plus a deep-dive discussion on SBA loans. We’ll cover things like:
- How SBA loans work
- The typical dollar range available for SBA loans
- Potential issues and drawbacks for buyers
- The typical timeline for SBA loans to close
- What it means if you see a business listed as pre-qualified for an SBA loan
- How to use SBA loans as a buying strategy
How to Stand Out from Other Buyers and Get an Edge with Sellers
The market is competitive, and sellers often receive multiple offers. The course teaches you how to position yourself to stand out from other buyers. I cover the specific approach I’ve used in my own acquisitions, as well as insight into the things I’ve seen from brokering nearly 100 deals.
The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Due Diligence Firm
We’ll cover what a due diligence firm does, what they don’t do, when it makes sense to hire one, and when it doesn’t.Â
How to Evaluate a Potential Acquisition’s Risk
There’s no denying that buying an online business involves risk. Throughout the course, I talk about the details that impact risk, how to manage it as much as possible, how to assess the risk level of a particular business, and how to consider your own comfort level and risk tolerance. We can’t take all the risk out of the equation, but we can use a smart approach that increases the likelihood of success.
The Pros and Cons of Growing a Portfolio of Websites
A lot of people want to own and operate a portfolio of multiple websites or businesses. I took that approach myself for several years. I’ll share my honest thoughts on the portfolio approach vs. focusing on a single business.Â
How Various Transaction Sizes Differ
The process of a $50,000 acquisition is much different than a $10 million acquisition. We’ll look at different transaction sizes and how they impact the process so you can know what to expect based on the range you’re looking at.
How to Succeed Long-Term
The purchase is just the beginning—sustainability and growth determine your ultimate success. This course covers strategies to help you succeed with any online business model. I share the things I’ve seen and experienced over 20 years in the industry. After working with many ultra-successful business owners, there are some clear patterns and specific details or habits that make the difference between success and failure.
Testimonials
Chris
We are just now coming up for air to say thank you for all your efforts. We really appreciated your steady hand as we navigated the purchase. We’re excited in the potential of the asset and are hard at work expanding the business. The seller has been a pleasure to work with post-sale and has been readily available throughout the transition. We’d like to stay in touch moving forward – you have a ton of experience in this space, and we’re considering a future exit once we get this business operating at the capacity we know it is capable of.
Sean
This was the third online business I founded by myself, and then decided to sell after growing into a profitable machine. Before Brad, I had engaged with several brokers and found the whole landscape quite intimidating. Since I was a busy business owner, Brad assured me he would make the sales process as simple as possible for me. Brad knows the sales process better than any broker I’ve ever encountered. He brought me a hot lead and I had a signed agreement with a buyer in 48 hours. Brad provided me guidance through the entire process, and was always available to hop on the phone to answer my concerns at each step. Thanks Brad!
Michael
I have sold two companies with Brad Wayland. One above asking and one at asking price. One sold in two hours, and the other didn’t even have to get listed to sell. Brad has a great list of buyers, a good nose for finding the right one, and getting them a sense of urgency to close. Before Brad, I sold another company with a more expensive broker, and it was a horrible two-year experience that probably cost me several million dollars in time and potential. I’ve recommended Brad to my sister and a good friend. Both sold their companies and had great experiences. Both sold their company for asking price.
Master the Acquisition Game
If you’ve never acquired an online business before, don’t go in blind. The strategy covered in the Acquisition Game can help you avoid common (and costly) pitfalls and increase your likelihood of success.
And if you have purchased an online business before but you’re looking for insight to help improve your process, I’d be happy to be a part of your journey.
