In this episode of the M&A Launchpad Podcast, hosts Feras Moussa and Casey Minshew welcome guest Chris Edwards, founder of Sanitas Equity and a seasoned acquisition entrepreneur. Chris walks us through the candid story of buying, scaling, and exiting a retail flooring business in Steamboat Springs, Colorado—growing revenue by 50% and doubling profits before securing a 24x return on invested capital.
The conversation dives into what it truly looks like to acquire and operate a traditional small business with SBA financing, the people challenges that come with change, and how systematization using tools like Notion helped turn chaos into a streamlined operation.
This episode offers real-world takeaways on what works—and what doesn’t—when stepping into the operator’s seat for the first time.
In this podcast episode, we discuss:
- Buying vs. Building a Small Business
- Using SBA Loans to Fund Acquisitions
- Operational Turnarounds and System Building
- Key Employee Challenges and Cultural Fit
- Knowing When to Exit a Business
You can connect with Chris here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-edwards-44664052/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/toph_edwards Email: chris@sanitasequity.com Website: https://www.sanitasequity.com/
Additional Resources:
Work with a Trusted Quality of Earnings and Financial Diligence Partner who focuses solely on Business Acquisitions: Schedule a discovery call with Patrick of O'Connell Advisory Group—Your Dynamic Quality of Earnings Partner. https://oconnelladvisorygroup.com/
Access our archive of video interviews on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MALaunchpad Get in touch with show hosts Casey Minshew and Feras Moussa at: info@equity-launchpad.com Looking to invest in M&A opportunities or partner with an advisor to acquire, scale, or sell your business? Visit: https://www.equity-launchpad.com/
About The M&A Launchpad: The M&A Launchpad provides insights into acquiring, investing in, and selling profitable businesses in the lower to middle market. Whether you are a business owner, investor, or aspiring entrepreneur, we will provide you with the knowledge, guidance, and capital to navigate the world of mergers and acquisitions. The M&A Launchpad presents a series of weekly podcast episodes and hosts an annual M&A Launchpad Conference tailored to the M&A community. Connect with M&A Launchpad: 🎧 Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0mW6i4ooujqC7eOPWmguU7 🎧 Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m-a-launchpad/id1740382586 🎟️ Attend Upcoming M&A Launchpad Conference: http://malaunchpad.com/
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