Buy, Don’t Build: How to Buy a Business and Skip the Startup Struggle

Buy a business. Skip the struggle.
In this episode, we reveal why more entrepreneurs are choosing to acquire established businesses instead of building from scratch—and how AI gives you a massive edge every step of the way.

Host Kim Lewis Howard and business strategist Hal Howardunpack one of the biggest opportunities of 2025: buying a small business instead of building one from scratch. With millions of Baby Boomer-owned businesses hitting the market and AI leveling the playing field, the smartest move you can make might not be launching—it might be acquiring.

 

Whether you’re a solopreneur, a time-strapped founder, ora corporate escapee ready to own something real—this is your playbook.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why over 12 million small businesses are projected to change hands—and how to spot the right one for you
• The emotional dynamics most buyers completelyoverlook (and how to win the trust of retiring founders)
• A 5-step roadmap to buying your first business—without getting burned
• How AI tools can help you with due diligence, SOPs, negotiation, and integration
• Real-world insights from Hal’s current deals + acandid story from Kim’s own family business succession

 

 

🤖 AI Tools + Tactics Mentioned:

• Using AI to analyze P&Ls, detect red flags, and speed up financial due diligence
• How ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude can help draft SOPs, Letters of Intent, and even prep for negotiations
• Prompts that save hours—and thousands—in consulting and legal fees

 

Who This Episode Is For:

• Small business owners looking for their next growth move
• Solopreneurs and consultants exploring acquisition
• Aspiring entrepreneurs ready to skip the “startup struggle”
• Tech-curious founders eager to turn AI into a strategic edge
• Anyone who’s ever thought: “There has to be a smarter way to build wealth.”

 

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going:

What kind of business would you buy if you had the right tools and roadmap?

• DM Kim or Hal on LinkedIn. Or comment here onthe platform.
• Join the AI Insiders Community for informationregarding the IMPACT masterclass → Request to Join our Private Community
• Have a question or an AI success story? DM us on LinkedIn or Facebook!
• Ask us about the Small Business Transformation Model (SBTM)—a simple, step-by-step framework designed for business owners → Email Howard & Howard Holdings, Inc.

 

 

🎧 Subscribe + Review:

If you enjoyed this episode, tap “Follow” on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss a drop of strategic wisdom. And if today’s show shifted your thinking, leave us a review—it helps us reach more entrepreneurs like you.

 

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Music Credit: “I Am with You” by Dream Cave; EpidemicSound via iStock.com

Sound Effects: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/