Most people think starting a business is the brave move.
It's not. It's the expensive one.
While founders burn years chasing traction, there's a quieter game happening in plain sight.
Profitable businesses. Cash flow. Real customers. Owners ready to exit.
Miss this conversation and you'll keep mistaking struggle for ambition.
In this episode of Vault Unlocked, Kayvon sits down with Doug Thorpe, a former banker turned acquisition advisor who's been directly involved in 24 successful business acquisitions.
This isn't theory. It's the real anatomy of how deals actually get done.
They break down why baby boomer business owners are exiting in massive numbers, why their kids don't want the businesses, and why most buyers misunderstand what they're walking into.
You'll hear what sellers actually care about beyond price, why "no money down in 30 days" is fantasy, how long real acquisitions take, and what separates buyers who win from those who get crushed under risk they didn't anticipate.
This is a ground-level look at buying businesses that already work, not building something fragile and hoping it survives.
This episode is for operators, founders, investors, and executives who think in systems, not hype.
If you're looking for shortcuts, passive income myths, or motivational noise, this isn't for you.
If you care about cash flow, leverage, leadership, and buying assets instead of jobs, you'll recognize yourself immediately.
The conversation explores business growth through acquisition, how real wealth is built through ownership, and why small businesses with strong fundamentals outperform most startups over time.
It touches power dynamics between buyers and sellers, leadership under pressure, risk tolerance, deal structures, and how disciplined systems turn stagnant businesses into scalable assets.
This episode sits at the intersection of money, control, sales, negotiation, and long-term strategy in a market most people don't even realize exists.
Topics covered:
Why buying an existing business beats starting from zero
The baby boomer exit wave and the trillions locked inside it
What sellers actually care about when choosing a buyer
How to evaluate cash flow, systems, and upside
Investor mindset vs operator mindset
Common acquisition myths that kill deals
Real timelines, financing, and deal structures
The risk tolerance most buyers underestimate
Looking to dive deeper into these conversations and connect with our host and guest?
Follow Doug Thorpe:
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