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Buying a business is hot right now. Everyone wants to be the next owner-operator…Â
…Until you’re the one running payroll, managing staff, and handling operations.Â
In this episode of The Passive Income Playbook, Sean Smith—Managing Partner at Search Fund Ventures, where he built a network of 3,800+ LPs, reviews 250–300 deals a year, and just closed a $5M fund focused on cash-flowing, recession-resistant companies like HVAC and B2B logistics—explains the smarter path.
Instead of becoming the CEO, LPs can back skilled operators through the search fund model, capturing predictable cash flow and private equity–style returns without ever becoming the CEO.
In this episode we cover:
✅ Why the “silver tsunami” + SBA leverage create a generational LP opportunity
âś… How the search fund model works (traditional, self-funded, and independent sponsor)
âś… How to build a thesis around essential businesses with predictable earnings
✅ Sean’s 215-point due diligence checklist—and the red flags that instantly kill a deal
âś… How family offices, institutions, and retail LPs each play in this space
âś… The terms and structures LPs must watch for to avoid getting crammed
If you’re interested in generating private equity–style returns without running a business yourself, this episode is for you.
Chapters
00:00 – Why Buying a Business Might Be the Wrong Play for LPs
02:01 – Meet Sean Smith: Building a $5M Fund for Small Business Deals
02:32 – Search Funds Made Simple: 3 Models Every LP Should Know
07:18 – The Silver Tsunami: $7–10T of Small Biz Changing Hands
09:41 – Where LPs Win: Why Services Beat SaaS & Manufacturing
15:18 – Building a Cash Flow Thesis: Essential Businesses in Durable Markets
21:03 – The 215-Point Checklist: How to Spot Red Flags Before Wiring Money
25:30 – Diligence in Action: From Teaser to SIM to Data Room
35:19 – Why Deal Flow Matters: Reviewing 300 Deals to Fund 2%
45:05 – Terms That Protect LPs: Prefs, Leverage, and Fair Splits
