Advisors

Adam founded ProjectionHub, a financial modeling firm, after 12 years as an SBA lender and Executive Director of Bankable, where he closed more than 1,500 loans. He advises Lab members on evaluating deals, lender expectations, and financing structures. He also built the Lab’s financial model.

Andrew Hippert has spent over a decade investing across venture and SMB acquisitions, including deploying $2.5M annually across 8 Techstars accelerator cohorts, backing 93 early-stage companies in sportstech, fintech, and healthtech. He now co-manages Acquisition Lab Capital's preferred equity fund and EIR program for SBA-backed searchers.

Ben is an M&A leader at Cherry Bekaert with experience across buy- and sell-side deals, capital formation, and financial reporting in industries including transportation, manufacturing, and consumer products. His prior M&A roles include Managing Partner at The DVS Group and Vice President at Tarsus CFO Services.

Bhushan has acquired three businesses and most recently founded TRACQ, which he runs alongside two of his acquisitions, Custom Logo Cases and Paver Supply Warehouse. At the Lab, he supports the “Refining Your Target Statement” onboarding session, helping members define their search criteria from an operator’s perspective.

Branden founded eCom Exchange, an eCommerce consulting and acquisitions firm, after building expertise across the acquisition lifecycle over eight years. He has acquired eight brands—five personally and three with partners. He advises Lab members on deal sourcing, valuation, structure, marketing, and negotiation for online business acquisitions.

Brian has built a portfolio of training and education companies through self-funded acquisitions, both independently and with partners. He advises Lab members on evaluating acquisitions, due diligence, and the transition to ownership, drawing on his experience as an Operator, investor, and former partner at Centurica.

Charles acquired Ethos, a disaster preparedness equipment company, after serving as a captain in the United States Army from 2010 to 2015 and holding roles in management consulting, manufacturing, and private equity.

Chelsea Wood is a Certified M&A Advisor who has spent more than two decades helping leaders make better decisions around growth, transactions, and business performance. She co-founded Acquisition Lab in 2020 and has personally supported more than 1,000 acquisition entrepreneurs through search, diligence, closing, and ownership. She continues to support Lab members through regular office hours.

Chris served in the U.S. Army and spent his career working in regulated industries. He acquired restoration businesses in 2024 and 2025 and now works as an independent sponsor. At the Lab, he takes admissions calls with applicants.

Chuck built his first internet business in 1996 and has been buying, growing, and selling online businesses ever since. He is an M&A advisor at Quiet Light, an online business brokerage, and advises Lab members on evaluating online businesses and conducting the diligence that can uncover what a listing leaves out.

Connor has experience building, buying, and exiting franchise businesses. He launched a home services franchise at 20, acquired a waste management franchise in Indiana in 2022, and exited the home services business in 2025. He serves as the Lab’s main resource on franchising, helping members understand how franchise ownership can fit into an acquisition strategy.

Dana has spent more than 30 years buying, growing, and selling small businesses across industries including construction recycling, music distribution, and eCommerce. She advises Lab members on diligence, transitions, B2B growth, and finding unexpected opportunities through search.

Heather ran SBA lending for acquisition entrepreneurs at Live Oak Bank, where she was the bank’s top lender, before founding Viso Business Capital, a loan advisory firm available to Lab members. The Viso team advises members on SBA loan structures, lender selection, and getting a deal through underwriting

Joe is a buy-side advisor and SBA loan intermediary who performs bank-style cash flow analysis, scrutinizes and verifies add-backs, and provides input on business valuation and offer structure before matching buyers with the right lenders. He also prepares underwriting packages and supports clients from start to close.

Kinza acquired her own company after a decade in management roles at Southwest Airlines, Apple, and JPMorgan Chase, as well as working as a business broker to study the acquisition process firsthand. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio State and an MBA from UT Austin.

Natalie Siston is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and former Fortune 100 sales coaching leader. At Acquisition Lab, she helps buyers recognize the mindset patterns that influence decision-making, relationships, and their ability to close a deal. She also works privately with leaders and business owners through her coaching practice.

Niklas is a three-time independent sponsor and co-founder of Minds Capital, a gap equity fund that invests $1 million to $3 million per platform in searchers and independent sponsors. He also co-hosts the Minds Capital Podcast, which covers the independent sponsor ecosystem, and advises Lab members on the independent sponsor model.

Ryan is an operations leader who has spent his career in finance and accounting, starting as a consultant to startups and growth-stage companies before moving into operations, where he built and scaled delivery teams. As COO of a national outsourced CFO and accounting firm, he helped drive the growth that led to its acquisition, then stayed on to run integration and to acquire and integrate a second professional services organization. He later served as VP of Operations through that firm's own sale to private equity. Ryan has since focused on applying AI and automation to tax and financial services workflows and now leads Acquisition Lab Operate as General Manager.

Sonya Hausafus built and led two businesses, Brand Blast Communications and Root to Rise Consulting, after holding executive marketing roles at seven startups, including Techstars. At Acquisition Lab, she advises entrepreneurs on personal branding, positioning, and communicating their value to brokers and sellers. Her firms are also available for consulting engagements.

Tim raised $40 million while building Zagster, a venture-backed bike-share company, and exited in 2020. He came to the Lab as a member, bought We Rent Copiers with an SBA 7(a) loan in 2023, and began investing his own money in other members’ deals. That became Shareholder Ventures, which he co-founded with Jordan and which is now the Lab’s Fund.

Walker began buying companies in 2006, long before he coined the term “acquisition entrepreneurship.” His 2018 book, Buy Then Build, became a Wall Street Journal bestseller, defined the category, and is now taught at half a dozen of the world’s leading MBA programs, steering a generation of entrepreneurs toward buying instead of starting. He founded Acquisition Lab in late 2019 after launching the ETA program at the Olin School of Business and remains involved as a board member and investor. In 2022, he founded Build Capital, where he continues to acquire lower-middle-market businesses.