E197: E-commerce & SaaS Acquisitions Financing: Expert Stephen Speer on Funding Your Business Dreams

How2Exit: Buy, Don't Build - M&A of Small Businesses

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Watch Here: https://youtu.be/dgmKbXljveY
About the Guest(s): Stephen Speer is a seasoned lending expert with a specialization in business acquisitions financing. Bringing with him the wisdom that comes with a long-standing career in finance, as evidenced by his hair color, Speer stands out for focusing on the e-commerce and SaaS spaces over the past decade. His experience culminates in over 500 transactions, racking up a total of over a billion dollars in financing. At present, Stephen is deeply involved with the M&A community and enjoys assisting both groups and individuals in the acquisition of businesses.
Summary: Host Ronald Skelton welcomes Stephen Speer, a distinguished expert in the field of business acquisitions and financing. This episode delves deep into the intricate processes and strategies around selling small businesses and acquiring the necessary financing. Stephen Speer's extensive experience in lending, particularly within the realms of e-commerce, SaaS, and small business financing, offers an invaluable discussion for individuals interested in exiting corporate America to run their own business and seasoned investors alike. With a meticulous approach to lending, his company, eCommerce Lending, demonstrates a remarkable loan approval rate, highlighting their success in guiding clients through the complexities of business acquisition. With tailored advice and an insightful exchange, this conversation is a beacon for budding entrepreneurs and acquisition experts navigating the finance landscape.
Key Takeaways:

• Pre-qualification is essential: Prospective buyers should get pre-qualified early on and work with lenders to vet businesses before making offers.
• Building a solid acquisition team: Equip yourself with the right attorney, lender, and due diligence firm to ensure acquisition success.
• Understand the timeline: SBA financing typically operates on a 60-day timeline, with other business acquisitions following suit based on buyer readiness.
• Avoid bad deals: Guided by the wisdom that "bad deals only get worse," Speer advises caution and due diligence in selecting opportunities.
• Trust specialized lenders: eCommerce and SaaS financing comes with unique challenges that require expertise beyond what standard banking institutions offer.

Notable Quotes:

• "We do a lot of SBA financing, and what sets us apart is that we're very much specialized in doing SBA financing within the online business space."
• "If we just don't like either the client or the business, we move on to the next. We're not into doing bad loans or working with people that we can't get financed."
• "We're not in the scratch and dent business. We mostly look at businesses that are growing year over year."
• "We have had clients in the past say, well, I don't want to hire an attorney. And we're like, we're out."

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Contact Stephen on
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenspeer/
Website: https://www.ecommercelending.com/
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How2Exit Joins IT ExchangeNet's Channel Partner Network!
Have an IT Company doing between $5M and $30M You may Sell?
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https://www.itexchangenet.com/marketplace-how2exit Our partnership with IT ExchangeNet focuses on deals above $5M in value.
If you are looking to buy or sell a tech business below the $5M mark, we recommend Flippa.
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