Stop piecing together advice from American podcasts and generic MBA frameworks. Get a step-by-step system built specifically for acquiring trades, services, and industrial businesses in the Australian market.
Your Guide
Nigel Gordon
15+ Years Advising Deals
$1,000M+
Deals Advised
The principles and practices* to successfully acquire your first small business.
Get ready to grow into private equity.
You've done the research. You know acquisition entrepreneurship is the path. But every course, podcast, and playbook assumes you're buying in America.
Most business buying content assumes SBA loans, American legal structures, and market dynamics that don't apply here.
Trial-and-error in acquisitions costs real money. One bad deal can set you back years.
Conflicting advice from podcasts, courses, and forums. No clear path from exploration to ownership.
“I spent two years learning from American experts before realising half of what they taught didn't apply to Australia. I built this playbook so you don't have to.”
— Nigel Gordon
Based on the Harvard Business School framework for acquiring small businesses, adapted specifically for the Australian blue-collar market.
Self-assessment framework to determine if buying a business fits your skills, lifestyle, and goals.
Topics covered:
Learn what makes a business worth buying—and the red flags that signal walk away.
Topics covered:
Navigate the Australian market: brokers, direct approaches, and where to find off-market deals.
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Master the 3-5x EBITDA framework and understand what drives value in blue-collar businesses.
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Systematic approach to validating the business before you commit—from financials to operations.
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Australian-specific financing options: bank loans, vendor finance, and equity structures.
Topics covered:
From LOI to settlement: navigate the legal process and close the deal.
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Take over smoothly and implement AI-powered improvements from day one.
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Plus monthly live Q&A calls to get your specific questions answered
Battle-tested templates and calculators you can use immediately. Adapted for Australian legal and financial structures.
Australian-specific LOI covering key terms, conditions precedent, and exclusivity provisions.
Lock in your deal while you complete due diligence. Protect your investment in the process.
Draft SPA with Australian legal structure. Review with your lawyer before use.
Comprehensive 100+ point checklist covering financials, operations, legal, and more.
Model your returns across different scenarios. Stress-test the deal before you commit.
Avoid the #1 deal-killer: miscalculated working capital requirements at settlement.
See exactly how cash flows to the seller historically. Understand what you're really buying.
If you tick these boxes, we should talk.
Corporate professional ready to make the leap
Have $50k-500k to invest in a deal
Want to actually run a business, not just own one
Focused on the Australian market
Will do the work, not just consume content
“If this sounds like you, you're exactly who I built this for.”
No hard feelings. This just isn't your path.
Not ready yet? Join the free newsletter instead. No pressure, no pitch.
Your Guide
Nigel Gordon
After 20+ years in private equity advising on hundreds of transactions, I decided to take my own advice: buy a business and run it myself.
I'm now actively acquiring and transforming blue-collar businesses in Australia—and building in public so you can learn from my wins (and mistakes) in real-time.
This playbook is the distillation of everything I've learned: the institutional frameworks from PE, adapted for individual buyers in the Australian market.
15+
Years Advising Deals
100+
Deals Evaluated
$1,000M+
Transactions Advised
Professionals who took the leap and acquired their first business using this framework.
“I was drowning in US-focused content that didn't translate to Australia. The templates alone saved me months of back-and-forth with lawyers.”
James T.
Former McKinsey Consultant
Now owns a plumbing business in Melbourne
“The working capital calculator caught a $80k error in my first deal. That alone paid for this playbook 100x over.”
Sarah M.
Ex-Big 4 Accountant
Acquired a cleaning company in Sydney
“Nigel's PE background shows. This isn't theory—it's the same frameworks institutional buyers use, adapted for individual acquisitions.”
Michael C.
Investment Banking Associate
Evaluating first acquisition
“The Q&A calls are gold. Getting real-time feedback on my LOI from someone who's done hundreds of deals? Priceless.”
Emma R.
Corporate Lawyer
Transitioning to business ownership
Your story could be next. Join the founding members building their acquisition journey.
FOUNDING MEMBER PRICING ENDS IN
One-time payment. Lifetime access.
Save $1,505 with founding member pricing
Everything included:
Limited founding member spots available
30-Day Money Back Guarantee
Not the right fit? Full refund, no questions.
The playbook includes video modules, written guides, downloadable templates (Google Sheets & Notion), and financial calculators. Plus monthly live Q&A calls where you can get your specific questions answered.
No prior business ownership experience required. The playbook is designed for professionals transitioning from corporate careers. We assume intelligence but not existing M&A knowledge.
The playbook is specifically built for the Australian market—covering local financing options, legal structures, and market dynamics. If you're buying elsewhere, much will still apply, but some sections won't be relevant.
We focus on blue-collar businesses: trades, services, landscaping, cleaning, logistics, and light industrial. These offer the best opportunity for first-time buyers due to owner demographics and AI transformation potential.
We recommend having at least $50k-100k in equity to deploy. With typical deal structures (bank loans + vendor finance), this can acquire a $300k-500k revenue business. Module 6 covers financing in detail.
Templates are provided as starting points and educational resources. We always recommend having your own lawyer review any legal documents before use. The templates save you the blank-page problem and give your lawyer a strong foundation.
Monthly group calls where you can ask questions about your specific situation. These are recorded so you can access the library of past questions and answers from other buyers' journeys.
Still have questions? Get in touch
Apply now to secure your founding member spot. We'll call you to discuss your acquisition goals and see if the Playbook is right for you.
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