Halfway through my MBA in spring 2024, I started wondering what to do next. I knew I didn’t want to return to the corporate world. Having built and exited a niche online start-up, I wasn’t eager to repeat the high-risk, high-burn tech grind either.
That’s when I discovered acquisition entrepreneurship — buying an existing, profitable small business. The more I researched it, the more appealing it seemed: proven cash flow, existing customers and long-term potential, without having to start from scratch.
However, most of the available content focused on the US, with almost nothing addressing first-time buyers in Europe or the UK.
Why I Created Buyout Diary
I launched Buyout Diary to document my journey into small business ownership and share what I’m learning along the way.
In this newsletter, I provide honest insights from my MBA research, conduct interviews with real acquisition entrepreneurs and offer practical tools that you can actually use.
What You’ll Get When You Join
Subscribe if you want to:
- Understand how to buy a small business in Europe or the UK.
- Avoid the biggest mistakes first-time buyers make.
- Learn how others structure deals, finance acquisitions and lead teams.
- Get practical tools, frameworks, and ideas — not just theory
- Follow a real, honest journey into acquisition entrepreneurship.
You'll receive one email per week containing practical insight from the front lines — no spam or hype.
What to Expect
You'll receive one email per week, typically on a Monday, containing practical advice, real-life examples and insights into my experience as a first-time buyer in Europe.
Who It’s For
Buyout Diary is for:
- First-time acquirers in Europe or the UK
- Builders, operators, and value investors who want to own and grow small businesses
- Curious minds exploring entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA)
- Small business owners considering succession planning or preparing for an exit
Whether you're looking to buy your first business or possibly sell your own, this newsletter will provide honest insights, tools and behind-the-scenes lessons from both perspectives.
This newsletter is not for you if you’re chasing overnight success, passive income hacks, or theoretical MBA case studies.