Weeks Weekly

Why two companies with the same $2 million of EBITDA can sell millions apart, and the five things buyers actually price. Two companies each earn about $2 million of EBITDA. One sells for $8 million. The other sells for $14 million. Same earnings. A $6 million difference in value. Why? In this episode of Weeks Weekly, Ed Weeks Jr. breaks down what actually determines the multiple a buyer is willing to pay, using current M&A market data and lessons from real business transactions. You'll learn: The five factors buyers evaluate: recurring revenue, management depth, EBITDA add-backs, customer concentration, and financial quality. Why business size and buyer type influence valuation multiples. How owner dependency can reduce what buyers are willing to pay. Why the headline purchase price and the cash you receive at closing can be very different. What business owners can do now to improve value, even if they aren't planning to sell. The two-company comparison is illustrative, but the underlying valuation principles have real financial consequences. 00:00 Intro 00:19 Two $2 Million Companies: $8 Million vs. $14 Million 01:15 What the Market Is Paying 02:39 Five Questions Every Buyer Asks 05:03 What Makes a Business Worth More 05:41 Headline Price vs. Cash at Closing 06:41 What Business Owners Should Do Now 07:44 Outro Read the full article: https://edweeksjr.com/same-ebitda-different-price/ Research and sources: TagniFi PowerComps Q2 2026: https://peprofessional.com/2026/08/private-equity-buyers-pay-up-for-small-add-ons-as-middle-market-multiples-climb-to-6-9x/ GF Data Q2 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gfdata_acg-privateequity-pe-activity-7506424956235333632-1Q8H PitchBook, Construction & Engineering: https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/ai-data-center-boom-private-equity-deals-electrical-hvac SRS Acquiom Deal Terms Study: https://www.srsacquiom.com/our-insights/deal-terms-study/ SRS Acquiom Earnout Trends: https://www.srsacquiom.com/our-insights/ma-earnout-milestone-trends/ IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-market-pulse-survey-q2-2026-reports-the-latest-trends-in-business-sales-up-to-50m-302858664.html About the host Ed Weeks Jr. is the founder of Weeks Consulting Group, advising business owners, buyers, and capital partners on valuation, acquisitions, exits, and strategic decisions. https://edweeksjr.com General education only. Not legal, tax, or investment advice.

New SBA acquisition lending rules take effect October 1, and they put a seller's last fiscal year or two at the center of whether an SBA buyer can get financed. Add a September rate hike and tighter private equity leverage, and deal structure matters more than it did a few months ago. Ed covers three ideas for owners of established companies. Historical performance increasingly decides financeability. Structure matters more when debt is tighter. And your financials and diligence materials need to be ready before a buyer puts a price in front of you. He also talks about the household clock and the company clock, and why the owners with the most options are the ones whose company clock is ahead. General education, not legal, tax, or lending advice. Confirm SBA specifics with your lender. Host: Ed Weeks Jr. Weeks Consulting Group https://edweeksjr.com Sources: - U.S. Small Business Administration, SOP 50 10 8.1, Lender and Development Company Loan Programs with Technical Policy Updates, effective October 1, 2026 (Appendix 15, 7(a) Changes of Ownership): https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs - SBA Information Notice 5000-882227, Issuance of Technical Updates to SOP 50 10 8.1 (published September 25, 2026): https://www.sba.gov/document/information-notice-5000-882227-issuance-technical-updates-sop-50-10-81 - NAGGL, "SBA Publishes SOP 50 10 8.1 with Technical Policy Updates" (September 25, 2026): https://www.naggl.org/sop-update-sba-publishes-sop-50-10-8-1-with-technical-policy-updates/ - Federal Reserve, FOMC statement (September 16, 2026): https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20260916a.htm - CNBC, "Fed approves interest rate hike, signals one more to come this year" (September 16, 2026): https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/16/fed-rate-decision-september-2026.html - GF Data Q2 2026 M&A and Leverage Reports, via ACG (August 27, 2026): https://www.acg.org/news-trends/news/gf-data-reports-show-steady-middle-market-deal-flow-amid-more-selective - IBBA and M&A Source, Market Pulse Survey Q2 2026 (August 25, 2026): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-market-pulse-survey-q2-2026-reports-the-latest-trends-in-business-sales-up-to-50m-302858664.html - BNY Wealth, Structuring the Sale, survey of 354 deal advisors conducted by The Harris Poll, via InvestmentNews (September 25, 2026): https://www.investmentnews.com/practice-management/private-business-owners-selling-now-are-often-unprepared-bny-survey-says/268367

Owners get burned when introductions go out before four answers are on paper: 1. Who owns the relationship after the intro? 2. What is each party responsible for? 3. How is everyone compensated if something real happens? 4. What happens if progress stops? Good intent is not commercial infrastructure. When social agreements get treated like process, three things tend to follow: - money shows up and memory gets creative; - nothing shows up and reputation was already spent; - or the path stalls and the owner is parked with no written way back to a decision. Operating standards from this episode: - Write the economics before the introductions. - Agree the floor before shared work or shared lists. - Protect the return path before a soft handoff. Owners do not need more introductions. They need introductions that can still produce a decision if the first path fails. Host: Ed Weeks Jr. Weeks Consulting Group https://edweeksjr.com

A business owner is deciding whether to sell his company or keep growing it. But what if those aren't the only two choices? In this episode of Weeks Weekly, Ed Weeks looks at the decision that should come before the transaction. An owner might sell. But they might also bring in capital, recapitalize, acquire a competitor, build a management team, take some liquidity off the table—or simply keep the damn company. The real question isn't "Should I sell?" It's: What am I actually trying to accomplish, and which choices do I need to preserve to get there? Ed also explores why financial reporting, owner dependency, access to capital and management depth aren't merely "exit readiness" issues. They determine how many good choices an owner has while they still own the business. Plus, why the experience gap matters when a transaction finally does happen: Most owners will do one major transaction in their lifetime. Everyone else at the table does this for a living. Weeks Consulting Group works with established business owners navigating growth, acquisitions, capital, succession and M&A. Better decisions for business owners.

Your best year in business might also be your most dangerous. Revenue is up. Sales are strong. The backlog is full. You're hiring, buying equipment and taking on bigger customers. So why is there less cash in the bank? In this episode of Weeks Weekly with Ed Weeks Jr., Ed breaks down one of the most misunderstood problems in a growing business - growth consumes cash before it produces cash. Using the example of a $5 million business growing toward $6 million, Ed explains how payroll, equipment, materials, receivables and customer payment terms can create a working-capital squeeze even while the income statement looks great. You'll hear why owners should pay attention to: • The cash conversion cycle • Working-capital requirements • Receivables and payment terms • Customer concentration • Margin quality • Owner dependency • The difference between growing revenue and growing business value Because the real question isn't simply whether your company is getting bigger. Is it becoming a better business — and is it creating more options for you as the owner? Ed also explains why these issues matter long before you're thinking about selling. Lenders, investors, partners and eventual buyers all evaluate the quality of growth differently than an owner looking at top-line revenue. Weeks Weekly with Ed Weeks Jr. is for owners of established $2M–$20M+ businesses navigating growth, capital, acquisitions, succession and M&A. Most owners do one major deal. The other side does it for a living. Not sure what your next move should be? Take the Business Optionality Assessment: edweeksjr.com/assessment Weeks Consulting Group: edweeksjr.com Weeks Weekly: weeksweekly.substack.com Build a more valuable company. Create more options.

Thinking about what's next for your business? See what it's worth to a buyer with the free Exit Readiness Scorecard: edweeksjr.com/scorecard Most founders selling a $2M to $20M business think the headline number on the page is the win. It isn't. The real money lives in the parts that come later: the earnout, the rolled equity, the so-called second bite. And later only pays if the business keeps performing after you've stopped running it the way only you knew how. This week, Ed breaks down "the vacation tell," the pattern one acquirer noticed after buying up ten small companies and keeping the old owners on. About a year after each deal closed, those owners started taking the vacations they'd sworn for fifteen years they could never take. They weren't slacking. They'd exhaled. The weight was somebody else's now. As the buyer put it: they were cooked without telling me they were cooked. Ed connects that to the brutal math nobody puts in front of you at closing. SRS Acquiom found that of all the earnout money that could have been paid out across a pile of recent deals, only about 21 percent actually was. One dentist hit 97 percent of her revenue targets and collected 60 percent of her earnout. Miss the line by a hair and the box stays shut, in a business you no longer control. The trap is the cruel part: the exact engine that makes the back half of your deal pay at full power is the exact thing closing is designed to switch off. This episode is about seeing that clearly before you sign, and being honest about which version of the deal you're really walking into. Inside this episode: Why the relief you feel at closing is a leading indicator your number is about to shrink The 21-cents-on-the-dollar reality of earnouts most advisors won't say to your face Why "sell, stay, and ride it out" is the riskiest plan, not the safest What founders actually want when they stop chasing top dollar The only homework that matters this week if you're 54 to 58 and quietly thinking about it Legacy lasts longer than the wire transfer. Read the structure, not the headline. This isn't legal or financial advice. Use your own counsel. Every deal is its own animal. Ed Weeks Jr. is a buy-side M&A advisor and the principal of Weeks Consulting Group. Book an introductory call: https://calendly.com/ed-edweeksjr/introductory-call

Thinking about what's next for your business? See what it's worth to a buyer with the free Exit Readiness Scorecard: edweeksjr.com/scorecard Two guys hated private equity so much they built the thing that hunts you. I got one of them on a call this week, and about ten minutes in he said something that rearranged how I think about founders, fear, and money. This is the story of an operator who started a managed IT shop in 2010, built it customer by customer to 75 people and $12M a year, and kept getting the same call once a month: some firm he'd never heard of wanting to buy his life's work so they could "optimize" it. Most owners do one of two things with that fear. They ignore it, or they cave. He picked a third door. He became the buyer. In this episode: The humility test: the one question to ask any buyer or capital partner, then shut up and listen Why "take the money, keep the controls" are two different products that come bundled, and how to buy them separately The vacation tell: the moment a seller checks out, even the ones who swear they're staying Operator vs checkbook, and why the best deals go to the most believable owner, not the highest bidder The second bite: why the quiet fortune is in the rollover, not the check at closing Free essay (Weeks Weekly): https://substack.com/home/post/p-201129131 The 7 contract terms playbook (paid issue): https://substack.com/home/post/p-201436597 If this one lands, send it to one operator who needs to hear it. That's the whole marketing plan. FIPO. Fuck it, press on.

Thinking about what's next for your business? See what it's worth to a buyer with the free Exit Readiness Scorecard: edweeksjr.com/scorecard He runs a company most people would kill to own. Booming. Biggest contracts of his career. Over 150 people on the payroll. And the first thing he told me was, "I'm not for sale." Then he spent twenty minutes explaining why he might have to be. This week I break down a real call with a thirty-year operator getting strangled by his own success. His biggest customers stretched payment terms from 30 days to 90, so now he's funding every job out of his own pocket for 120 days before he sees a dollar. On a big project, that's five to ten million floating on his personal credit line. The business isn't failing. It's growing faster than the structure under it can carry. Inside this episode: The 120-day cash trap quietly pushing healthy companies toward a sale The fork every operator hits: fund the growth, or position for an exit Why "I don't know my EBITDA" is a million-dollar mistake at the closing table Why a business that can't run without you is a job, not a company The three numbers to pull this week so you know exactly where you stand Know your number. Know your options. Then press on. FIPO. Booming on the outside but white-knuckling the cash inside? That's the exact fork I help operators sort out, in both directions. Grab time with me 👉 https://calendly.com/ed-edweeksjr/introductory-call

Thinking about what's next for your business? See what it's worth to a buyer with the free Exit Readiness Scorecard: edweeksjr.com/scorecard Welcome to episode one of Weeks Weekly. In this relaunch episode, Ed Weeks Jr. lays out exactly who this show is for: Gen X founders and operators running real businesses in the $2M–$20M range who are thinking seriously about growth, optionality, acquisitions, or eventual exit. This is not another startup podcast. No hustle culture. No TikTok growth hacks. No recycled business clichés. Instead, Ed breaks down the intersection of: Building a business buyers actually want Understanding how deals and capital really work Navigating business ownership as a Gen X operator in a rapidly changing market Drawing from 30+ years across Wall Street, Big Pharma, and Main Street operating businesses, Ed explains why he believes the next decade will create the largest transfer of small business ownership in American history, and why most owners are dangerously unprepared for it. The centerpiece of this episode is a new concept Ed calls AI Dependency: A hidden valuation risk building inside small businesses as employees create undocumented workflows inside personal AI accounts like ChatGPT and Claude. Topics covered: Why buyers walk away from otherwise profitable businesses The difference between a business and a job The coming $10 trillion ownership transfer Why only 30–40% of businesses coming to market may actually sell How transferability drives valuation The emerging risk of AI dependency inside small businesses Why Gen X operators are entering a completely different business environment than the one they started in This episode also introduces the mindset behind Ed's upcoming book, FIPO, and the philosophy that drives both the show and his work with operators - Press on. Build intentionally. Create optionality before you need it. Subscribe to the newsletter here: Weeks Weekly on Substack

New here from LinkedIn and thinking about your own business, not just healthcare? See what your company is worth to a buyer with the free Exit Readiness Scorecard: edweeksjr.com/scorecard Healthcare in the U.S. has normalized five-minute visits, packed waiting rooms, and premiums that punish families and small businesses. In this Weeks Weekly episode, Ed sits down with nurse practitioner and founder of Your Wellness Path, Amy Bryson, who is rebuilding primary care in Dutchess County with a Direct Primary Care (DPC) model that puts patients first. Amy breaks down how DPC works in real life: Flat monthly fee, often less than a cell phone bill Unlimited access and direct texting with your provider Same or next-day sick visits, no phone trees, no six-month wait Longer appointments that dig into root causes, not just prescriptions Built-in access to low-cost generics, labs, imaging, and partner pharmacy She also explains a powerful insurance partnership that: Saves individuals an estimated $250/month Saves families over $6,000 per year Eliminates deductibles for specialists, surgery, and hospitalization when using partner providers Will be fully compatible with HSA coverage for DPC fees starting January 1, 2026 You will hear: A real example of avoiding a 5-hour ER visit for a simple laceration Why Amy caps her panel at ~300 patients instead of 3,000–4,000 How functional and integrative thinking show up in her practice: hormones, weight, autoimmune, sleep, environment, and lifestyle Why she walked away from traditional systems that rushed visits and devalued Medicaid patients Expansion plans for Western Dutchess, employer wellness days, and on-site screenings If you are fed up with the warehouse model of medicine and want affordable, relationship-driven care in the Hudson Valley, this episode shows a working alternative. Connect with Amy / Your Wellness Path Location: Dover Plains, NY (Eastern Dutchess County) Email: amy@yourwellnesspath.life Phone: 845-842-1324 Want to be a guest on the Weeks Weekly Podcast? Book your podcast session here: stan.store/weeks

Podcast Description (optimized for engagement and SEO): In this episode of The Weeks Weekly, Ed Weeks Jr. pulls back the curtain on the next phase of his journey — testing new products and ideas built from real life experience: fatherhood, marriage, and persistence. At 55, Ed shares three powerful stories that shape where he's headed next: Parenting with Purpose: Lessons from raising daughters in their 20s and guiding a teenage son through life's challenges. Why showing up as a parent still matters most. Marriage and Redemption: How nearly 30 years of marriage — including separation, reconciliation, and growth — turned into a blueprint for stronger relationships. Podcast with Purpose: The evolution of The Weeks Weekly as a platform for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators to share their stories, reach new audiences, and build impact. This episode closes with a message every founder, parent, and partner needs to hear: persistence pays off. If you're a parent, comment "Parent." If you're working on your marriage, comment "Marriage." If you want to be featured on the podcast, comment "Podcast." Mentioned Links: 🎙 Apply to be a guest: https://stan.store/weeks 📧 Subscribe to the newsletter: https://weeksweekly.substack.com/ 🌐 Visit Ed's websites: https://edweeksjr.com | https://www.weeks.consulting/

In this week's episode of The Weeks Weekly, Ed Weeks Jr. breaks down his decade-long journey through corporate burnout, agency collapse, and the hard reset that led him back to the frontlines of regenerative medicine and dental marketing. Hear how a devastating 90% revenue drop in 2020 reshaped his mindset, why the "cookie-cutter" agency model is dead, and how he's building a high-integrity, million-dollar consultancy serving clients who actually change lives. If you're a business owner tired of competing in a race to the bottom, this episode is your blueprint for rebuilding smarter, not harder. → Get your 15-Minute Free AI Business Assessment: https://stan.store/weeks

This week on Weeks Weekly, Ed Weeks Jr. reflects on a turning point in his entrepreneurial and personal journey—stepping into a groundbreaking stem cell project that reconnects decades of experience in healthcare, sales, and leadership with a deeper sense of purpose. What began as a simple conversation within his close network has evolved into a major opportunity to shape the next wave of regenerative medicine and AI-driven marketing. Ed traces the arc from his early career in Big Pharma—where corporate limits and poor leadership drove him away—to his renewed excitement for innovation that actually improves lives. This project, anchored in stem cell research, also connects to something deeply personal: advancing treatments for Parkinson's disease. It's not just about business growth anymore, but about creating social impact, legacy, and meaningful change. He shares hard-earned insights from thirty-plus years in entrepreneurship—how tempered excitement replaces youthful impatience, why execution now matters more than energy, and how faith, family, and a tight inner circle sustain progress when the path gets uncertain. The episode captures a quiet but powerful realization: purpose is the real profit. At 55, Ed's perspective sharpens around impact—on his family, his community in the Hudson Valley, and the broader ecosystem of entrepreneurs navigating midlife reinvention. He reflects on the shift from chasing wins to building systems, from noise to legacy, from hustle to alignment. To connect, collaborate, or work directly with Ed on AI strategy, profit recovery, or business growth, visit https://stan.store/weeks for consulting calls, personalized strategy sessions, and media opportunities.

Ed Weeks Jr. returns to Weeks Weekly with a raw, unfiltered update on life, business, and legacy. From launching a national stem cell marketing pilot to consolidating all his media under the Weeks Weekly brand, Ed reveals how he's aligning faith, focus, and AI-driven growth to create real leverage at 55. Inside this episode: • The launch of a national stem cell clinical pilot and marketing rollout • Why Google search is dying and what home service brands must do now • How Weeks Weekly became the unified hub for all content and media • Why mindset, faith, and legacy now drive every business decision This isn't documentation—it's capturing the journey in real time. For Gen X founders, entrepreneurs, and builders looking to evolve in 2025, this episode is a blueprint for pressing on and scaling smarter. → Explore ways to work with Ed at stan.store/weeks

October 1, 2025 marks more than just the start of Q4. It's a reminder that mindset determines everything. Growing up and building businesses in the Hudson Valley, I've seen the plague of scarcity thinking, small-minded competition, and even betrayal from people you thought were lifelong allies. Contrast that with the West Coast abundance mindset, where partnerships thrive and everyone can win together. This episode of Weeks Way is about drawing the line: letting go of backstabbers, pressing on without grudges, and owning your story. I break down why I've consolidated all my media into one brand - Weeks Weekly - to cut through the noise, deliver real value, and inspire entrepreneurs confused by AI, stuck in old models, or trapped by toxic environments. Life and business will test you. People will fail you. The real question is whether you let that hold you back, or whether you say FIPO: F** It, Press On*. Call to Action If you're ready to drop excuses, kill the scarcity mindset, and start building with people who actually get it, head over to stan.store/weeks. That's where we put the strategies into action together.

Is your business merely plugging leaks, or is it ready to become a profit engine? In this episode of Revenue Stack, we explore the critical shift from simply stopping losses to accelerating gains. Discover how to transform your revenue strategy by leveraging cutting-edge techniques that not only seal profit leaks but also drive substantial growth. We delve into the nuances of turning potential pitfalls into powerful profit engines, ensuring your business doesn't just survive but thrives in the competitive B2B landscape. Whether you're a business owner or a sales professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to elevate your revenue game. Don't settle for just patching up the cracks—tune in now to learn how to propel your business forward with a robust, growth-oriented strategy. Listen today and make your next move the one that transforms your revenue potential!

Three Hudson Valley businesses could turn $150 into $15,000+ in new revenue in October. Here's exactly how they can do it. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on my Podcast + Product Spotlight opportunity - your chance to get featured across The Weeks Weekly podcast, my YouTube channel at Ed Weeks, Jr., across my entire newsletter ecosystem, and across all of my social media for less than $150! What you get: ✅ Full podcast episode (audio + video) ✅ YouTube feature with full distribution ✅ Social media clips and shorts ✅ Newsletter features across multiple verticals ✅ LinkedIn amplification to my network ✅ All content assets to use forever The math is simple: If you're a roofer and get ONE booking, you've 100x'd your investment. If you're a consultant and land ONE client, you've made 20x'd your money. This isn't about "exposure" - it's about strategic amplification to audiences that actually buy. BONUS: I'm also looking for ONE head sponsor to unlock massive advertising power across my growing network. Details inside. Ready to turn your expertise into authority? 👉 Book your spotlight: https://stan.store/weeks/p/podcast--product-spotlight- 👉 Other opportunities mentioned in this podcast: https://stan.store/weeks Time to stop throwing money at ads that don't work and start investing in platforms that do.

Is your business unknowingly leaking profits? In this episode of Revenue Stack, we uncover how AI-driven solutions are helping mid-sized businesses recover the elusive 2–8% margin leak. Discover the power of automated systems that are reclaiming millions in lost revenue and learn how you can implement these strategies to boost your bottom line. We delve into the practical applications of AI in identifying and sealing profit leaks, ensuring your business operates at peak efficiency. Whether you're a business owner or a sales professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to enhance your revenue recovery efforts. Don't let hidden leaks drain your profits—tune in now to explore how AI can transform your financial strategy and secure your business's future. Listen today and start reclaiming your lost margins with cutting-edge technology!

Is your deal desk a bottleneck or a margin engine? In this episode of Revenue Stack, we explore how AI-powered deal desks are transforming the sales landscape by slashing deal cycles and boosting margins. Discover the magic of prompt-to-quote systems and the efficiency of Slack approvals, which are cutting deal times in half and driving significant revenue growth. We delve into the strategies that turn traditional bottlenecks into streamlined engines of profitability, ensuring your sales process is as agile as it is effective. Whether you're a business owner or a sales professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to optimize your deal desk operations and enhance your bottom line. Don't let outdated processes hold you back—tune in now to learn how to leverage AI for a faster, more profitable sales cycle. Listen today and transform your deal desk into a powerful margin engine!

Is your revenue strategy truly optimized for the AI era? In this episode of Revenue Stack, we delve into the transformative power of AI-first strategies to measure, optimize, and scale your revenue stack like never before. Explore how AI can be the catalyst for a comprehensive B2B engine, from initial prospecting to closing high-ticket deals. We discuss the importance of precise measurement and establishing an operating cadence that compounds your gains over time. Whether you're a business owner or a sales professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to refine your revenue approach and drive exponential growth. Don't let your revenue potential plateau—tune in now to discover how AI can revolutionize your sales strategy and propel your business to new heights. Listen today and start building a future-ready revenue stack that scales with precision and power!