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The Intentional Owner

The Intentional Owner

Written by: Kaustubh Deo & Sam Rosati
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 The Intentional Owner provides an in-depth & personal look at life as a small business owner. We discuss how to acquire, operate, and grow small businesses in ways that achieve positive impacts for yourself, for your family, for your employees, and for your community. We love everything to do with small business acquisitions & entrepreneurship and want to support our fellow small business owners in having a fulfilling life.2025 Careers Economics Personal Success
Episodes
  • Buying a Business Means Owning the Sales Function with Andrew Gazdecki of Acquire.com - The Intentional Owner #30

    Buying a Business Means Owning the Sales Function with Andrew Gazdecki of Acquire.com - The Intentional Owner #30
    Jan 22 2026
    Andrew Gazdecki joins Kaustubh Deo and Sam Rosati for a wide-ranging conversation on building, buying, and selling small businesses. Andrew shares the origin story of acquire.com, from selling his first startup to realizing how broken the small business M&A process was for founders. The discussion explores how sales, market selection, and distribution matter more than perfect products, along with the realities of valuation in small tech-enabled businesses. The episode also dives into Andrew’s personal journey, including burnout, delegation, and redefining success as a founder. They discuss: Why sales is the most important role for owners of small businesses under $3–5M in revenue How acquire.com evolved from a side project into a marketplace with thousands of closed transactions The difference between startup-style valuations and how small businesses are actually priced and sold What makes a strong buyer in competitive acquisition processes, and why trust often beats price Lessons from burnout, delegating control, and building a company that supports long-term personal fulfillment Support our Sponsors: The Kalmar Group is a recruitment firm who partners with small business owners around the nation to find Manager to VP level hires in sales, marketing, operations, and finance across multiple niche industries. Website: https://www.thekalmargroup.com Twitter: https://x.com/thesmbrecruiter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanscroggins/ Aspen HR Please contact our valued sponsor Aspen HR (www.aspenhr.com, sales@aspenhr.com) for a quote on PEO services and a complimentary HR due diligence assessment Links: Kaustubh on Substack - https://bigdealsmallbusiness.substack.com/p/read-me-first Sam on X - https://x.com/Sam_Rosati Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:03) - Andrew's entrepreneurial journey (00:03:03) - The birth and growth of acquire.com (00:03:57) - Challenges and successes in acquisitions (00:06:53) - Marketplace dynamics and buyer profiles (00:20:28) - Andrew's first startup experience (00:25:14) - The role of luck and market trends (00:30:33) - Building the marketplace: from script to success (00:31:53) - Non-technical founders and code scripts (00:33:08) - Early influences and entrepreneurial drive (00:35:01) - Day in the life: from hustle to balance (00:40:07) - Burnout and finding balance (00:45:29) - Delegation and business growth (00:47:56) - The rewarding journey of entrepreneurship (00:54:03) - Advice for aspiring buyers (00:59:52) - Final thoughts and reflections
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    1 hr
  • Search Sucks, But it's Easier than Running a Business - The Intentional Owner #29

    Search Sucks, But it's Easier than Running a Business - The Intentional Owner #29
    Jan 8 2026
    In this episode of The Intentional Owner, co-hosts Sam Rosati and Kaustubh Deo unpack the less talked about realities of search, small business ownership, and operating with leverage. They explore why the search phase feels emotionally taxing yet pales in comparison to the ongoing stress of running a business, especially during year end. The conversation weaves together personal experiences, listener questions, and practical reflections on cash flow, risk tolerance, and the mental load that comes with ownership. Along the way, Sam and Kaustubh frame hard earned lessons that aspiring and current owners often only learn the difficult way. They discuss: • Why search feels stressful but is easier than running a business with leverage • The cash flow challenges and seasonality pressures that hit small businesses in December • How leverage and personal guarantees shape decision making and risk tolerance • Four key questions every searcher should ask before buying a business • The realities of people management and why incentives do not always drive behavior Support our Sponsors: The Kalmar Group is a recruitment firm who partners with small business owners around the nation to find Manager to VP level hires in sales, marketing, operations, and finance across multiple niche industries. Website: https://www.thekalmargroup.com Twitter: https://x.com/thesmbrecruiter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanscroggins/ Aspen HR Please contact our valued sponsor Aspen HR (www.aspenhr.com, sales@aspenhr.com) for a quote on PEO services and a complimentary HR due diligence assessment Links: Kaustubh on Substack - https://bigdealsmallbusiness.substack.com/p/read-me-first Sam on X - https://x.com/Sam_Rosati Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:00) - Winter break and business challenges (00:05:10) - Holiday season financial struggles (00:08:38) - Housekeeping and upcoming events (00:09:57) - The reality of search and entrepreneurship (00:20:08) - End-of-year financial dynamics (00:26:23) - Managing costs and leveraged business challenges (00:29:31) - Introducing the newsletter: Big deal small business (00:31:24) - Four questions for aspiring searchers (00:32:39) - The personal guarantee dilemma (00:40:01) - Family support and small business ownership (00:44:02) - Running towards or away from a career (00:48:51) - Managing people and business realities (00:56:34) - Final thoughts and newsletter promotion
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    58 mins
  • Owning Your Time Through Intentional Schedule Design - The Intentional Owner #28

    Owning Your Time Through Intentional Schedule Design - The Intentional Owner #28
    Dec 18 2025
    Sam Rosati and Kaustubh Deo unpack what it actually means to own your time as a small business operator and why schedule control is harder than it sounds. Drawing on their backgrounds in demanding corporate roles and their current experience running owner led businesses, they explore the tradeoffs between productivity, energy, and personal life. The conversation moves from reactive work habits to intentional schedule design, highlighting how physical space, time blocking, and boundaries shape long-term sustainability. Throughout the episode, they emphasize that independence is not automatic and requires deliberate practice and discipline They discuss: • Why time independence is one of the main reasons people pursue entrepreneurship • How early career habits from finance and law can work against long-term sustainability • Designing weekly schedules around energy instead of hours worked • The difference between working in the business, on the business, and on your work • Creating physical and mental boundaries to avoid constant reactivity Links: Support our Sponsors: The Kalmar Group is a recruitment firm who partners with small business owners around the nation to find Manager to VP level hires in sales, marketing, operations, and finance across multiple niche industries. Website: https://www.thekalmargroup.com Twitter: https://x.com/thesmbrecruiter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanscroggins/ Aspen HR Please contact our valued sponsor Aspen HR (www.aspenhr.com, sales@aspenhr.com) for a quote on PEO services and a complimentary HR due diligence assessment Links: Kaustubh on Substack - https://bigdealsmallbusiness.substack.com/p/read-me-first Sam on X - https://x.com/Sam_Rosati Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:22) - Catching up (00:06:00) - Transitioning from corporate to small business (00:15:37) - Optimizing schedules for personal and business success (00:27:44) - Balancing work and personal time (00:28:33) - Creating effective work categories (00:28:55) - Importance of physical space for work (00:31:54) - Managing energy and work hours (00:40:16) - Shifting personal activities to weekdays (00:49:40) - Future plans
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    54 mins
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