Mainshares

"So many other companies are being bought out by giant consolidation groups. Being local we can guarantee quality repairs and excellent customer service."—Greg Yamin, Owner-Operator of A-Plus Air Conditioning & Home Solutions For Greg, local ownership means giving back—whether it’s raising funds for the Boy Scouts’ Capital Area Council or donating HVAC systems to families in need through the Lennox Feel The Love program. It’s a community-first mindset you won’t find at a conglomerate. To become a Certified Locally Owned Business or find and support businesses in your area, visit: https://lnkd.in/eEKn27s9

In a W2 job, no matter how well you perform, someone else controls the rules. Tyler Mumford hit 300% of quota—then had his territory cut and his targets raised. That loss of control pushed him to leave tech and start GrindTime Stump Grinding, where he now owns and operates a landscaping business on his own terms. Hear his full story: https://lnkd.in/gxSsxEzP

Buying a business? Don’t overlook the real estate. In SMB acquisitions, the land and buildings often complicate the deal more than the business itself. We break down the 3 main ways to handle real estate—and how each path affects your valuation, financing, and long-term flexibility. One common pitfall? Sellers often undercharge themselves rent, inflating profits and skewing valuations. “If you're looking at a 3x multiple on the business, a rent adjustment of $150K could mean a $450K drop in valuation,” says Wade Bruffey of Main Street Securities. Full breakdown in the article (link in comments).

Most service businesses don’t realize it—your customer base is a tradable asset. Aaron Sternberg, owner of Pop's Pool Service, sees pool routes as a way to scale, not just a job. He breaks down how operators buy, sell, and trade pools to grow, why route pricing isn’t always what it seems, and the challenge of finding customers who actually make you money. Watch the full interview: https://lnkd.in/gZbbdjqF

"Keeping our business locally owned and operated has helped us build lasting relationships with our customers—treating them like family and delivering personalized service that truly meets their needs."—Pedram Shams JP Carpet Cleaning Expert Floor Care is more than just a flooring business—it's a community-first, family-owned operation. Owner-Operator Peter shares how their commitment to quality, trust, and service makes them different. To become a Certified Locally Owned Business or find and support businesses in your area, visit: https://lnkd.in/eEKn27s9

For small business owners and investors, deciding how to handle excess cash flow is a big deal. Operators want flexibility to reinvest. Investors want predictable returns. So how do you strike the right balance? We broke down the two main approaches—default distributions vs. management discretion —and when each makes sense. "It's really important to understand for a given investor how their small business investment fits into their portfolio. If they're looking at it as play money and they really want to go all-in on growth, they're probably more open to reinvesting any excess cash back into the business. If it's an investor looking to build up a passive income stream, distributions matter a lot more."—William Fry Read the full article linked in the comments below.

Hillside Farmacy isn't your typical "cookie cutter restaurant". This farm-to-table gem is set in a restored 1950s Hillside Drugstore known for its weekend brunches, cozy patio dinners, and handcrafted cocktails. With locally sourced ingredients and deep community roots, it remains proudly independent and locally owned—a must visit in Austin, Texas. To become a Certified Locally Owned Business or find and support businesses in your area, visit: https://lnkd.in/eEKn27s9

CLOSED: Matt Bodnar successfully acquires Fab-Tek, a manufacturing powerhouse in Mississippi. Matt Bodnar's latest acquisition isn’t just about buying a business—it’s about scaling a legacy. With a track record of investing in Main Street businesses, Matt leveraged his “consult to close” approach to acquire Fab-Tek, a precision manufacturing firm with deep local roots and long-standing industrial clients. Why Fab-Tek? —Blue-chip client relationships providing stable, recurring revenue —Operational efficiencies waiting to be unlocked —A community-driven business primed for long-term growth With the support of Main Street Securities and the Mainshares Investor Network, Matt secured a seven-figure investment to close the deal. Now, he’s focused on: —Scaling production capacity —Expanding sales and marketing efforts —Pursuing add-on acquisitions in metal fabrication Read the full story to learn how Matt’s strategy is unlocking value for Fab-Tek—and what’s next: https://lnkd.in/gQfwmPJy

James Shockley-Temple is a force of nature. After a career in the Air Force, he got his MBA at UVA. Graduating right on the heels of the Great Recession, he acquired his first math tutoring business in 2009. Since then, he’s scaled to 24 locations across the country and has built an SMB investment portfolio as well. In this interview, we dig into what it takes to run a successful math tutoring business and his lessons from scaling from 1 to 24. Here are my big takeaways: ??. ???????? ?? ?????????????????? ?????????????????? ????????????????? ?????????????????????? ???????????????????? ?????? ????????. Throughout the past 16 years, James hasn’t seen much impact of economic cycles on their locations. In his experience, the most recession resistant activity is kids’ sports followed by tutoring as a close second. There’s a lot of other discretionary spend that gets cut before parents stop investing in their kids. ??. ????’?? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? They’ve crafted a purpose-driven culture that’s based on how important math is to a kid’s self-image, confidence, and life skills. From being able to balance a checkbook to the confidence that comes with performing at grade-level, math tutoring is about more than passing tests. ??. “?????????? ???????????????? ???? ?? ?????????? ????????????????” Math tutoring adopts a membership-model. Parents can subscribe to 7-, 12- or 18-month memberships. Students come in twice a week with membership fees varying by location but averaging about $300/mo. It took James a while to come around to the understanding that math tutoring is a sales business. After adopting that lens, he instilled a sales-based culture and saw rapid growth. ??. ???????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????? They are on the ground working with families, building an instructor team, running community outreach to schools. They have a huge impact on location success. James has found two profiles work best: (1) a highly educated person passionate about math and education, (2) a business-oriented person who has experience with sales, local marketing, etc. ??. “????’???? ????????-????????, ?????????? ?????????????????? ???? ?????? ????????????????” When asked what allows them to outperform, James chalked it up to three things. First, unlike some franchise owners who deal with the business after their day job, James and his team are all-in. They have 300 people on their team and take it seriously. Second, they’re smart about location selection. You make that decision once, or maybe twice, and need to live with it. Third, he’s very selective about who he brings on as unit managers and how he builds talent. If you’re curious to learn more about the business of math tutoring, check out the link in comments! For those of you considering raising capital to buy a business, James is also an active investor in SMB deals. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn (or find his profile on Mainshares).

A recent SBA policy notice (No. 5000-865754) is changing the landscape for SMB acquisitions involving foreign investors. If you're using an SBA 7(a) loan, here’s what you need to know: —Foreign individuals can no longer hold equity in deals backed by SBA loans —Lenders must document and verify at least 81% of Beneficial Owners —Only U.S. citizens, nationals, or green card holders can own businesses funded by SBA loans For searchers, sponsors, and operators working with international partners, this could mean restructuring your deal—or finding new capital sources. At Mainshares, we’re working with operators impacted by this change to connect them with eligible investors. If this policy affects you, reach out—we’re here to help. Read the full breakdown: