This episode is an eye-opening case study where Jaryd Krause sits down with AJ, a Buying Online Businesses graduate who made the leap from running a large IT team at a global bank to building an online business portfolio.

AJ shares how he went from launching a failing startup to successfully acquiring a $50,000 media and membership business that now generates $2,000 net profit per month—all within just six months.

Inside this conversation, you’ll know:

✔️ Why AJ abandoned the startup path in favor of buying an existing business
✔️ The exact business model he chose—and why it stood out among the rest
✔️ How he saved money on the acquisition price (including what multiple he actually paid)
✔️ The due diligence steps he took to minimize risk before signing the deal
✔️ The hardest part of buying a business (his answer may surprise you)
✔️ His best advice for first-time buyers—and what’s next as he builds his portfolio

Packed with lessons from someone who’s navigated the challenges and emerged profitable, this episode is a must-listen whether you’re planning your first business acquisition or aiming to master your due diligence process

🎧 Tune in to learn how AJ turned a $50K deal into a reliable income stream—and how you can apply the same strategies to your own acquisition journey.

Episode Highlights

09:47 – Llearning how to properly evaluate businesses instead of jumping straight into a deal.

13:38 – Defining non-negotiables: valuing time, lifestyle, and family more than owning a “sweet deal.”

18:22 – How looking at hundreds of businesses sharpened AJ’s ability to spot red flags and opportunities.

21:14 – There are no unicorns—every business has cons; it’s about choosing what risks you can manage.

26:55 – Why the decision to “pull the trigger” is the hardest part of the acquisition journey.

35:52 – Advice for first-time buyers: don’t skip the learning stage—education reduces fear and regret.

41:55 – The difference between being a business operator and becoming a true owner with leverage.

Key Takeaways

➥ There’s no such thing as a perfect business. Every deal has risks; the key is knowing which ones you can live with and mitigate.

➥ Start with education. Skipping the learning phase leads to regret; preparation makes the acquisition less scary and more strategic.

➥ Taking the leap is the hardest part. Eventually you must stop analyzing and trust your due diligence to move forward.

➥ Aim to work on the business, not in it. Leveraging teams and managers turns you from operator into true owner.

➥ Bigger opportunities become realistic after the first acquisition. The initial win builds confidence to pursue larger, even debt-financed, deals.

About AJ

AJ is a BuyingOnlineBusinesses.com graduate who went from being a corporate employee running a large IT team for a global bank. To now an online business owner and building a portfolio of businesses. 

Resource Links

➥ Connect with Jaryd here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarydkrause

➥ Buying Online Businesses Website - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com

➥ Sell your business to us here - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/sell-your-business/

➥ Download the Due Diligence Framework - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/freeresources/

➥ Google Ads Service - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/ads-services/

➥ Hostinger (Website Hosting) - https://bit.ly/3HUqW0s

➥ Rank Math (Wordpress SEO Plugin) - https://bit.ly/3Acyjf4

➥ Ezoic (Ad Network) - https://bit.ly/3NuVR5P

🔥Buy & Sell Online Businesses Here (Top Website Brokers We Use) 🔥

➥ Empire Flippers - https://bit.ly/3RtyMkE

➥ Flippa - https://bit.ly/3wGa8r5

➥ Motion Invest - https://bit.ly/3YmJAmO

➥ Investors Club - https://bit.ly/3ZpgioR

*This post may contain affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site/posts at no additional cost to you.