How I Built 18 Companies Through Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Deals | Episode 380

If you are ready to level up personally and professionally, go to joinrbo.comMost entrepreneurs think growth means starting something new. Sometimes, the fastest way to grow is to buy what's already working.In this solo episode, Rick Trimmer breaks down the 19 businesses he has started, bought, acquired, merged, or invested in throughout his career—and the lessons each one taught him about building wealth, scaling companies, and finding new opportunities.From starting his first service business at 25 to building a portfolio of companies operated by multiple CEOs, Rick explains why he increasingly turned to acquisitions to gain customers, equipment, inventory, capabilities, and—most importantly—great people.Rick also shares what he learned from losing everything at 31, why business owners choose to sell, how acquisitions can create win-win outcomes for buyers and sellers, and the importance of structuring partnerships correctly from the beginning. If you're interested in acquiring businesses or building a portfolio that doesn't require you to run every operation yourself, this episode is packed with lessons worth paying attention to.In This Episode You'll Learn:Why buying an existing business can be smarter than starting from scratch.The lessons Rick learned from losing everything at 31.How acquisitions can help you enter new markets and accelerate growth.Why the people you acquire can be more valuable than the business itself.How to identify struggling businesses that could become growth opportunities.Why business owners may sell because they want support—not because they want to walk away.The importance of clearly defined agreements when entering partnerships.How to structure businesses so you aren't trapped running the day-to-day operations.Why due diligence and accurate valuation can make or break an acquisition.How to build a portfolio of businesses without becoming the bottleneck in every company.