The $1M Mistake That Made a Broker with Mark Hartmann

In this episode of the M&A Launchpad Podcast, hosts Casey Minshew and Feras Moussa sit down with Mark Hartmann, Lower Middle Market M&A Advisor and Business Broker at HartmannRhodes and author of *The Sweat Equity Payday*. Mark spent years building a medical claims cost containment company, sold it for eight figures at 42 without hiring a broker, and made every mistake in the book along the way — including not knowing what "working capital" meant until it cost him roughly a million dollars. That expensive lesson, plus his Certified Exit Planning Advisor credential and IBBA training, turned him into a broker who now runs sell-side and buy-side deals in the $1M–$25M enterprise value range, with a specialty in getting sellers deal-ready years before they ever list. In this episode, we discuss: • The "catastrophic mistake" that may have cost him a million dollars: selling his own company without a broker and not understanding the working capital peg or adjustment • What a broker actually does after the LOI is signed • Mark's three pieces of advice for first-time buyers and sellers Guest Contact Information: Mark Hartmann M&A Advisor / Business Broker, HartmannRhodes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhartmann/ Website: https://www.hartmannrhodes.com Book: *The Sweat Equity Payday* — Amazon bestseller, available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle (audiobook forthcoming) Additional Resources: Thinking about buying a business? Connect with the Equity Launchpad team to learn more about acquisition entrepreneurship and upcoming opportunities. Contact Casey Minshew and Feras Moussa: [email protected] Explore more: https://www.equity-launchpad.com   About The M&A Launchpad: The M&A Launchpad provides insights into acquiring, investing in, and selling profitable businesses in the lower to middle market. Whether you are a business owner, investor, or aspiring entrepreneur, we will provide you with the knowledge, guidance, and capital to navigate the world of mergers and acquisitions. The M&A Launchpad presents a series of weekly podcast episodes and hosts an annual M&A Launchpad Conference tailored to the M&A community. Connect with M&A Launchpad: 🎧 Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0mW6i4ooujqC7eOPWmguU7 🎧 Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m-a-launchpad/id1740382586 🎟️ Attend Upcoming M&A Launchpad Conference: http://malaunchpad.com/