Andy Katz

Most startups die trying to get what an existing business already has — Customers Cash flow Systems Brand trust Why start from zero when you can buy from momentum? Buy a business doing $500K–$2M in revenue. Leverage seller financing, SBA, or private capital. Keep the team, fix the margins, and scale. It’s not about being an entrepreneur anymore. It’s about being an acquirer. Startups are hope. Acquisitions are math. And math wins. 🦈

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, investors buy performance, not potential. When we evaluate franchise brands, we don’t start with the story or the tech stack. We start with unit-level profitability. That’s the foundation for scale, validation, and enterprise value. In my new Forbes article, I break down the key metrics investors look for and why sustainable unit economics always win over flashy growth. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e6uwkjpx Visit Boxwood Partners: https://lnkd.in/eWPtbT7q #Franchising #PrivateEquity #MergersAndAcquisitions #BoxwoodPartners

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Too many founders still buy into outdated financing myths like waiting on SBA loans that won’t come, refusing to lease equipment, or avoiding debt like it’s toxic. The truth? Smart businesses use capital to move faster. Debt isn’t the enemy. Waiting too long to scale is. Don’t let pride in bootstrapping hold you back when the market’s moving. Financial literacy is as critical as your product. Know your numbers, challenge the myths, and grow with intention. #SmallBizFinance #FoundersMindset #Entrepreneurship

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~Introducing ALIGNCAP. Most founders don’t struggle because their ideas are weak. They struggle because their timing, narrative, or positioning is misaligned with the capital they approach. ALIGNCAP exists to work before the pitch. We help early-stage founders: assess investor readiness clarify their narrative understand fit before outreach avoid premature or misaligned fundraising We don’t promise funding. We don’t sell access. We focus on alignment. Because the right capital, at the wrong time, can do more harm than good. Alignment over capital. — ALIGNCAP Founder–Investor Alignment Platform

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New Episode LIVE: Investor Spotlight with Brian Bernstein of Rich Products Ventures What does corporate venture capital actually look like—and why might it be the strategic partner your brand needs? Host Hannah Dittman sits down with Brian Bernstein, investor at Rich Products Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Rich Products Corporation, one of the 50 largest food and beverage companies and leading frozen food manufacturers in the United States. Brian shares his path from investment banking (including the Yeti IPO) to Blue Apron's rise and fall to Wharton to Restaurant Brands International (RBI) to landing in corporate venture. The conversation covers what separates corporate venture from traditional VC, why information walls and no right of first refusal clauses make corporate venture an asset (not a burden), and the conviction drivers Brian looks for: founder-market fit, velocity crossing from natural into conventional, margin bridges with clear paths to profitability, and the "Toledo test"—if it won't sell in Toledo, Ohio, it's not a scalable brand. Brian also shares recent investments, why venture capital isn't the right fit for every brand, and advice for founders: solve a real consumer pain point, start scrappy, hire when it's painful, and be ready for pivots. Listen now: https://lnkd.in/efE-zRa3 . . . #StartupCPG #CPGPodcast #VentureCapital #RichProductsVentures #CorporateVenture #FoodAndBeverage #InvestorSpotlight #Fundraising #CPGFounders #EmergingBrands #ProductMarketFit

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The most successful funds I’ve seen are boring operationally. Predictable. Structured. Disciplined. Investors don’t want surprises in operations. They want surprises in performance.

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