From SearchFunder.com lurker to operator - what I learned & happy to pay it forward

About a year and a half ago, I was active in here trying to figure out if buying a home services business was the right move. My M&A experience was sourcing and executing SMB deals (animal hospitals and software companies), but I'd never been operationally involved. I found SearchFunder and started engaging. To my surprise, there was an entire network of people willing to lend an ear and provide insight. Those insights helped me decide to buy a home services business in September 2024. Since then I've been heads down building... learning quickly that spreadsheets and reality don't always align, and that operations will humble you faster than any financial model ever could. (Turns out you can't process payroll using EBITDA.) Though my operational experience is somewhat limited, I'd be happy to show the same courtesy that so many showed me. If you're thinking about home services, deal origination, or making the leap into ETA-- happy to connect. Also looking to connect with operators running larger home services companies or those actively doing M&A in any category. Always learning.