Every searcher wants to buy a home run. The hard part is knowing the difference before you close, not after. In this session, Adam Markley and I will break down the real patterns behind acquisitions that thrived and the ones that went bankrupt. Drawing on decades of first-hand experience across hundreds of businesses, we'll share honest stories, the ones that worked, the ones that didn't, and what actually separated them. Whether you are early in your search or closing in on your first acquisition, you'll leave with a sharper sense of what to look for, what to walk away from, and how experienced acquirers actually think about risk.