Hi, I'm Ron Gardner, Founder and CEO of Gardner Acquisitions & Closings. I've spent years inside hospital operations and healthcare systems before pivoting into acquisition entrepreneurship, so when I say I want people who can operate under real pressure, I mean it literally. I built this firm the same way I ran a pharmacy floor: on process, precision, and follow-through. We're a fundless sponsor targeting lower middle market businesses ($1.5M+ EBITDA, $3M+ asking price, 10+ years of operating history, industry-agnostic except general construction). This isn't a small outfit. We've built a 30 person acquisitions engine: cold callers, meeting takers, deal sourcers, analysts, virtual assistants, and leadership, running roughly 2,700 deals through our pipeline right now. Here's what I'm not looking for anymore: someone to sit on the sidelines and observe. I'm hiring 5 Executive Assistant interns to work directly alongside me as my number 2 in the business. You'll oversee this 30+ person team alongside me, keep priorities straight across the firm, and see exactly what it takes to run a company from the inside, not from a textbook. If you've ever wondered what it's actually like to sit in the CEO seat, this is about as close as an internship gets. I review applications on a rolling basis. Don't wait. THE ROLE: EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT / CHIEF OF STAFF You are my right hand. You'll sit across every team we run, a 30+ person operation spanning cold callers, meeting takers, deal sourcing, financial analysis, and due diligence, and you'll make sure none of it stalls out. When a team is behind, you catch it before I have to. When priorities shift, you're the one who re-routes people without me having to say it twice. You'll manage my calendar and inbox, prep me for broker and seller meetings, sit in on high-level conversations, and help me make real decisions on live deals. This isn't administrative support in the traditional sense. It's operating leverage. You need to be organized, decisive, comfortable managing people who may be your age or older, and unafraid to tell me something isn't working. A natural fit for anyone who wants to understand how a business actually runs at the top, not just one function of it. WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY GET Direct, daily exposure to how a CEO thinks, prioritizes, and makes decisions under pressure. Oversight experience across a 30+ person team spanning sourcing, outreach, analysis, and diligence. A seat in real strategic conversations, not just execution work. First hand insight into what it takes to run and scale an acquisitions firm from the inside. A relationship with me directly. You are not managed by a manager. You report to me. WHO I'M LOOKING FOR MBA students, law students, recent grads, or working professionals who want real leadership exposure, not just a resume line. No prior M&A experience required, but you need to be someone who naturally takes ownership, communicates clearly, and doesn't need to be told twice. If you've ever led a team, managed a project end to end, or been the person others come to when something needs to get done, that matters more here than your major or your GPA. PROGRAM DETAILS Remote Unpaid internship Start Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026 through October 30, 2026 Rolling interviews begin immediately Approximately 20 to 24 hours per week Hiring 5 Executive Assistant / Chief of Staff interns This role is remote, but if you're based in Orange County, California, you're welcome to come work alongside me in the office as well. For a role built around direct CEO exposure, in-person time is a real advantage if it's an option for you. Strong performers may have the opportunity to continue with Gardner Acquisitions & Closings beyond the internship as we keep growing, and this role is the clearest path into a long term leadership seat at the firm. More on the firm: Gardner Acquisitions & Closings, redacted TO APPLY DM me directly with your resume and answers to: 1. A time you managed people or coordinated across a team to get something done. What was the situation and what did you do. 2. Why you want CEO level exposure specifically, not just an internship. 3. Your actual availability for the full run. Be honest, not aspirational. Please include your resume and answer all three questions. How clearly and quickly you respond tells me more than a bullet-point history will, but I need both. Looking forward to hearing from you. company website: gardneracquisitions.com