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. Not a thesis on paper. It's the exact filter every deal in our ~2,700-company pipeline gets run through, every week. Over the past several months we've built a 16-person acquisitions engine — specialists, virtual assistants, interns, and leadership — sourcing, evaluating, and closing on live deals. I'm looking to add a handful of people who want to step into that system while it's running, not build one from scratch. This isn't a case study. You'll work live opportunities, sit in on real broker meetings with me, read actual CIMs, and watch deals move from first call to LOI. I review applications on a rolling basis. Don't wait. The Roles 1. Broker Outreach & Relationship Management You're not afraid of the phone or a cold email, and you know that a "no" today is a "call me next quarter" tomorrow. You'll own broker relationships, keep meetings moving, and get deals in front of me before someone else does. A natural fit if you're wired for sales, consulting, or entrepreneurship. 2. Deal Sourcing & Research You can turn an industry and a geography into a real, qualified pipeline — not a list of names, an actual short list worth pursuing. You'll dig through listings, flag what's worth a second look, and keep our pipeline honest. A fit for anyone drawn to investment banking, corporate development, or research. 3. Financial & Deal Analysis You can sit with an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement and actually understand what they're telling you — or you're genuinely willing to learn fast. You'll dig into CIMs, stress-test add-backs, and help me figure out what a business is actually worth before we ever send an LOI. A fit for finance, accounting, econ, or MBA students who want the real thing, not a simulation of it. 4. Due Diligence & Transaction Support You're the person who notices when a document is missing before anyone else does. You'll run NDA coordination, manage diligence requests, keep our data room organized, and see exactly how a deal survives — or dies — between LOI and close. A fit if you're eyeing private equity, law, or operations. What You'll Actually Get - A seat in live broker and seller meetings, not a recording of one. - A front-row view of how professional buyers actually evaluate businesses. - Real confidential deal material, not sanitized examples. - Exposure to negotiation and diligence as they happen, in real time. - A team that's already operating — you're plugging into momentum, not creating it. Who I'm Looking For MBA students, undergrads, recent grads, or working professionals who want first-hand exposure to private equity, search funds, or acquisition entrepreneurship. No prior M&A experience required. What I care about is curiosity, reliability, and whether you can communicate clearly under a deadline — because that's the job. Program Details - Remote - Unpaid internship - Start Date: Monday, July 13, redactedSeptember 30th, 2026 - Rolling interviews begin Monday, July 6 - Approximately 16–24 hours per week Strong performers may have the opportunity to continue with Gardner Acquisitions & Closings beyond the internship as we keep growing. More on the firm: Gardner Acquisitions & Closings redacted To Apply DM me directly with: 1. Which of the four roles you want, and why that one specifically. 2. What draws you to private equity, search funds, or acquisition entrepreneurship. 3. Something relevant you've actually done, doesn't need to be finance or M&A, just show me the function. A resume is welcome but not required. How clearly and quickly you respond tells me more than a bullet-point history will. Looking forward to hearing from you.