In this episode of The Intentional Owner, Sam Rosati and Kaustubh Deo dive deep into the journey of buying and running a small business—specifically, Kaustubh’s experience acquiring and growing Blooma Tree Services. Kaustubh shares how his path from private equity to entrepreneurship was shaped by a desire for ownership, control, and long-term equity building. He opens up about the reality of searching for and buying a business, including the setbacks of a failed deal, the learning curve of running a trades business, and the unexpected challenges of owner dependency in a company where the sellers were still climbing trees daily. Other key insights include: • What it’s really like to transition into an owner-operator role • The importance of hiring and structuring a team post-acquisition • Navigating the growing pains of shifting from survival mode to scaling • Why location and community connections matter more than you think Whether you’re considering entrepreneurship through acquisition or are in the trenches of running a small business, this episode is packed with real-world lessons from an owner who’s lived it firsthand. Topics: 00:00 - Intro 02:03 - Kaustubh’s journey to ETA 14:13 - Going under LOI on a business and losing it 19:34 - Closing on Blooma Tree Services 21:08 - Expectations vs. Reality in the day-to-day of running an acquired business 25:47 - Discovering owner dependency 33:09 - The importance of control in ETA 36:18 - The Whack-a-Mole method 41:41 - Sustainability is a false pretense early in ownership 47:43 - Life owning a small business in your hometown 54:27 - Tactical tips