►EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1) THE DEAL THAT COULD'VE BLOWN UP ON DAY ONE: Five ex-combat veterans, zero non-competes, and a buyer who's never been in a foxhole with them. If those employees walk, the business doesn't just slow down — it ceases to exist. This is the risk nobody puts in the deck. 2) HIGH MARGINS MEAN NOTHING IF YOU CAN'T KEEP THE TEAM: Federal security strategy is a beautiful business on paper — until you realize the IP walks out the door every night in combat boots. QoE looked clean, but the real diligence was human, not financial. 3) TRUST IS A RISK MITIGATION STRATEGY: Eric didn't just shake hands and hope — he flew out, spent real time, built real relationships, and created backup plans. That's what separates a buyer who closes from one who gets burned post-LOI. 4) COMPOUNDING SUCCESS STARTS WITH ONE HARD DECISION: Eric answered the question a real buyer has to answer: Can I earn this? He did. Now he's growing the business and about to sell security services to a billionaire's real estate empire. That's what one good deal, done right, can unlock.