This one's for the operators

Seven years ago I bought a commercial refrigeration / HVAC business in Massachusetts as a self-funded searcher. No PE backing. No partners. Just an SBA loan, a personal guarantee, and a lot of confidence that I'd figure it out. I did figure it out - mostly. But there were moments in the middle where I would have given anything for someone who'd actually been through it to help me think through what to do next. A friend of mine just published the book I wish I'd had during that stretch. The Stuff In Between: How to Turn a Big Idea Into a Life-Changing Company by Garren Hilow. Garren bootstrapped a biotech company from scratch to a $190M exit - without venture capital, without giving up control - and wrote this book from the real journals he kept along the way. Not polished in hindsight. The actual decisions, in real time. Today is launch day. If 1,000 people buy today it hits Amazon bestseller status. 100% of proceeds go to Kiva, which funds entrepreneurs around the world who can't access traditional capital. Link to purchase the book is - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H22TBRVS If you're in the messy middle of operating something you acquired - past the excitement of close, deep in the grind of actually running it - this one's worth your time. — For context: I exited my business and now work with founder-operators as a strategic advisor and fractional COO. I'm also a big believer in business operating systems like EOS and Scaling Up. If you're navigating the operational side of something you've acquired and want a sounding board, feel free to connect