April 2027
Dallas, TX
SMBash convenes the most influential searchers, operators, investors, and micro-private equity firms in ETA to share real stories, build real partnerships, and shape the future of search.
Watch The 2026 Highlights
REVIEWS
From the room
Real reactions from the room. The best part of SMBash is the people you meet, and the best proof is hearing it from them.
WHY SMBASH
The annual meeting for the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition community.
Join us for a two day summit designed to spark ideas, forge partnerships, and shape what's next.
Want to be involved?
SPEAKERS
Keynote speakers
Hear from some of the best minds across business.
Be the first to know.
Our full roster of SMBash speakers will be revealed soon.
Don’t miss a name — sign up to get notified first.
APRIL 2027
Previous Sessions
Alumni Panel: Year One Lessons from Searchers, Operators, and Holdcos
Building a 50-Deal Proprietary Pipeline Without Brokers
Building a Baby Berkshire: How Enduring Ventures Bought 20 Companies
Business Brokers, A Necessary Evil: How to Get Deals Done With Bad Brokers
How Chenmark Builds CEOs and Scales a 10-Company HoldCo
How to Build a 50-Deal Pipeline Without a Broker
How to Get Deals Done With Bad Business Brokers
How Two Self-Funded Searchers Raised Equity to Close Their Deals
How Ujwal Velagapudi Built $4M of Cash Flow With $625K Down
Inside a $3M Self-Funded Search Investment Fund with Tony Cappaert
Not All Lawyers Suck: Inside Legal Strategy for ETA Deals
Think Like an Owner: Acquiring Inside Your Industry After a Search
What SBA Lenders Really Think About Your Search Deal
Why We Buy Small Businesses With 100% Equity and Zero Debt
SMBash 2024 Salt Lake City: Highlights
2024 Welcome Address
Finding Fraud in ETA Deals: Real QoE War Stories from Mike Jerman
Finding the Needle in the Haystack: Sourcing Better ETA Deals
From NFL Quarterback to Small Business Owner with Jeff Driskel
How Paws and Rec Sold to a Pet Services Holdco and Kept Building
Leadership Lessons from Veterans Who Bought Businesses
Output Thinking: How to Build Systems That Scale a Stage 2 Company
Palmer Higgins on Building a CEO Factory at Chenmark
Pass the Hat: How Investors Evaluate Self-Funded Search Equity Raises
The Big D: SBA Debt Strategy for Self-Funded Searchers in 2024
Why Every SMB Operator Needs Overseas Talent (and How to Start)
10 Principles for Driving Growth After You Buy the Business
Covering Your Ass: How to Choose the Right Legal Counsel and Seal the Deal
From Apple to Cannabis CEO: Building a Vertically Integrated Weed Empire
Practical AI for Real Small Businesses (Not Tech Bros)
Risky Business: Insurance Diligence Pitfalls That Kill ETA Deals
Tax Tips for Searchers Asset vs Stock Deals F Reorgs and QSBS
Why Every ETA Operator Needs a Peer Group After Closing
Why KPIs Saved My Search When the P&L Would Have Lied
You Only Need One White Whale to Change Your Life
SMBash 2025 Highlights: Searchers, Operators, and Investors Meet in Dallas
An NFL QB on Walking Away From a Deal at the One Yard Line
Brent Beshore on Deal Making, Hiding, and What Winning Actually Looks Like
Chris Koerner on 75 Businesses, Hard Lessons, and the CEO Playbook
How to Win Deals as a Searcher in a Crowded ETA Market
Inside an ETA Deal Team: How a November 1st Close Actually Came Together
Self-Funded Searchers and SBA Lenders Unfiltered
The Legal Playbook for ETA Deals: Asset vs Stock, Reps, and Indemnity
The SMB Blueprint for Building an Operationally Excellent Company
Welcome to SMBash 2025
What Actually Makes Business Sellers Happy After the Sale
Building a Holdco the Hard Way: Lessons from Chenmark and Decata Group
Financial Modeling for ETA Deals: Making All Four Parties Happy
How a Tree Care Owner Tracks KPIs by Hand to Run a Seasonal Business
How SBA Lenders Really Evaluate Self-Funded Search Deals
Inside the Self-Funded Search Cap Table with Feta Fund and Workbench
Night Stalker Pilot on Leading Through Chaos in Combat and Small Business
Two ETA Paths: Stay Independent or Sell to PE and Scale
Inside 370 ETA Deals: What 4 Years at SMB Law Group Revealed
Michael Girdley: Lessons From 100 Failed Businesses
Why 98% of Aspiring Buyers Never Close (And How to Be in the 2%)
Tripling Revenue After a Self-Funded SBA Search | Chris Williams, System Six
Attributes Over Experience: How Special Operators Hire for ETA
Deal Sourcing 201 How to Become the Buyer of Choice in ETA
Leading vs Lagging KPIs for First-Time Business Owners
What SBA Lenders Actually Look For in Search Fund Deals
The 7 Levels of AI for Small Business Owners
War Stories from the Trenches of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
Financial Modeling A Search Deal
Killing the Founder's Name: How We Rebranded 9 Acquisitions into One
A Different Way to Own and Operate
The Clock Speed Manifesto: Why Clock Speed is the Primary Driver of Profitability
The Self-Funded Search Bubble and the Zombie Deals Nobody Posts About
From Broke and Broken to Multiple Companies: Jake Becker's Story
Quality of Earnings Unpacked: What ETA Buyers Need to Know Before LOI
Self-Funded Holdco vs. Committed Capital: Two ETA Paths Compared
Post-LOI Deal Issues: Legal Realities of Closing an ETA Deal
SMBash 2026 Highlights
SPONSORS
We’re proud to partner with an outstanding group of organizations shaping the future of ETA.
Become a sponsor
PRICING
Get tickets
SMBash limits the number of attendees in an effort to create an intimate, community setting.
Get notified when SMBash 2027 tickets go on sale.
Our full list of ticket options will be revealed soon.
Don’t a beat — sign up to get notified first.
Who should attend SMBash
SMBash is for entrepreneurs, operators, investors, service providers, micro-private equity firms, and professionals passionate about small and medium business acquisition and growth. Whether you’re a first-time searcher, a seasoned operator, or an advisor supporting the ecosystem, SMBash brings together the people shaping the future of entrepreneurship.
What does an SMBash ticket include?
Your SMBash ticket includes everything you’ll need during the event except travel and lodging. This includes three full meals per day, complimentary drinks and snacks, full access to all event content such as keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions, participation in all official activities, post-event recordings of all sessions, and access to exclusive offers and partner specials.
Where is SMBash 2027 being held?
SMBash takes place at The Rayleigh Underground in Irving, Texas — a modern, creative venue in the heart of the Dallas–Fort Worth area. It’s minutes from DFW Airport and Love Field, and surrounded by hotels, dining, and nightlife options.
Can I attend SMBash virtually or remotely?
SMBash is an in-person experience designed for live connection and collaboration. However, all attendees will receive access to session recordings after the event.
How do sponsorships work?
Interested in sponsoring SMBash? Contact us to learn more about current partnership opportunities.
What is the SMBash refund or transfer policy?
Tickets are fully refundable until 30 days prior to the event and transferable up to two weeks before the event. If you can’t attend, you’re welcome to reassign your ticket to a colleague, roll your ticket forward to next year, or contact us for help managing the transfer.
