You're asking the WRONG question...

I have (no joke) had thousands of people ask me what business they should buy.

And every single time, I tell them they're asking the wrong question.

There isn't one right business…

But there is one right business for you.

Most people skip that last part, and it can cost them years.

You know what happens when you buy a new pair of shoes without thinking about how they fit?

You get blisters.

(Ouch!)

The same thing happens when you buy the wrong business.

Except instead of painful lesions on your heels, you get to sink tens of thousands of dollars into a sinking ship.

No bueno.

You might spend 18 months staring at SBA listings, copy-pasting BizBuySell links in your group chat, and convincing yourself the next car wash is the one.

And when it isn’t, you walk away, start over, and (eventually) quit.

Here’s the thing though, I don’t think you’re a quitter. I just think you’ve been asking the wrong questions…

(I’ll get to the right question in a minute.)

See, I used to examine every small business that came across my desk like it might contain the answers to the universe.

Which is exactly how I wasted hundreds of hours spinning my wheels. And while it didn’t quite drive me insane, it came pretty close…

But the problem wasn't with the businesses, the problem was that I had no filter.

So I built one.

The right deal mirrors the buyer.

But how do you hold that mirror up in the first place?

I call it The Deal Box, and before you scroll a single listing, lock in these 6 criteria. It’ll save you a ton of time, and (possibly) your sanity.

The YOU side:

Your Ideal Owner Experience — what do you want your life to look like as the owner of this thing? Hours? Travel? Energy?

Your Zone of Genius — what work are you good at and can't shut up about?

Your Current Business (optional) — if you already own one, does the next deal multiply it or distract from it?

Under these, write down your personal goals, your income goals, and your business goals.

Not someone else's - YOURS.

The BUSINESS side:

Size — revenue range, headcount, and the deal size you can actually fund.

Profit — margin profile you can live with. Cash-flow business or cash-suck business?

Industry — keep it broad, but factor in the YOU side.

Stack those 6 and you've got your Deal Box.

Anything inside is worth a closer look.

Anything outside?

Not. Your. Deal.

Period.

In June, we're running Main Street Millionaire Live — A 3 day, virtual event, where we walk through how to build your Deal Box, along with everything else you need to know to buy your own business.

And before you keep scrolling, I need you to know 2 things:

This isn't "buy any business." It's "buy the right one — for you."

Click HERE to save your seat!

Most people stay stuck because they confuse motion with progress.

But the truth is, it doesn’t matter if you’re going the speed of light if you’re headed in the wrong direction.

You could spend 2 years looking at bakeries, because you love fresh bread…

And right about the time you realize you hate waking up at 4 a.m. to start proofing dough, it’ll be too late.

So if you know you hate super early mornings, filter out those businesses.

Because when you ask the right first question the search gets way easier.

Let’s take one of our Academy Members, Alex Ramon.

As an accomplished magician looking to get into ownership, Alex wasn’t sure what type of business would be right for him. He had no obvious experience in the service industries that often dominate small business acquisitions.

So we gave him a simple piece of advice: “Look at your bank statements. See what you’re spending the most money on, and maybe look to acquire something in that space.”

Chances are, if you’re spending on a product or service, it just might fit into your Deal Box.

For Alex, that answer was clear.

After his shows, he sold branded merchandise. Things like shirts, hats, beanies, tote bags, and other souvenirs for his audience.

And every year, he spent a significant amount of money simply stocking up on inventory.

That realization led him to a custom branding and merchandise company just 35 minutes from his home in Lake Tahoe.

So he reviewed the Deal Box, and everything checked out.

The Alex Side

Business Side

Alex stayed patient, got the acquisition over the line, and became the new owner of the business.

All because he stopped searching for ANY business, and started looking for the RIGHT business.

Back to my original thought:

If the wrong first question is: "What's the best business to buy?"

The right first question is: "Who am I — and what business is best suited for who I am (and who I want to become)?"

Answer that one, then go shopping.

-Codie

Small businesses employ 46% of the workforce and create 64% of new jobs. If you care about where the real economy is headed, the 2026 State of Main Street is required reading.

Inside you’ll find:

And if you know someone who would LOVE this, show ‘em some love and forward this email.