Specificity is the work. The wider the criteria, the less serious the buyer. Below is what fits, what doesn't, and what to do if you have something close.
§ 02.1
Criteria
The shape of the right business.
Seller's discretionary earnings
$1M – $3M SDESDE is the operative metric. Adjusted EBITDA acceptable on the same range when SDE is not the cleaner figure.
Revenue
$3M – $15MRange only — earnings quality matters more than top-line.
Geography
Southern AlbertaCalgary metro and the surrounding region. Not Western Canada. Not Alberta and BC.
Owner profile
Owner-operated, founder-ledTypically a 15–40 year tenure. The owner is closer to retirement than to the next venture.
Earnings history
Profitable for at least the last three yearsCyclical businesses considered on the cycle, not the peak.
Customers
Recurring or repeat-pattern customer baseNo single customer above twenty-five percent of revenue, ideally well below.
Team
A team that wants to stayThe team is most of what we are buying. Replacing them is not the plan.
Owner transition
Six to twelve months alongside the new ownerLonger if the owner wants it. Shorter only with a clear reason.
Deal structure
Cash at close with a sensible vendor take-backEarnouts only when they genuinely fit the situation; never as a way to bridge a price gap.
§ 02.2
Industries
Where we look, and where we don't.
Industries we'll look at
Specialty trades and field services
Industrial and commercial services
Distribution and light manufacturing
Healthcare services with stable referral patterns
Established consumer or B2B services with repeat revenue
Agriculture-adjacent operations with real cash flow
Industries that are not a fit
Restaurants, bars, and hospitality
Pure retail with thin margins
Pre-revenue or unprofitable businesses
Businesses dependent on a single customer or contract
Anything requiring a turnaround we are not equipped to run
Roll-ups, distressed assets, or asset-only deals
§ 02.3
If you're close
A note for brokers and owners with something near the edges.
The buybox is narrow because seriousness requires it. If you have a listing that lands a hair outside — a touch smaller on SDE, a town that's adjacent rather than within the metro, an industry that isn't on the list but rhymes with it — write anyway. The worst answer is a quick and honest no.
The one part that is not flexible is geography. The vehicle is built around an operator who plans to be physically present in the business. If the company is east of Manitoba or west of the Rockies, it isn't for us.