I lost my job. Now what?

A few weeks ago, my role was eliminated.

Just business, I get it. I’m glad I saw it coming, but it still didn’t feel great.

It left me standing at a fork in the road. A “what now?” kind of moment. The husband to a stay at home wife and soon to be father of 2 was screaming to start firing off applications. What kind of story would that make for though?

Instead, I’m sticking to the plan.

No more delays. No excuses. It’s time.

I’m raising a search fund.

I hope to turn this into a dramatic moment later in life about how I was at my lowest low, my “burn the boats” moment. It’s not actually that dramatic, but I’ve decided to go all-in on something that’s been brewing for years.

What’s a Search Fund?

A search fund is a path for someone to buy a small, profitable business, often from a retiring owner, and take over running it.

There are two main approaches:

1. Traditional Search Fund: You raise capital from investors to fund your full-time search for 1–2 years. If you find a business to buy, those same investors help fund the acquisition. In return, you can earn up to ~25% ownership based on performance and how long you run the business.

2. Self-Funded Search: You use your own money (and maybe some debt or seller financing) to buy a business. You keep more equity, but you're on your own financially during the search.

Both can work. But here’s why I’m going the traditional route.

Why I’m Going Traditional

I’ve heard all the arguments against traditional search:
“You’re giving up too much equity.”
“You’ll have a bunch of investors looking over your shoulder.”
“You should own 100%.”

Honestly? That mindset is shortsighted.

First, you're always answering to someone. Whether it's a boss, a customer, or a lender, true autonomy is a myth.

Second, traditional search gives me a better chance of succeeding. Not only will I have the ability to focus on searching full time, but I’ll have a group of individuals financially invested in seeing me succeed. That’s a great place to be.

Third, and most important, I want to learn. Many traditional search investors are former operators themselves. I want smart people in my corner. People I can call when I’m facing a big decision. People I can grow with over time.

I’m early in my career. I don’t need to own 100%. I need to build 100% of the right skills, experiences, and relationships.

How I Got Here

I first learned about search funds years ago while interviewing veteran business owners on the Scuttlebutt Podcast.

What stood out to me was this:
The veterans who started or bought businesses had something I deeply desired.
They had purpose. The kind that reminded them of their time in uniform.
They had satisfaction. Fulfillment. Ownership.
And they had strong financial outcomes, building real wealth for their families.

That combination — purpose and financial upside — has stuck with me ever since.

And when I met Joe Heieck, the former CEO of gWorks, it all clicked. Joe had bought gWorks through a search a decade earlier. I joined him as his Chief of Staff, and for the last two years, I’ve worked alongside him learning the ins and outs of operating and growing a real business.

And now, I’m ready to do it myself.

So what is this newsletter now?

It’s where I’ll share the journey in real time. The behind-the-scenes of raising a search fund, sourcing deals, talking to sellers, and (eventually) acquiring and operating a business.

You’ll get:

• The frameworks I’m using

• Mistakes I’m making

• Operational lessons I’ve learned

• Conversations I’m having with investors, advisors, and owners

• And, eventually, updates I’ll be sharing with my investors — right here in the open

This newsletter has changed formats a few times. I’ve written about veteran business ownership, podcast episodes, personal updates — all over the map.

If this version isn’t for you, no hard feelings. You can unsubscribe here.

But if you’re still reading, know this:
You’re getting the full, unfiltered story. The ideas, the struggles, the progress — all of it.

When I fully raise this fund, I’ll be adding my investors to this list too.

Thanks for being here — I’m excited to build something worth sharing.

Talk soon,
Brock

P.S. If you’ve ever run a search or want to connect over a related topic, I’d love to hear from you. Hit reply any time.