Acquisitions · Buy-Side
Our buy-side program — and how we help other buyers run it too.
Catalyst is an active buyer in the trades and home-service space. We also advise other operators who want to acquire with the same discipline: motivated sellers, creative structure, and a growth plan that pays the seller from performance — not a rollup fund chasing a fund timeline.
What we buy
The short version of our buy thesis.
- Trades and home-service operators — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and adjacent fields
- Real, provable revenue with a track record, not a projection
- An owner who is ready — burned out, ready for what's next, or without a clear successor
- A reputation and demand base that doesn't disappear the day the owner does
How we structure offers
We don't lead with a giant check. We lead with a plan.
Seller financing, earnouts, equity rollovers, and phased buyouts are all standard tools for us — sized to the specific business, not a template. The growth stack we bring after close (web, marketing, consulting, leadership) is often part of what makes a bigger offer possible without a bigger check at close — including CI Web Group to evaluate, brand, and market the acquired company.
How we value a business →If you're a buyer
Here's how we help.
If you're an operator or investor looking to acquire in the trades, we advise on deal sourcing, structure design, diligence, and — critically — the post-close integration work most buyers underestimate. We'll tell you directly if a deal fits this model or if you need a different kind of help.
How it works
From first conversation to close.
- 01
Sourcing & fit screen
We look at the business, the owner's goals, and whether this is actually a sale conversation or a curiosity conversation.
- 02
Initial conversation & range
A direct, confidential talk about the business, a rough valuation range, and what kind of structure could work.
- 03
LOI & structure design
We put a letter of intent together with real structure — some mix of cash, seller financing, earnout, or rollover, sized to the deal.
- 04
Diligence
Financials, operations, customer concentration, team dependency, and the health of the demand engine.
- 05
Close
Documents, funding mechanics, and a transition plan the seller and the team can actually follow.
- 06
Post-close integration
Web, marketing, ops, and leadership go in immediately — see Post-Close AI Integration.
FAQ
What do buyers ask before a trades acquisition?
- Are you buying for yourselves, or advising other buyers?
- Both. Catalyst is an active buyer with its own acquisition program, and we advise other operators who want to run a similar playbook — motivated sellers, creative structure, and a real post-close growth plan.
- Do you only buy 100% of a company?
- No. We'll consider majority positions, phased buyouts, and partnerships where the seller keeps equity and stays involved.
- What size deals are you looking at?
- It depends on the business and the structure, not just a revenue cutoff. Start a conversation and we'll tell you plainly if it's a fit.
Two doors in
Which side of the table are you on?
I want to sell my company.
A confidential, no-pressure conversation. Bring your real numbers when you're ready — not before.
Start a confidential conversationI want to buy or partner.
Tell us what you're looking at. We'll tell you honestly whether it fits how we structure deals.
Talk deal structureExplore the acquisitions practice
Sell-Side / Exit Advisory
For owners who are ready — or getting ready — to exit on their own terms, with the business intact.
Read more →Deal Diligence & Valuation
What the business is actually worth, what's really driving it, and what to fix before anyone signs.
Read more →Post-Close AI Integration
The web, marketing, ops, and leadership stack we install after close — the part that pays for the deal.
Read more →Keep exploring Catalyst