For a long time, ETA felt like a niche within a niche—mostly MBA grads from top programs, often with banking or PE experience. And to be fair, that group still makes up a lot of the activity in the space. But recently, something’s shifted.
I’ve started seeing—and hearing from—a completely different wave of buyers. Teachers. Veterans. Engineers. Operators from small businesses. People with no finance background, but a ton of curiosity and grit.
They’re not coming to ETA because it’s trendy. They’re coming because they want ownership. Not just financial equity, but personal responsibility. They want to build something, lead something, and run it their way.
What they have in common isn’t a résumé. It’s mindset.
They want:
- The freedom to own without starting from scratch
- A meaningful handoff with the seller, not just a wire transfer
- A business they can grow steadily and sustainably
This shift is changing the whole ecosystem. Brokers are starting to look past MBA credentials and ask deeper questions. Sellers are prioritizing values alignment just as much as purchase price. And platforms are evolving to reflect that.
I built ETA Match with this in mind. Because I believe the best buyer for a business isn’t always the one with the flashiest LinkedIn. It’s the one who understands what the business really needs—and who’s ready to step into it with care.
