How Everyday Professionals Are Buying $1M–$5M Businesses Without Risking Their Life Savings

The 80/10/10 deal structure is a business acquisition financing framework. 80% of the purchase price is financed through an SBA (Small Business Administration) loan. 10% is covered by a seller financing note, which acts as the buyer’s insurance policy — if the business underperforms, the seller shares the downside. The remaining 10% is the buyer’s down payment. Through BizBuyEmpire’s network of SBA-preferred lenders, buyers can sometimes get approved with as little as 5% down.

The Bulletproof Score is a five-point evaluation framework. Every deal must pass all five before an offer is made: DCR of 2.5x or higher, DSCR of 2.5x or higher, purchase multiple of 3x EBITDA or less, minimum cash flow of $100,000 per year, and three months of working capital included. If any single criterion fails, the deal is rejected. This framework was developed across Mike Warren’s 35+ years and three private equity firms.

A Partnership Evaluation is a 30-minute conversation with our team to determine if the Bulletproof method is the right fit for your situation. We confirm your SBA eligibility, discuss what types of businesses match your background and financial goals, and walk through how the 80/10/10 structure would work for your specific case. If it’s not a fit, we’ll tell you. There’s no pressure, no obligation, and no pitch unless the numbers work for both sides.

BizBuyEmpire works with corporate professionals, business owners, doctors, dentists, engineers, software developers, construction professionals, and other motivated individuals who want to acquire an existing profitable business rather than start one from scratch. No prior acquisition experience is required. Ideal clients are earning a stable income and looking to transition to business ownership through a structured approach.

We focus on established, cash-flowing businesses in the $1M to $10M range — typically “boring but profitable” service and blue-collar industries. Examples include HVAC companies, commercial cleaning, logistics, manufacturing, medical practices, laundromats, and other service-based businesses with proven cash flow and stable operations.

BizBuyEmpire differentiates through the Bulletproof Score — a rigorous five-point framework that eliminates bad deals before they start. While other programs focus on deal sourcing alone, we emphasize buyer protections, DCR verification, working capital requirements, and structures designed so the business pays its own debt from day one. Our preferred lender network also approves buyers at 5% down, half the industry standard.

In many cases, yes. Working with our preferred SBA lender network, it’s often possible to include program fees, quality of earnings reports, legal costs, and other acquisition-related expenses in the overall SBA loan package. This means you don’t have to pay these costs separately out of pocket. The specifics depend on your deal structure and lender, which is something we cover during the Partnership Evaluation.