Beyond the Deal
Beyond the Deal is podcast hosted by Michael Wagman. He has created a life of freedom and travel using passive income generated through real estate investing and raising capital. In this podcast Michael interviews guests who have been successful in the world of real estate investing or alternative investments, and they go beyond the deal to discuss the stories and practices that ultimately laid the groundwork to success.
Beyond the Deal
How Jay Bourgana Built and Sold a $350M Company Before Launching Acquisition Collective
In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Jay Bourgana, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Acquisition Collective, who’s quietly built a business empire through strategic small business acquisitions and roll-ups.
Jay shares his journey from growing up in Morocco and working in global operations to building and selling a $350M real estate company—and why he walked away from it all to teach others how to buy businesses and build lasting wealth.
From turnaround consulting to post-exit mindset, Jay dives deep into buying businesses the right way, finding off-market sellers, and building scalable systems so you’re not stuck in the day-to-day. He also reveals why ownership equals control, and how he’s using business as a tool to create freedom, purpose, and generational impact.
Key Takeaways:
✅ How Jay went from a Moroccan immigrant to building a $350M company
✅ Why buying businesses is the ultimate wealth-building strategy
✅ What to look for in companies: recurring revenue, systems, & simplicity
✅ How to find off-market deals using NAICS codes and industry networks
✅ The power of mentorship, systems thinking, and personal evolution
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction & Jay’s immigrant-to-entrepreneur journey
06:00 – Building a $350M real estate business & getting acquired
10:45 – Why Jay walked away & started buying small businesses
16:20 – How he finds sellers & what makes a company worth buying
20:00 – Roll-ups, recurring revenue, and building for scale
26:30 – Post-exit life: Why retirement got boring & purpose matters
29:30 – Teaching others: Inside the Acquisition Collective & Raising Lions
Follow the Host – Michael Wagman:
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwagman/
🔗 https://www.instagram.com/nimble_capital_group/
🔗 https://nimblecapitalgroup.com/
Follow the Guest – Jay Bourgana:
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-bourgana/
🔗 https://acquisitionscollective.biz/
Want to learn how to raise capital and scale your investments?
🔗 Book a free discovery call: https://calendly.com/mwagman/capital-coaching-exploration
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