The Inner Capital

The Brutal Truth About Buying a Business in 2026 | James Richardson

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 34:07

What does it actually take to buy a business in today’s market?

In this episode of The Inner Capital, I sit down with James Richardson (aka BizBuyingBrit), who left his Big 4 director role in 2022 to go all in on acquisition entrepreneurship. Since then, he’s acquired six companies and scaled a portfolio to nearly $20M in revenue across home services, manufacturing, and professional services.

We break down:

  • James business buying journey
  • Who should not buy a business right now
  • Assumptions first-time buyers make, and what to avoid
  • Creative funding: SBA loans, funding risks, and capital partners in 2026
  • The identity shift from employee to owner
  • What real wealth and freedom look like

This episode will challenge your assumptions and give you a clearer lens on what it actually takes.

Some key takeaways:

  • Don’t overpay just to “get your first deal done” - find your 'sweet spot' 
  • In 2026, relationships > cold outreach for deal flow
  • Don't forget about working capital
  • What you don’t know, you can learn
  • A healthy deal often has cash flow at least 2x projected debt service
  • Don’t be afraid of cash partners or getting creative with funding
  • True wealth isn’t just revenue — it’s relationships and control over your time

If this episode resonates, follow, rate, and share The Inner Capital with someone on their ownership journey.

Because building wealth externally always starts internally.