Navigating the business world requires immense grit, but knowing how to transition from a structured military playbook to a thriving business acquisition is where true enterprise value is unlocked.

Courtney Zaugg is the founder of VentureVets and an economic development professional dedicated to building the infrastructure for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. She breaks down why veterans excel at buying existing businesses, the hidden operational power of military spouses, and the three distinct traits that allow veteran founders to outwork anyone in the room. Learn how to leverage systems, mitigate single-founder risk, and tap into one of the most resilient entrepreneurial ecosystems in the country.

In this episode, you will:

• Discover the three distinct superpowers of veteran founders and how they drive business value

• Learn why entrepreneurship through acquisition is the perfect fit for military leadership

• Understand the massive economic potential and untamed grit of the military spouse community

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet Courtney Zaugg

(04:56) The true scale of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurship

(07:27) Why veterans excel at entrepreneurship through acquisition

(10:07) The community and capital hurdles facing transitioning military

(13:06) The distinct traits and superpowers of veteran founders

(15:39) Navigating federal contracts and the danger of relationship transitions

(19:42) Diversifying revenue streams and setting up a successful exit

(26:58) Overcoming single-founder risk with strong teams and operational systems

Resources:
For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Follow Courtney Zaugg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyzaugg/
Explore VentureVets: https://www.theventurevets.com/

Follow Ed:
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

You don't have to build your own business from scratch to be an entrepreneur. You can buy one instead.

Della Kirkman, CPA and founder of Shift-N-Gears, is on a mission to help 10,000 women become business owners through acquisition. After starting as a waitress at Cracker Barrel, Della worked her way up to owning and selling her own accounting firm. Now, she's teaching others how to achieve wealth, independence, and freedom by buying businesses that are already established and successful.

In this episode, Della shares her insights on risk, funding, and deal sourcing and explains why acquisition entrepreneurship is one of the most underutilized paths to financial freedom, especially for women.

In this episode, you will:

• How to scale and grow an acquired business

• Insights on sourcing deals and funding for acquisitions

• Why every business needs to go digital

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Della Kirkman

(02:36) Why women are still behind in financial independence

(05:43) The realities of buying a business

(09:42) What buyers get wrong about acquisitions

(11:17) Building an opportunity fund

(14:21) Sourcing the right kind of deals

(18:24) How to stand out to brokers and dealmakers

(23:06) Inside Della's business buying bootcamp

(28:51) Challenges in advising business buyers

(34:18) Why every business needs a digital component

Resources:

For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Follow Della:

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dellakirkmancpa/

Vote for Della at the 2025 Harbour Club M&A Awards: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5soMcyzgR8tzBqEil-2-JPk-GPfMp-W5bmvKqFSkL7uvkxg/viewform

Learn more about Della's company:

Shift-N-Gears: https://www.shift-n-gears.com/

Follow Ed:

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

Most people think selling a business is just like selling a house. That's where they're wrong.

George Wellmer, founder of Tupelo, clarifies the misconceptions sellers have about brokers and the deal process. George explains how technology and AI are simplifying administrative tasks, allowing brokers to focus on guiding clients through the most important transaction of their lives. He also shares what sellers and owners need to understand about valuation and finding the right buyer before listing their company for sale.

In this episode, you will:

• Learn the difference between good and bad brokers

• Understand how deal acceleration and buyer targeting really work

• Hear how AI and automation are changing the way businesses are marketed and sold

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet George Wellmer

(05:20) How business brokers help close deals

(09:43) Vetting the quality of potential buyers

(11:45) Keeping up with the different aspects of a brokerage

(15:53) Buy-side brokers vs sell-side brokers

(22:22) How AI enables brokers to be more efficient

(26:36) Questions to ask to avoid bad brokers

(32:36) Why hiring a broker is worth it

(38:20) George's advice for buyers, sellers, and advisors

Resources:

For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Follow George:

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewellmer/

Website: https://www.tupelosmb.com/

E-Mail: george@tupelosmb.com

Follow Ed:

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders