News to Know: He helps business buyers navigate financing, negotiations, and deal structuring.

Strawberry Letter

iHeartPodcasts

Relationships, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 9 August 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Elliot Holland.

The managing partner of Guardian Due Diligence. Here’s a breakdown of the key topics and highlights:

Key Themes & Highlights

Buying Small Businesses vs. Franchises
- Holland explains the differences between purchasing a franchise and acquiring an independent business.
- He highlights the risk-reward balance, noting that franchises offer a structured model, while independent businesses can be more lucrative but require deeper due diligence.
Financial Strategies for Business Acquisition
- He discusses the SBA 7(a) loan program, which allows buyers to acquire businesses with 90-95% financing, making ownership more accessible.
- Holland explains how leveraging financing can turn a small investment into a million-dollar business.
Due Diligence & Avoiding Bad Deals
- He emphasizes the importance of financial diligence to ensure buyers don’t acquire failing businesses.
- Holland shares red flags to watch for, such as misleading financials and sellers masking poor performance.
Masterclass for First-Time Buyers
- Holland introduces his Business Buying Masterclass, designed to educate entrepreneurs on the acquisition process.
- He provides one-on-one coaching, helping buyers navigate financing, negotiations, and deal structuring.
Success Stories & Case Studies
- He shares examples of clients who successfully acquired businesses, including a 24-year-old entrepreneur and a 60-year-old investor.
- Holland highlights how his expertise helped buyers secure financing, conduct due diligence, and close profitable deals.

About Elliot Holland & Guardian Due Diligence

Elliot Holland is a Harvard MBA, private equity investor, and business acquisition expert. He founded Guardian Due Diligence to help first-time buyers confidently purchase profitable businesses. His firm specializes in financial diligence, ensuring buyers make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes. Through his masterclass and consulting, Holland empowers entrepreneurs to build wealth through business ownership.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an IHeart podcast.
0:04.1	When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening.
0:12.2	That's an interesting sound.
0:13.8	It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it.
0:19.1	It can be as simple as talking to someone, or just taking a deep, calming breath to ground yourself
0:23.8	because once you start to address the problem,
0:26.3	you can go so much further.
0:29.0	The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council
0:31.0	have resources available for you at loveyourmindtay.org.
0:39.3	Welcome to the show. I am Rishan McDonnell, the host of Moneymaking Conversations Masterclass,
0:44.9	where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success stories and start
0:48.9	planning their own. Listen up as I interview entrepreneurs from around the country,
1:01.9	talk to celebrities, and ask them how they are running their companies, and speak with nonprofits who are making a difference in their local communities.
1:08.6	Now sit back and listen as we unlock the secrets to their success on Moneymaking Conversations Masterclass.
1:15.6	My next guest is Managing Partner of Guardian Due Diligence, a boutique financial firm focused on helping everyday entrepreneurs confidently acquire profitable small businesses.
1:21.6	A Harvard MBA and former private equity investor, he is on a mission to close the ownership gap by giving
1:29.3	first-time buyers to tools and insight to make million-dollar decisions with clarity and confidence.
1:36.2	Let's find out how his company can impact your bottom line. Please welcome to Money Making Conversation
1:41.3	Masterclass, Elliot Holland. are you doing, Elliot?
1:45.1	I'm doing very well.
1:45.7	How are you?
1:50.1	Well, Elliot, when I first hear something like this about buying small businesses,
	...

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