New Deals: A car wash, live organism educational supplier, and 3 other finds

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NEW DEALS

1/ Live Organism Educational Supplier

📍 Location: California
💰 Asking Price: $1,150,000
💼 EBITDA: $424,565
📊 Revenue: $1,090,904
📅 Established: 35 years ago

💭 My 2 Cents: Remember those science experiments in school where you’d hope your frog wouldn’t jump out of the jar? Well, here’s a chance to supply the next generation of budding biologists with live organisms for their experiments! I'm impressed by this business’s 35-year track record and the fact that they're operating in a market with limited competition. The financials look solid, with a hefty 38.9% profit margin that's quite rare in distribution. I really like that they have a built-in customer base due to state education requirements, and the trade secrets they've developed for minimal-issue product delivery could be a true differentiator. The business only operates Monday-Thursday from 8am to 4pm, which tells me there are efficient systems in place and also makes this a great opportunity for someone seeking work-life balance. However, I'd want to dig deeper into their supplier relationships and any potential regulatory hurdles associated with live organisms. I'd also need to understand the full scope of their product line, the breakdown of their customer base, and, crucially, how they manage seasonal fluctuations in demand that likely align with the academic calendar. The asking price is very reasonable, but I'd want to ensure the current profit margins are sustainable. If everything checks out, this could be an interesting business for someone passionate about science and education.

2/ Language Interpretation Service

📍 Location: Virtual (California)
💰 Asking Price: $1,495,000
💼 EBITDA: $550,000
📊 Revenue: $1,000,000
📅 Established: 12 years ago

💭 My 2 Cents: Ever wondered how diplomats avoid starting international incidents through mistranslation? This virtual language service company offers interpretation and translation in over 200 languages, serving high-stakes clients like government agencies (such as the U.S. Federal Government) and NGOs. The stakes are high—one mistranslated word could lead to serious consequences—making human expertise indispensable despite advances in AI. I like that 75% of their revenue is recurring, providing predictability and stability in cash flows. I’m also impressed by their extensive database of vetted contractors and their ability to facilitate both live and virtual events. However, I’d want to dive deeper into their technology stack, how they manage quality control across so many languages, and their strategy for staying competitive in a rapidly evolving field.

3/ Wedding Venue

📍 Location: Texas
💰 Asking Price: $1,000,000
💼 EBITDA: $307,706
📊 Revenue: $950,000
📅 Established: 10 years ago

💭 My 2 Cents: You guys know I love a high-profit margin business that’s always in demand, and that’s exactly what a wedding venue is. And the really great thing about wedding venues is that much of the heavy lifting is handled by outside vendors, so the day-to-day workload for the venue owner is relatively light (plus, this Texas Hill Country venue has a small team in place to manage event logistics). The venue features multiple buildings, including a historic ceremony site, a reception hall, and a commercial kitchen. The real estate is also available for separate purchase, which depending on the price could potentially extend the amortization on an SBA 7(a) loan up to 30 years and leave more cash in your pocket on day one. Given the wedding business can be seasonal, I'd want to dig deeper into their booking patterns, peak seasons, and what upcoming weddings are contracted on the books. I’d also want to understand their relationships with wedding planners and other vendors and the potential for expansion beyond weddings—think mid-week corporate retreats, specialized catering, and event coordinating. Overall, this could be a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on the thriving wedding industry in one of Texas's most desirable locations.

4/ Car Wash & Towing Business

📍 Location: Massachusetts
💰 Asking Price: $999,000
💼 EBITDA: $329,000
📊 Revenue: $700,000
📅 Established: 83 years ago

💭 My 2 Cents: This car wash and towing operation is a classic recession-resistant cash cow. With over 80 years of history, it's got the kind of longevity that speaks volumes about its stability and community presence. I like the diverse revenue streams, including a tunnel car wash, detailing bays, towing contracts with the local police department (which can be very hard to get), and even a used auto sales license. For the car wash, I'd want to evaluate local competition, traffic counts, and demographics to confirm it’s in a high-visibility, high-traffic area with consistent customer flow. I’d also want to know what condition the tunnel and four bays are in to set expectations on what capital expenditures are pending. On the towing side, I’d want to analyze the condition of the five vehicles. And of course, I’d want to see a breakdown of their sales and profits by each revenue stream. What’s great about this deal is the seller is willing to finance 50% of the purchase price, with the property also available for sale through the owner for an additional $800k. 

5/ Scientific Conferences and Workshops

📍 Location: Illinois
💰 Asking Price: $1,850,000
💼 EBITDA: $600,642
📊 Revenue: $1,738,842
📅 Established: N/A

💭 My 2 Cents: This company specializes in putting together conferences, exhibitions, and workshops focused on Process Analytical Chemistry for attendees in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, and food industries from all over the world. The conference space is interesting, as it generally comes with high margins (as is the case with this business at almost 35% EBITDA margins) and a lot of repeat business (attendees often return year after year for valuable insights from leading scientists and networking). Especially in niche scientific fields, there’s a lot of value in providing a dynamic platform for industry leaders, researchers, and regulators to share cutting-edge developments and best practices. I'd want to dig into their revenue streams (ticket sales, sponsorships, exhibitor fees, etc.). I’d also want to see a breakdown of their attendee demographics by industry. Lastly, I’d want to understand their marketing strategy and what channels are working (PR, social media, word of mouth, etc.) to drive ticket sales, especially considering they grew 63% YoY in 2023 alone. What’s exciting for this business is the opportunity to expand into new industries like semiconductors and automotive. That said, the asking price on this business seems very reasonable for a business with this level of growth potential.