Part 1 of 10
The Great Trades Handoff
Every trades business has an owner, and most of them are closer to retirement than to their first truck lease — here's what that means for who buys what happens next.
July 4, 2026 · 5 min read
A 10-part series on private equity, roll-ups, and AI in the trades — one new post a day. Real sources, no unsupported multiples, no hype.
Every trades business has an owner, and most of them are closer to retirement than to their first truck lease — here's what that means for who buys what happens next.
A live garage-door roll-up publishes its exact acquisition checklist. Here's what it actually reveals about being sale-ready.
HVAC roll-ups trade at ~8x EBITDA. AI-native service firms are reportedly commanding 30x. Two very different businesses, one useful lesson.
A 21,000-company study says heavy AI adopters grow headcount, not shrink it. Here's why — and what it means at exit.
One active roll-up now screens for real CRM usage before it'll even talk numbers. Here's why that's not a small thing.
Every home-services marketing agency is selling AI as a feature. Here's the difference between AI that fills your pipeline and AI that raises your valuation.
A VC thesis about $1-software-vs-$6-services has nothing to do with raising money — and everything to do with how you run your business.
Fewer trades buyers are offering a full cash-out anymore. Here's what rollover equity actually means, and what to ask before you sign.
"I'll clean up the operations before I sell" is backwards. Here's the mechanical reason that plan doesn't work.
Closing the gap between what capital markets reward and what's actually installed on the ground: the AI department, built before anyone asks for it.