Comment by AndrewKemendo

3 hours ago

Because their customers, who they built a trusting relationship with, get hosed when the owner wants to cash out.

That’s the whole math of it. That cash out comes from the future business increasing profit, which is over the longest term cutting service quality.

Start small biz > be successful > want to retire > find someone to buy biz

There’s a lot of pathways with a giant c corp, almost none for the local successful small biz.

I had a acquaintance sell three local trash companies to LRS which is exactly what happened.

> Because their customers, who they built a trusting relationship with, get hosed when the owner wants to cash out.

Unfortunately people are mortal and everything ends. Even if a someone didn't sell their business to PE, the trusting relationship is over once they retire. There's no guarantee that someone new - even if vetted - is going to be as good as the previous owner.