Bonus Episode, with Ted Leverette

Email: TedJLeverette@partneroncall.com
Website: www.PartnerOnCall.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tedleverette
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/TedLeveretteTheBusinessBuyerAdvocate
Amazon books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ted+leverette

Jason Cutter [00:00:00]:
Hey, everybody. Jason Koeter here. I’m back with Ted Leverette. We’re here for the after show. We just finished recording the main show. Ted, how was that first segment for you? I know there was a lot of stuff you shared, a lot of valuable things that you got out there to the world. How was it from your end?

Ted Leverett [00:00:20]:
Well, I enjoyed doing it. I know that I’m somewhat abrupt and some people might stumble over a few things I said, but the whole point of it was learn to cope with the personality on the other side of the table. You’ll close more deals.

Jason Cutter [00:00:37]:
And I think it’s true. And I think, and we talked about right in between, you know, when we took a break and then came back to this after show, you know, I appreciate it. I think one of the things is important is if you’re professional, you’re providing value, which is what you told me, you know, then there’s the people it’s going to resonate with and they’re going to pick up whatever they can from it. Maybe not everything, but just, you know, something. Then there’s the people who are going to be turned off from it, and that’s okay. It’s probably the bad brokers and they just need to go away and do something else and, you know, let the, let the real professionals like you referenced service those business owners who want to sell and to help the buyers. So let’s dive into the second part and for anyone tuning in, if you haven’t checked out the first episode, please make sure and go back, check, finish this episode and, and then go back and listen to the main episode. You hear the background of Ted and how he got into this and only working with buyers his whole career he’s never been a business broker.

Jason Cutter [00:01:32]:
And then also any of the links for him will be in the show notes on how to get a hold of him. But let’s dive into this. So these are the fun extra questions kind of outside of the normal conversation, but some of the things I love talking to guests about and people in the industry and this is also fun because again, you’re not a broker. So you’re, you’re, you’re outside of the normal broker perspective, which I think is, is very, very helpful. So the first question is, is what do you think brokers will need to do to survive in the year 2030? So in five years from US recording this.

Ted Leverett [00:02:10]:
Wow. Well, I think they’re going to need better methodologies. They’re going to need better methodologies to attract more worthwhile listings in other Words, saleable companies. And then they’re going to need better methodologies to sell them. Because even though they’re brokers, and I guess we could call them salesmen, a lot of them are terrible salesmen. They just happen to have a good listing. This is why the professional trade associations, the big names out there, are running courses right now, as I’m speaking this month, on how to be a better salesperson. And it comes down to how to think in the mind of the people on the other side of the table, giving them what they want without giving up what you don’t have to.

Ted Leverett [00:02:54]:
Methodologies got.

Jason Cutter [00:02:57]:
Makes sense. Right. And, and again, I think there’s a lot of power in what you just said, which is, you know, terrible salespeople that happen to have a good listing where it’s just going to sell itself. You just don’t. You just get out of the way and someone’s going to want to buy it. But where does that tell. Give people that illusion of they’re just really good salespeople and they’re really effective? Well, they just happen to sell something that others people want to buy. So the second question is, what’s the number one tech shift, technology shift you see coming to M and a business brokerage.

Ted Leverett [00:03:31]:
Generative AI. The future is yesterday. You either master it or you pay for it. Here’s what I mean. Today, a business buyer using AI can know more about a broker in the first moment than the broker is probably ever going to know about that buyer. And we get it in less than five minutes online. I did a report. It’s on LinkedIn.

Ted Leverett [00:04:02]:
It’s how to investigate anybody. There’s the big shift. We no longer. We on the buyer side are no longer accepting what you tell us. We’re learning about you, the human being, then we’re learning about your listing. And then we’re learning about that seller. And we’re doing it up front. If you don’t show well up there, we’re not impressed.

Ted Leverett [00:04:26]:
We’re also using AI like you should be in formulating our search letters and search scripts in, in, in organizing our time and examining financial statements. So what brokers should be doing, I think a lot of them are, is they ought to say to the seller, this is what’s happening out there. So let’s run your business through the biker, not biker, the business buyer process. Do it with me, the broker in private so you can see what it’s going to be like when you’re talking to one of them AI. It’s here. Use it.

Jason Cutter [00:05:01]:
Got It. So when you look at this last year, we’re recording this in November 2025. So let’s look at 2025 as a whole, if you want, or the last 12 months. What’s the biggest lesson you learned in this last year?

Ted Leverett [00:05:18]:
Well, I suppose it just get better at screening opportunities and people up front to determine whether or not this is the kind of personality I want to cope with that goes through the grueling process of trying to do a deal. That’s probably the biggest lesson. The other thing is be aware of eta. Entrepreneurship through acquisition. Now, where does this come from? Thank your college business schools. You have all these professors who were looking for something to do about five years ago and they dreamt up this concept, entrepreneurship through acquisition. And then they dropped up another one called search funds, where you don’t have any money, you don’t even have to have any experience. You just got to get your uncle and two other investors to someday promise to fund the deal.

Ted Leverett [00:06:07]:
And then these people are out there banging on doors of brokers and sellers with no money, no business experience, and investors who have not committed to put the money up. So these professors are professing something that’s mostly bullshit. So I don’t mind being on record for that. The failure rate for search funds and these people graduating from these courses is extremely, plenty of published information on it. I know I’m hot on this topic because these people are wrecking the playing field with their nonsense.

Jason Cutter [00:06:39]:
Makes sense. I mean, I think that’s the, that’s the key. We’ve been talking a lot about the broker side which, you know, bad brokers and the havoc they wreak and you know, obviously separating the good professional brokers. But where is that from the buyer side, those, those entrepreneur through acquisition and the search funds. And again going back to the, the courses and the, the schooling and, or you know, the books, the influencers, all that, getting that idea in there in their head and what does that do out there for you? And, and looking up, let’s say looking towards this next year, what are you most excited for your business in this next year?

Ted Leverett [00:07:18]:
Well, I like all the turmoil because without it nobody calls me. So get slammed against the wall. This is a wonderful moment for me. You just don’t know it yet. And it’s going to get worse for them because there are so many influences who are no good indicts. They read something yesterday they repackaged themselves and today they’re the influencer. Those people are wonderful because what happens is these searchers who don’t know any better. They go out and try to do some of the things they’re told, it blows up.

Ted Leverett [00:07:56]:
So at the last moment before they give up their search, they might stumble across me and I love it. Read my books, hire me, we’re done.

Jason Cutter [00:08:04]:
I love it. So the turmoil is good, always good for business. And then the last question would be is if you could wave a magic wand and have one marketing strategy implemented automatically just handles itself, what would you, what would you pick?

Ted Leverett [00:08:20]:
See, I don’t want to surprise anybody at the end, but how about just do a better job of screening listings before listing and how about doing a better job of screening searches before talking to them and searchers? How about doing a better job of asking to see where the sustainable competitive advantages are upfront? Don’t worry about the numbers. If it made money, find out why it’s going to continue to make money. That’s it. Screen it up front. Pass those tests. We talk. Don’t. Bye bye.

Jason Cutter [00:08:48]:
That’s it. I love it. Nice and nice and quick. Now that’s done. With the questions in the after show. Anything else on your mind? Any, any final nuggets? I know I asked you for a final thought on the last show, but anything else in your mind where you’re like, oh, just one more, one more chance.

Ted Leverett [00:09:07]:
Well, I mean it’s, I almost hate to say it because it seems so obvious, but it’s, I mean people, most people graduate from high school and a lot of people graduate from college and they do that. What to learn something, prepare them for life. How about before deciding to quit your job or get fired, you read some books written by credible people. Not somebody who in June said they’re specializing in helping buyers and sellers, but somebody’s been around 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. Those are the people to pay attention to, not the newbies that, that would really help a lot of people.

Jason Cutter [00:09:45]:
Yeah, I think so. And, and right when you’re setting up that, you know, you said it was obvious. It, it made me think of, you know, they say common sense is not, not common. So it’s always good to point out the obvious things to help people realize, you know, because there flashy marketing and a lot of things that people will do to sell bad products which also is on the influencer side. So I appreciate all that. And for anyone tuning in, if you want to reach Ted, it’ll be in the show notes I mentioned on the main show partner on call.com, just search. Just Google Ted Leverett. He’s written books, he’s out there all over the place.

Jason Cutter [00:10:29]:
He is probably the number one Ted Leverette on Google. You will find anything and everything you need if you were a buyer and you want to do it. Ted, thank you for being here. And, and I appreciate you staying on, us going through the after show, sharing kind of your, your, your, your future thoughts and, and what you see for this. And, and I just, again, I just appreciate you and, and all that you do and, and just being a vocal champion of, of things being done. And for everyone tuning in, make sure you subscribe. If you didn’t check out the first episode, so many things that Ted shared. Make sure to check each week for new episodes.

Jason Cutter [00:11:07]:
And until next time, stop hoping for deals and start growing your pipeline.