This article is based on a unique interview with Sarah Moore, who has an incredible story of both personal transformation and business success. She’s not well-known nor does she give interviews.

She is an owner of a successful business with millions in revenue.

Sarah demonstrates that success in business doesn’t require a privileged background or traditional advantages – it requires persistence, creativity, and willingness to work harder than everyone else.

Key pieces of wisdom that emerge

1. On Buying Businesses

• Industry is overrated
• Focus on finding established, consistently profitable businesses rather than specific industries
• Simple businesses can be better than complex ones – you want something you can understand and operate on day one
• Look beyond the obvious use case (e.g., egg cartons aren’t just for eggs – they’re for “protection and separation”)

2. On Deal Structure

• Seller financing (seller’s note) can be a substitute for equity
• With business owners: keep terms simple and avoid jargon
• With banks: persistence is key.
  Sarah approached 20+ banks before finding one that would work with her

3. On The Search Process

• Volume and persistence matter more than precision.
  1. Sarah’s initial personalized emails had low response rates
  2. She realized she had nothing to lose
  3. She switched to mass-emailing thousands of business owners
  4. The total number of responses increased due to higher volume
• Turn perceived disadvantages into advantages (e.g. being the only woman in the room made her memorable)
• Be creative in getting attention (she wore a “I want to buy your business” sweatshirt and sent faxes)

4. On Taking Over a Business

• Don’t make big changes in the first year
• What seems like a small change (e.g. phone systems) can have major implications
• Focus on understanding the business before trying to improve it

5. On Personal Growth

• “It’s not a matter of can or can’t, it’s a matter of will or won’t”
  • Many would say they “can’t” buy a business with no money
  • Sarah reframed it as “will I do whatever it takes?”
  • She made cold calls, sent mass emails, recruited interns, approached 20+ banks
  • Success came from relentless persistence, not starting capability
• When someone believes in you, it creates a powerful motivation to not disappoint them
• Success often comes from giving “literally everything that I have” to a goal

6. On Mentorship

• Be “that one person for one person” – look for opportunities to help others like you were helped
• Simple acts of belief and support can change someone’s entire life trajectory
• Mentorship isn’t just about money – it’s about showing someone they’re capable of more

7. On Business Strategy

• Sometimes what seems like a niche business (egg cartons) can actually be part of a much larger market (specialty packaging)
• Really understanding your customer base can reveal new opportunities
• Keep things simple – avoid unnecessary complexity in both operations and deal structure

How Sarah was able to purchase the business

Sarah didn’t have the capital to buy the business. Learn how she was able to buy a multimillion-dollar business with zero money of her own.