Ashish Achlerkar, Founder and Chairman at NearU

Starting a business from scratch is challenging, but Ashish Achlerkar, Founder and Chairman of NearU, took a unique path—leveraging M&A as a tool for entrepreneurship. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ashish shares how he transitioned from investment banking to building a multi-state, multi-million-dollar business in the skilled trades industry.

Ashish’s journey is a masterclass in leveraging M&A for business expansion, focusing on strategic acquisitions, cultural alignment, and operational efficiency to build a thriving company in an industry ripe for disruption.

Things you will learn:

  • Entrepreneurship through acquisition – Why M&A is a tool, not an end goal
  • How to evaluate industries for acquisition – Why the skilled trades industry was the perfect fit
  • Building a scalable business post-acquisition – The importance of training and technology
  • Working with private equity – How to find the right partner and maintain control

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Episode Timestamps:

  • [00:01:30] Ashish’s Journey from Banking to Entrepreneurship
  • [00:02:30] Lessons Learned from the Entrepreneurial Journey
  • [00:07:00] Defining Purpose and the ‘Why’ Behind Entrepreneurship
  • [00:10:30] Making the Leap from Corporate to Startup Life
  • [00:13:00] Selecting a Sector Through First Principles Thinking
  • [00:18:00] Building the Investment Thesis for NearU
  • [00:26:30] Executing the First Deal with a Bootstrap Approach
  • [00:31:30] Sourcing Deals Through Relationships & Reputation
  • [00:37:00] Challenges in Early and Scaling Phases
  • [00:40:00] Working with Private Equity While Preserving Vision
  • [00:48:00] Final Reflections: Transparency, Integrity & Doing the Right Thing

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