In this episode:

• The five biggest pain points business owners face, starting with sales and funding
• Why a nonprofit pitch and a for-profit pitch are two different things, and why you have to pick a lane
• What investors want to see: clear assumptions, low/medium/high projections, and proof you'll protect their money
• Why first-time founders need sweat equity before they ask for a check
• What belongs in a 10 to 20 slide pitch deck, including the challenges you haven't solved yet
• How to think about equity and partners
• How to build the relationships that get you in the room, from notes in your phone contacts to hosting a capital night

Business Makers Network is a network of unapologetically Christian business leaders. Learn more at https://businessmakers.network/

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In this episode of Business Makers Network, hosts Charlton Haupt and Gabriel Rench talk with Parker Tomassi, founder of Legacy Ranch Shooting Range (https://lrshooting.com) & Legacy Arms Gun Store (https://www.legacy-arms.com) in Edgewood, New Mexico, about:
🎖️ 13 years of active duty, including the Afghanistan withdrawal
🔫 Buying a shuttered range with zero business experience (a psychology degree, not an MBA)
🚀 300 people showing up on soft-opening day
🎬 The John Wick-themed retail room, weddings, and film shoots happening on-site
🏆 What it means to be a "double distinguished" competitive marksman
✝️ Building a business that puts Christ and community first

If Parker's story of courage, risk, and faith-driven growth hits home, this is exactly the kind of leader Business Makers Network exists to support.

👉 Join the network of Christian business leaders building successful companies and leading with conviction: https://businessmakers.network

#BusinessMakersNetwork #ChristianBusiness #Veteran #Marines #Entrepreneur #ShootingRange #SmallBusiness

SUMMARY
Starting a business from scratch is hard — most fail in the first three years. On this episode of Business Makers Network, host Gabe Rench sits down with David Reece, CEO of Armored Republic and a corporate partner of the FLF Network, to make the case for buying an existing business instead of starting one. David breaks down the five core business skills you need before you buy, the three ways any acquisition gets financed (equity, bank debt, and seller financing), how valuation multiples actually work, and how to walk into a bank or a negotiation looking like a credible buyer. It's a practical, no-fluff conversation for any Christian who wants to build wealth and cultural influence through business ownership — for the glory of God.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Buying a business lets you skip the hardest part of entrepreneurship — getting traction — by taking over an already-working exchange of value with customers, staff, and infrastructure already in place.
- Before you buy, you need at least two or three of the five core business skills: value proposition, marketing, sales, value delivery, and finance. If you only master one, make it sales.
- Every deal is financed with some mix of three ingredients: your own (or investors') cash as a down payment, bank debt, and seller financing (a seller carry note or an earnout tied to future performance).
- Valuation is usually expressed as a multiple of earnings or EBITDA (e.g., "2x") — understanding what multiple a seller is asking for tells you how the price relates to the business's actual profit.
- Banks lend against two things: lendable assets (equipment, inventory, receivables, real estate) and durable, provable cash flow. A strong relationship with a local bank or SBA lender matters more than people think.
- Get a lawyer who protects you from a genuinely bad deal but doesn't try to kill every deal — you drive the lawyer, not the other way around.
- Before you buy, examine yourself: do you actually believe this is a durable business and that you're capable of running it? Character and competency come before capital.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Welcome & intro
1:04 – Upcoming FLF conference and Twitter Spaces recap
2:00 – David Reece joins the show
2:32 – Why Christians should take on more risk in business
3:20 – Buying vs. building: profit vs. cultural power
5:07 – The five core skills you need before buying a business
7:14 – Sourcing a deal and becoming a credible buyer
9:38 – The three elements of financing an acquisition
13:09 – Understanding valuation multiples (1x, 2x, EBITDA)
16:07 – Structuring seller notes and earnouts (real example)
17:26 – Protecting client retention through an ownership transition
19:18 – Bank financing, personal guarantees, and lendable assets
23:14 – Working with a lawyer without letting the deal die
29:10 – Final advice: character, competency, and bold risk
31:05 – Wrap-up and where to find more

ABOUT THE GUEST
David Reece is CEO of Armored Republic (parent of AR500 Armor) and Pastor at Puritan Reformed Church. A graduate of Arizona State University, he's also a co-founder of Reformation School and CEO/Managing Partner of Reece Fund, and he's a vocal advocate for Christians building faith-based businesses, constitutional rights, and cultural leadership.

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