Your Guide to SMB Acquisitions
ETA Orbit is the go-to resource for entrepreneurs acquiring and operating small businesses. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned acquirer, we cut through the noise to bring you real-world stories, expert insights, and practical tools to help you navigate every stage of the journey.
Through in-depth case studies (aka acquirer stories), industry reports, and curated resources, ETA Orbit provides an unfiltered look at the highs and lows of buying and running a small business—so you can make smarter decisions and avoid common pitfalls.
Who’s Behind ETA Orbit?
I’m Tom Tofield, a part-time Searcher with deep experience in M&A integration & business operations. I’ve spent my career helping corporations acquire companies from target screening and diligence through Day 1 and end to end integration. In the COVID era I even took a stab at 0 to 1 entrepreneurship through a now defunct men's footwear brand- needless to say I learned how hard that can be and appreciate the value of a proven business. I live in NYC with my wife, two young kids, and two dogs.
Like many in the ETA (Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition) realm, I started with the dream of owning a business, creating financial & time freedom, and building something meaningful. Along the way, I realized how valuable it would be to see more real-world experiences shared with others (hat tip to the podfather Will Smith over at Acquiring Minds for giving us all a peek behind the curtain). That’s why I built ETA Orbit—to help document the journeys of business buyers, share what actually works, and create a platform that helps others succeed.
I'll keep searching on the side, but I will likely start allocating more of my "free" time (extremely limited with kids and a job, yet here we are!) to this site. I will acquire, just TBD on whether that's now with 2 small kiddos at home or a few years down the road. In the interim, I'll keep on my W2 grind until something else becomes fruitful enough to decouple me from that world.
Thanks for checking out the site, and a huge thank you to those searchers who have already made it happen for themselves (especially the ones who were gracious enough to share their story with us here).
I digress - if you’re serious about acquiring a business—or just exploring the idea—you’re in the right place. Welcome to ETA Orbit.
If you have any thoughts, suggestions, or questions for me don't hesitate to reach out tom@etaorbit.com
