The Opportunity Podcast

A Practical Guide to Business Acquisitions for First-Time Buyers

Matt Raad · December 17, 2025

Entrepreneur · Finance · Leadership · Artificial Intelligencein

Interview with Matt Raad

A Practical Guide to Business Acquisitions for First-Time Buyers — Matt Raad

Podcast: The Opportunity Podcast

December 17, 2025 · 1 hr

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A Practical Guide to Business Acquisitions for First-Time Buyers

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Key topicsNo Followers, No Problem: How Millennials Are Building A Successful Future-Proof IncomeMost online income advice tells millennials the same thing: start a YouTube channel, grow an audience, post every day, build a personal brand. For a lot of people, that advice is exhausting before it even begins. Matt Raad offers a fundamentally different model, one where you don't need followers, a camera, or a content calendar to build real online income. Drawing on decades of buying and growing websites that already have traffic and revenue, he talks about why buying digital assets is the smarter, quieter alternative to the creator grind, and why more millennials who hate the idea of "going viral" are building serious cash flow without ever putting themselves on camera. Digital real estate is the asset class priced out millennials can still enter Real estate has become the wealth-building default, but for younger investors the numbers often do not stack up without huge debt and years of pressure. Matt introduces a different asset lens: websites and online businesses can be bought, improved, monetised, and sold without needing a million-dollar mortgage. Because he and Liz have spent 18 years applying business renovation principles to websites, he can explain the mechanics in plain language rather than hype. This gives investing and FIRE audiences a fresh conversation about ownership when property feels increasingly out of reach. The new burnout is earning good money and still feeling trapped Many burnt-out professionals are not failing financially on paper, yet they still cannot see a path to freedom because the mortgage, rent, commute, childcare, and career pressure consume everything they earn. Matt sees this pattern in millennials, vets, engineers, FIFO workers, teachers, and professionals who look successful but feel boxed in. He can speak to the moment when someone realises a pay rise will not solve the deeper problem because they still do not own the engine producing their income. That makes this a strong fit for lifestyle, career-change, and freedom-focused podcasts. View all topics →

About Matt Raad

Digital Investor and Educator on Building Online Income for Life on Your Terms

30 Years Entrepreneur & business investorSince 2008 Website investing pioneer100–800 Live & online event audienceseBusiness Institute CEO & Co-Founder

Matt Raad is a 30-year entrepreneur, digital investor, and CEO & Co-Founder of eBusiness Institute, Australia’s leading digital skills training organisation. After starting his career as a zoologist studying kangaroos in the Australian outback, Matt rejected the conventional path and built wealth with his wife Liz by buying, growing, and selling businesses instead of relying on property, a corporate career, or the traditional wealth playbook.

Eighteen years ago, Matt and Liz took that same business-buying approach online and became pioneers in buying, renovating, and selling websites as digital real estate. Today, Matt is one of the leading voices helping millennials, burnt-out professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs build AI-leveraged digital businesses they own, control, and can one day sell as 6–7 figure assets.

Matt’s message is especially timely for a generation that has been sold a path that no longer works: expensive degrees, insecure careers, unaffordable property, and income that disappears the moment they stop working. Through eBusiness Institute and the Digital Investors Podcast, he teaches people how to earn while they learn, use practical digital and AI skills, create cashflow from home, and build real future security through ownership.

A regular guest on major business and wealth podcasts including Rich Dad Radio, Entrepreneurs on Fire, and RASK, Matt brings a rare mix of contrarian thinking, practical strategy, and lived experience.

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About this episode

Buying an online business can feel overwhelming, especially if you are new to acquisitions.

In this week's podcast episode, we sit down withMatt Raad, a seasoned digital business buyer and coach who has helped countless first-time buyers navigate the acquisition process with confidence.

Due diligence takes center stage as Matt explains what really matters when evaluating an online business and how skipping this step can turn a promising deal into an expensive mistake. For beginners, he breaks down the types of businesses that are best suited for first-time buyers and why simpler models often outperform flashy ones.

We also cover beginner-friendly deal structures, including how to reduce risk and preserve capital when buying your first site. After the deal closes, Matt shares practical post-acquisition growth strategies for smaller websites that don't require huge teams or budgets.

We also dig into a topic many new buyers underestimate: why you should never sell a business yourself and instead work with a broker who understands deal structure, negotiations, and risk.

Finally, we address a common myth head-on: online businesses are no longer as passive as they once were, and Matt explains what buyers should realistically expect today.

If you're thinking about buying your first online business or refining your acquisition strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights you can use immediately.

Topics Discussed in this episode: Pivoting from buying brick-and-mortar businesses to digital businesses (01:53) Never sell a business yourself; always use a broker (09:54) The importance of doing good due diligence (14:04) The best kind of businesses for newbies to buy (15:46) Deal structures for beginners (30:41) Post-acquisition growth strategies for small sites (35:50) Online businesses are not as passive as they used to be (42:05) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our newsletter eBusiness Institute Digital Investors podcast Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to buy your first online business with confidence!

Guest: Matt Raad