Contrarian ThinkingReviews of contrarianthinking.co

Response from Contrarian ThinkingOct 6, 2026

Hi Austin, thanks for sharing the feedback. We’re sorry to hear you felt the program was a waste of your $10k. To clarify one important point: our message has never been that every business can be purchased and successfully operated indefinitely as a side business while maintaining a W-2. The opportunity depends heavily on the type of business, its management structure, the buyer’s role, the financing structure, and the requirements of the lender. There are absolutely businesses where an owner can maintain outside employment during the acquisition and transition period, particularly when the company has an established management team and does not require the owner to be the day-to-day operator. On the other hand, an owner-dependent HVAC company, for example, can be a very different situation. SBA lenders may also have specific requirements around the buyer’s involvement and ability to operate the business. That distinction is important, and we never want someone to interpret the strategy as “quit your job and buy any small business” or, conversely, “you can buy any business and keep your W-2.” Neither is accurate. The purpose of the Academy is to teach members how to evaluate these variables, identify the right acquisition, and understand where financing, operational, and ownership constraints come into play. That includes recognizing when a particular deal simply doesn't fit your circumstances. We appreciate the feedback on the course content as well. We’re continually working to make the material more practical and specific to the real-world challenges buyers encounter during the acquisition process. Regards, Rylan Harvey Head of Academy