This week on Built to Sell Radio, you’ll hear how Ryan Atkinson structured a 50/50 partnership where he owned half the business—but never ran it day to day.
After selling his first company, Ryan invested $2 million into a second venture led by a former employee. He put up the capital, let his partner operate, and kept his focus on building a fair, resilient structure. That model paid off when they sold CORE Resources to 24 Seven in an eight-figure deal.
You discover how to:
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Structure a 50/50 partnership when only one partner runs the company
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Protect your capital without stepping on your partner’s toes
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Align compensation with ownership to avoid resentment
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Attract inbound acquirers by keeping clean financials
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Leverage multiple LOIs to negotiate a stronger deal
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Manage working capital and avoid surprises post-close
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Recover after a deal collapses—and still get it done
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could be a silent partner and still earn like a founder, Ryan’s story shows what’s possible when you back the right person—and build the right structure.
Quote of the Week
I said, Keith, listen, here’s what’s happening. I’m taking all the upfront risk… I don’t want a situation five years from now when we’re a lot bigger and you come back saying, ‘I did all the heavy lifting.’ If that’s going to happen, let’s not do this.
Deals
SuranceBay, a provider of software that automates insurance agent licensing, onboarding, and compliance, has been acquired by Verisk for $162.5 million in cash.SuranceBay’s flagship product, SureLC™, helps insurance carriers and agencies streamline the process of contracting and managing agents — a key pain point in the life and annuity space. The deal implies a valuation of just over 9x EBITDA.
