Individual Buyer in New York City Looking to Buyout Construction Material and Wire and Cable Businesses Upto USD 1.8 million

I am an independent acquirer with 5+ years in investment banking and private equity, having worked with some of the largest financial institutions. I have spent that time analyzing, structuring, and executing deals which gives me a practical, hands-on perspective on what actually drives business value.
What I bring to the table:
Capital & financing — I understand deal structures, debt capacity, and how to optimize a business's balance sheet. I can help you raise capital efficiently when it's time to scale.
Operational value creation — It's not just about money. I have worked on margin expansion plays, operational restructuring, and scaling businesses through consolidation and process improvement. I know how to identify quick wins and execute them.
M&A & exit strategy — Whether it's rolling up similar businesses, selling to a larger operator, or building something meaningful for the long term, I understand the playbook. This clarity helps me spot good opportunities early.
Due diligence & strategy — I can do rigorous financial analysis, spot risks others miss, and help you think through real growth strategy — not just top-line vanity metrics.
Why I am here: I am looking to acquire one business and operate it for the long term. I am not a passive investor. I want to work closely with founders and management to fix what's broken and unlock real value.

Acquiring / Buying a Business, Investing in a Business, Buying Business Assets, Taking up a Franchise / Distributorship / Sales Agency

Factors I look for and what I like:
1. Cheap entry multiples — I am looking for businesses at 0.5-1.2x.
2. EV/Revenue. The valuation gap is where value lives.
3. Margin expansion plays — Buying at 10-15% EBITDA and scaling to 20-28% through operational fixes, not just revenue growth.
4. Defensible customer bases — Government contracts, long-term B2B relationships, high switching costs (like AS9100 certifications, regulatory compliance moats). Recurring revenue is king.
5. Asset-light or capex-sunk — Either I don't need to reinvest heavily, or the hard capex is already done and I just need to optimize.
6. Consolidation targets — Small, fragmented sectors (staffing, logistics, compliance, packaging) where I can roll up 3-5 similar operators.
7. B2B over B2C — Sticky, predictable, less marketing burn.
8. Tier 1-2 businesses — Not turnarounds with existential risk, but operational improvements I can actually execute.

What I do not like:
1. High multiples (1.5x EV/Revenue) — Too much of the upside is already priced in.
2. Commodity businesses with no defensibility — Race-to-the-bottom on pricing.
3. Heavy capex ongoing — Want to deploy capital to growth, not maintenance.
4. Founder-dependent — Need businesses that can scale without the original operator.
5. Consumer businesses — Too volatile, too marketing-heavy.
6. Sweet spot: USD 500K–8M revenue, 15%+ margins (or clear path to it), India-based manufacturing or B2B services.

• Connected with 1 business