Mark Fleming
Search fund and ETA advisor for business acquisition buyers
| Hourly rate range | $80 to $160 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Founders and business owners |
| Also coaches | Executive coach |
| Credentials | Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); Financial Risk Manager (FRM) |
| Practice | Owner Actions |
Mark Fleming is a search fund and ETA advisor who coaches people buying small businesses. He has over 20 years in finance and investing and holds the CFA and FRM. He has taken part in more than 40 small business acquisitions and owns stakes in 20+ businesses. He bought a residential cleaning company a decade ago and later exited it. He has coached over 100 aspiring buyers on valuation, deal structure, SBA financing and due diligence.
What Mark helps with
Mark works with buyers at each step of an acquisition, from shaping a buy box to working through a live deal.
- Building and refining a buy box
- Evaluating a first acquisition
- Business valuation and deal structuring
- SBA financing and funding strategy
- Due diligence on live deals
- Deal sourcing and industry targeting
- Investor selection and board management
- Thesis development and process roadmap
Who Mark works with
Mark works with aspiring entrepreneurs who want to buy a business through the search fund or ETA path. Some are just setting up their search process. Others are looking at their first acquisition or are in the middle of a live deal.
How Mark works
Mark pairs the analytical methods of a CFA and FRM with lessons from real deals, both good and bad. His packages are set hours of coaching. One covers setting up an acquisition search process. Another covers evaluating, structuring and diligencing deals. A third focuses on building or reworking a buy box. Custom hourly sessions are also offered.
Background and qualifications
Mark has more than 20 years of experience in finance and investing. He holds the CFA and FRM designations. He is CEO of Owner Actions and an owner in 20+ small businesses. He has taken part in more than 40 small business acquisitions across many industries. His first purchase was a residential cleaning company, which he later exited. He has evaluated thousands of opportunities and dealt with seller fraud, hidden liabilities and complex deal structures. He has coached over 100 people on buying a business.
Mark Fleming pricing
Programs and services
- 4-hour package on professionalizing your acquisition search
- 4-hour package on evaluating, structuring and diligencing deals
- 2-hour buy box session
- Custom hourly coaching
Mark Fleming reviews
Mark Fleming has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 5 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
The CoachVouch take
Has taken part in more than 40 small business acquisitions and coached over 100 buyers through the search fund process.
Best for aspiring business buyers who want help with a buy box, valuation, financing or a live deal.
Common questions
How much does Mark Fleming charge?
Coaching with Mark runs $80 to $160 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does Mark Fleming help with?
Mark Fleming helps with building and refining a buy box, evaluating a first acquisition, business valuation and deal structuring and sBA financing and funding strategy.
Does Mark Fleming have reviews?
Mark Fleming has a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 5 reviews on Leland, as of September 2026.
Is Mark Fleming certified?
Mark Fleming lists: Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); Financial Risk Manager (FRM).
Can Mark help with a deal I am already working on?
Yes. He works with clients on live deals as well as on early steps like the buy box.
Does Mark help with financing a business purchase?
Yes. He covers SBA financing, funding strategy and deal structuring.
How do I contact Mark Fleming?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with Mark and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
Similar coaches to compare
Tick "Compare" on any coach to add them to your intro request.
Andrew Brady
Andrew Brady is a search fund and ETA advisor. He guides people who want to buy and run a small or lower middle market business. He works at Anza Partners, a private investment firm that buys majority stakes in companies with $1-10M EBITDA. He has worked at Bain Capital, Squarepoint Capital and J.P. Morgan. He also ran a software book of public equities at a hedge fund.
Deji Abe
Deji Abe is a private equity and career coach who helps people with unconventional backgrounds explain their experience clearly. He started as an engineer and worked at Schlumberger, GE, ExxonMobil and other firms. He earned an MBA from Stanford GSB. He then founded Zeus Global, where he invests in and acquires software and technology-enabled businesses. He coaches on private equity, investment banking, search funds, MBA applications and interviews.
Jim Tormey
Jim Tormey is a search fund and Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) advisor who guides people through buying and running a business. He spent 7 years leading companies for a San Francisco private equity firm and was CEO of two private equity backed companies. He then ran his own self-funded search, submitted an LOI six months in, and closed two months later. He has run that business since June 2024. He also speaks at SMBootCamp.
Kathy Lai
Kathy Lai is an investment banking coach who helps students prepare for banking interviews. She spent over ten years in banking at JPMorgan, Blackstone and Lincoln International, working on mergers and acquisitions, capital raises and restructuring. She later co-founded two companies and raised $40m in VC funding. She now works as a fractional CFO for start-ups. Her students have landed offers at Goldman Sachs, Jefferies and Morgan Stanley.
Browse related
Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.