May 21, 2026 | Santa Monica

The Small Business Acquisition Exchange

Designed for accredited investors, operators, and capital partners, this curated gathering explores how experienced investors source, evaluate, and pursue small business acquisition opportunities, with candid conversations around risk, structure, and value creation.

Join the Exchange

Built for accredited investors serious about diversifying their alternative investment opportunities.

May 21, 2026

Event Agenda

6:00 - 6:30

Networking & BBQ

6:30 - 6:35

Welcome from Dustin & Lisa

6:35 to 7:15

Investment Presentations

SMB opportunities presented will include: SMB Acquisition Financing, Micro-PE Financing for an SMB Opportunity, and a speaker on the State of SMB acquisitions. Will also feature a diversified startup opportunity.

7:15 - 7:30

Investment Discussion

Quick-fire rounds with investors discussing what's working for them or currently peaking their interest.

7:30 - 9:00

Networking & 1 on 1 with Investors

Kresimir Peharda

BizEx

Kresimir has spent 30 years helping business owners plan for, value, and successfully sell their companies. A former mergers and acquisitions attorney, he has worked on more than 60 business sales totaling over $2 billion, supporting lower middle market businesses, private equity groups, and strategic buyers. He has deep experience across professional services, including law firms, accounting firms, medical and dental practices, as well as food distribution, marketing, technology, real estate, healthcare services, and healthcare technology.

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Noah Stern

Lincoln Mountain Capital

Noah Stern is the founder of Lincoln Mountain Capital, a Los Angeles-based search fund focused on acquiring and operating one great small business for the long term. Previously, he served as COO of ProducePay, a Los Angeles-based agtech/fintech company, and began his career at Bain & Company. He holds a BA from UC Berkeley, an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School, and an MBA from Harvard Business School; he lives in Westwood with his wife Melody and their two sons.

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Ishan Jetley

Go SBA Loans

Ishan Jetley is the lead SBA loan broker at GoSBA Loans. GoSBA Loans is one of the highest volume SBA loan brokers in the country. They focus specifically on business acquisitions and change of ownership SBA loans. They are partnered up with 30+ SBA lenders and close 8-10 transactions a month. They are a 100% free service and are paid by the lender post close.

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Bruce Eskesen

Portrait Capital

Bruce Eskesen is an Associate at Portrait Capital involved in all aspects of investment origination and execution. Prior to joining Portrait Capital, Bruce worked as an analyst at Berenson & Company, a merchant bank focused on advising and investing in software and technology-enabled service companies. Bruce is originally from upstate New York, graduated summa cum laude from The Wharton School, and lives in New York City.

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What Makes This Room Different

The room is intentionally designed to be educational, credibility-driven, and built around thoughtful conversation among serious investors, operators, and capital partners exploring small business acquisitions. This is not a typical networking event or open forum for deal sharing.

Education Comes First

The goal is to help investors better understand how experienced buyers and capital partners evaluate acquisition opportunities, assess risk, and think through deals in practice.

Introductions come with direct context

Opportunities shared in the room are expected to be introduced by a credible investor or participant who can speak on the deal’s behalf based on relevant experience and informed judgment. The goal is to ensure each opportunity enters the conversation with real context, credibility, and a reason for the room to pay attention.

Curated for serious participants

Attendance is intentionally selective, creating a stronger environment for accredited investors, operators, and capital partners who are actively engaged in the space.

Practical, peer-led discussion

The value of the room comes from candid perspectives, thoughtful questions, and real-world insight rather than polished presentations or surface-level conversation.

Quality over volume

A smaller, invite-only format allows for more meaningful dialogue, stronger signal, and a better experience for everyone in the room.

Attend the next Exchange.

The room is intentionally small and reviewed to keep the quality high. If you've joined us before, welcome back. Know an accredited investor who'd fit? Bring them. Referrals are how this community grows.

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The Small Business Acquisition Exchange

Event Agenda