Anthony Clervi’s Blueprint for Business Growth and Acquisition

We recently sat down with Anthony Clervi, owner of Una, Big Red M, and several other acquired businesses, to unpack the essential elements of successful deal-making. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Clervi has developed a nuanced approach to business development that goes far beyond traditional management strategies, understanding the delicate art of growth and acquisition. His expertise is demonstrated through his success in operating and growing Una organically, while simultaneously building Big Red M through strategic acquisition—showcasing his versatility in both organic development and acquisition-based business models.

The Una Transformation

Clervi's journey began in 2012 with Una, a group purchasing organization (GPO) that leverages collective buying power to help businesses secure competitive pricing and reduce costs on essential products and services across multiple spend categories. Una offers completely free membership while delivering substantial savings of 10-20% on current expenditures across diverse product categories, enabling businesses to immediately enhance their bottom line without any upfront investment.

Clervi quickly discovered finding success at Una was about more than just a great product. "We're really selling a relationship, an opportunity to interact with clients to make their lives easier," he explains. This mindset drove a methodical approach to brand development, focusing on curating the right clientele and creating a consistent marketing strategy, which helped grow the company.

Organic growth has been a significant factor for Una over the past ten years, driven by steady content creation, effective procurement strategies, and small brand decisions that collectively make a big difference. Through various methods such as advertisements, SEO, playbooks, videos, and podcasts, Una has provided prospective customers with easily digestible information about the company.

The path to success wasn't overnight. It took five to six years of strategic team building and systematic growth before Clervi could step back from day-to-day operations. His key insight? Prepare your team to meet your expectation of a 10, but then be comfortable when they execute it their way—even if it's only 70% of your ideal standard. This common management wisdom recognizes that empowering others to handle tasks at a "good enough" level ultimately creates more value than trying to do everything perfectly yourself.

Strategic Delegation: The Key to Business Growth

"You can't control everything and grow simultaneously," Clervi explains. His game-changing advice for entrepreneurs is simple: hire an executive assistant. By creating a comprehensive documentation system of processes and key relationships, Clervi is "buying back his time" and building businesses designed to grow, not just operate.

The secret lies in developing scalable systems that can expand beyond the founder's direct involvement. For Clervi, this means creating a blueprint that allows his businesses to thrive independently, transforming operational constraints into opportunities for strategic growth.

This approach is rooted in a core principle: surround yourself with the right people. "Surround yourself with higher-level people who share the same values," Clervi suggests. "They've run into different problems than you have, they've made different mistakes than you have. Learn from them and don't make the same mistakes." Through strategic delegation and learning from others' experiences, Clervi has created a framework that enables sustainable expansion while maintaining the founder's vision and values.

The Acquisition Mindset

From an early age, Clervi exhibited entrepreneurial instincts, launching ventures from neighborhood lemonade stands to refurbishing and reselling bicycles. Both were early indicators of business insight that would define his career. 

Since the team at Una was in a good position with strong leadership and culture, Clervi started focusing on learning about small business acquisition out of curiosity as he wanted to expand out and beyond the group purchasing business model. He was selective about which acquisitions he made, recognizing that he should only pursue opportunities that truly complement his skill set rather than acquiring businesses simply because he can. 'Any business I consider investing in must align with my core competencies,' Clervi emphasized.

Clervi’s first acquisition in 2021 was Big Red M, which partners with associations to drive growth by creating customized strategies for member recruitment, retention, sponsorships, and non-dues revenue generation. Big Red M also includes a strong consulting component, supported by an in-house team and a network of outsourced professionals for fulfillment. Additionally, just under a year ago, Clervi and his team acquired a publishing company that handles everything from start to finish, offering digital and print advertising and an in-house design team.

This strategic acquisition was more than just an add-on; it aligned perfectly with Clervi's approach to buying businesses that build upon his strengths. By bringing the publishing company's comprehensive services into his portfolio, he's expanded his reach and offerings while taking advantage of how consulting and publishing work together. As he continues acquiring businesses, Clervi keeps his eye on companies that can grow significantly and bring real, lasting value to his existing operations.

Clervi’s Advice for Aspiring Business Buyers 

Anthony Clervi's path demonstrates that business success is a blend of strategic thinking, continuous learning, and building the right team. His approach proves that growth isn't about working harder, but working smarter - understanding your market, developing your team, and remaining open to new opportunities.

Clervi's approach to business negotiations gives buyers a unique advantage that goes beyond traditional transactional thinking. "A good deal is about meeting in the middle and understanding what needs to be true to make the deal work," he explains. By deliberately putting himself in the seller's perspective, Clervi helps buyers gain deeper insights into seller motivations, challenges, and strategic considerations. This approach transforms negotiations from adversarial interactions into collaborative problem-solving, allowing buyers to craft more creative, mutually beneficial solutions that secure favorable terms while addressing the seller's core needs.

For business buyers, navigating the acquisition search requires patience and nuanced interpersonal skills. Clervi emphasizes that meaningful acquisition opportunities aren't spontaneous events, but carefully cultivated possibilities that smart buyers may track for years before they materialize. He likens the process to dating, emphasizing to buyers that meaningful connections develop over time. "You can't rush trust," he explains, a critical insight for buyers eager to close deals.

The key for buyers is maintaining a persistent yet subtle approach: engage potential sellers through genuine conversations that feel more like collaborative discussions than interrogations. By creating an environment of trust and open communication, buyers can uncover insights that transform a potential target into a successful acquisition. Clervi advises buyers to demonstrate authentic interest, ask thoughtful questions, and allow sellers to share their stories and motivations naturally, which often reveals opportunities and favorable terms that a more aggressive approach might miss.

The Art of Structuring an Offer

Regarding deal structuring, Clervi advocates for straightforward approaches over complex financial arrangements. His experience shows that most critical negotiations should conclude around or at the signature of the Letter of Intent (LOI), with buyers remaining sensitive to sellers' comfort levels throughout the process.

Clervi emphasizes several critical success factors:

- Understanding seller motivations at a deeper level

- Addressing working capital considerations early

- Establishing clear parameters for any post-sale consulting arrangements

- Using M&A brokers when dealing with sellers who may not understand the M&A process

As far as creative financing, it's important not to get too inventive. For example, some recommendations suggest giving a percentage of the profits or restructuring deals to include a percentage of revenue. This approach tends to be easier and more manageable because it offers some predictability and reduces risk for the seller.

However, beware of complicating the deal with too many conditions. As Clervi has pointed out, buyers—especially first-time and second-time ones—often attempt to de-risk the deal excessively, which is unrealistic. By "getting cute," Clervi means incorporating numerous protections for the buyer while expecting the seller—often a founder who has been in the business for 10, 20, or even 30 years—to shoulder all the risk. This is where they will receive a significant portion of their value from the transaction.

If you're overly cautious in your proposal, it signals to the broker or seller that you are not serious about taking on risk, while they have been managing it for years. As a buyer, if you want to stand out, avoid adding too many complex elements to the deal; it only serves to confuse and can lead to being dismissed.

Clervi advocates for a balanced approach. If the deal is substantial enough, it typically involves a bank loan, along with around 10-15% in seller financing. There may also be an earn-out involved, linked to performance targets. As for SBA loans, they can be beneficial, as long as they don't alter the purchase price significantly. Overall, Clervi thinks it’s important to be straightforward and reasonable in your financing structure.

The Power of Proprietary Searches

Through successful proprietary searches, Clervi has demonstrated that off-market acquisitions can yield exceptional results when approached correctly. The key lies in ensuring both parties maintain realistic expectations about pricing while fostering an environment of mutual trust and open communication. 

While direct negotiations can be effective, Clervi strongly recommends engaging specialized M&A advisors when deal complexity increases or when proprietary opportunities require expert guidance. These professionals bring invaluable industry knowledge, negotiation expertise, and transaction experience that can significantly enhance outcomes, especially in high-stakes situations where optimal structuring and execution are critical.

This strategic approach helps facilitate successful transactions and builds the foundation for positive long-term outcomes for all parties involved.

For entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses, Clervi's story offers a compelling blueprint: focus on relationships, invest in your team, never stop learning, and be strategic about growth. It's an approach that transforms businesses from good to exceptional.

Follow Anthony Clervi on LinkedIn and subscribe to his monthly newsletter for insights on how to become a successful leader and investor.  

Una
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Big Red M
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