Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA)

A unique path for aspiring entrepreneurs to acquire, lead, and grow established businesses.

ETA in the Olean Region

Did you know there are over 300 small businesses in downtown Olean alone-and more than double that across the greater Olean region?
More than half of these small business owners are baby boomers who are expected to sell their businesses in the next decade.
Entrepreneurs are not only people with new ideas, but also those who see opportunity in purchasing existing successful businesses and helping them grow.

OBDC and ETA

i. OBDC aims to keep generational wealth and essential community services within the region that these small businesses represent.

ii. OBDC is uniquely positioned to:
a) Help local business owners prepare their businesses for sale.
b) Develop a network of entrepreneurs interested in buying existing businesses.
c) Facilitate matches between sellers and buyers.

iii. OBDC was awarded the Springboard 2025 Grant for Transition Matchmaking.

1. To jumpstart this initiative, OBDC received a grant from the Center for Regional Strategies.

2. This competitive grant, led by Main Light Strategies and funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, focuses on supporting OBDC’s Transition Matchmaking

3. The grant requires hosting entrepreneurial events, which OBDC will do as follows:

a. Storytelling of recent ETA activity in the Olean region, of which there are many!

b. Seminar(s) to help existing small business owners learn about what options are available for them to sell.

c. Events to help with recruitment of prospective entrepreneurs interested in buying existing businesses.

iv. Stay in tune with OBDC’s LinkedIn and Facebook pages, and website, as details of these events are planned and dates set.