A growing number of US MBA graduates are abandoning high-paying corporate roles to acquire and run small businesses in sectors like plumbing and air duct cleaning. Through a model known as search funds, they raise capital to purchase existing businesses with established operations. Investor interest has surged, with over $2.9 billion deployed since 1984. Dan Schweber’s acquisition of Atlantic Duct Cleaning exemplifies this shift, as he aims to scale the company significantly by 2028.
