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What's the liquidity of a small company owner?

Someone who owns a small company with low 7 figure EBITDA an...
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/23/26
it varies so much. most of the businesses are trades owned b...
non stop prop op from israel
  04/23/26
Describe the range of outcomes.
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/23/26
wdym? they all do great.
non stop prop op from israel
  04/23/26
It depends on the business, but with "low seven figures...
Richard Ames
  04/23/26
All true but my question is more about how much cash they ke...
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/23/26
Are you planning on robbing one?
OldHLSDude
  04/23/26
I own one of these businesses. My total liquid assets equal...
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/23/26
Ah, now I understand. I think it depends on many factors: wo...
OldHLSDude
  04/24/26
Any idea how much liquidity the owners have personally?
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/25/26
Nice! Congrats to you on this. I think this sort of life is ...
Richard Ames
  04/24/26
Appreciate you saying so. There are still many issues. I w...
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/25/26
Enough to keep the lights on for six weeks is a good baselin...
https://imgur.com/a/o2g8xYK
  04/23/26
...
insane dyke drama
  04/23/26
...
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/23/26
at least 11
Cletus Van Damme
  04/25/26
11 what?
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/25/26
...
Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!
  04/25/26


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Date: April 23rd, 2026 4:27 PM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

Someone who owns a small company with low 7 figure EBITDA and somewhere in the dozens of employees? How much cash, liquid stock, etc. do these guys typically have on hand?

Seems like a lot of these guys have great businesses but spend or reinvest a lot and don't have a ton of cash just sitting around.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49837802)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 4:33 PM
Author: non stop prop op from israel (gunneratttt)

it varies so much. most of the businesses are trades owned by ascended scumbags and their finances are exactly what you'd expect.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49837820)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 7:27 PM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

Describe the range of outcomes.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838431)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 8:13 PM
Author: non stop prop op from israel (gunneratttt)

wdym? they all do great.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838521)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 8:17 PM
Author: Richard Ames

It depends on the business, but with "low seven figures" EBITDA ($1m - $3m), an owner ought to be able to pull out $500k - $1m annually in addition to a reasonable salary. The bigger thing you see in these situations is stuff getting run through the business. "Work" trucks and what not. Employing spouses and family is another major perk.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838535)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 8:43 PM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

All true but my question is more about how much cash they keep on hand. As well as liquid securities like in brokerage accounts. $1 million? Less? More?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838583)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 9:22 PM
Author: OldHLSDude

Are you planning on robbing one?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838729)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 10:43 PM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

I own one of these businesses. My total liquid assets equal about one year's EBITDA. That feels really tight to me and I am trying to stockpile more cash.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838869)



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Date: April 24th, 2026 2:34 PM
Author: OldHLSDude

Ah, now I understand. I think it depends on many factors: working capital needs, e.g., receivables (size and timeliness of collection), inventory, investment needs,etc., plus growth trajectory, how cyclical is the business, and revenue and expense predictability. I usually look at it in terms of how many months of expenses with no income could I endure. 3 months is the goal I have set for a small business on whose board I sit. We're nowhere near that at present, but it's a goal.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49840003)



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Date: April 25th, 2026 12:31 AM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

Any idea how much liquidity the owners have personally?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49841244)



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Date: April 24th, 2026 2:36 PM
Author: Richard Ames

Nice! Congrats to you on this. I think this sort of life is better than virtually any other.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49840010)



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Date: April 25th, 2026 12:12 AM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

Appreciate you saying so. There are still many issues. I wake up every Monday morning with a sword of Damocles called payroll hanging over my head. Bottom line, no matter what. That's before you get to the challenges of managing an organization, dealing with regulatory pressure, keeping the flow of customers coming, etc.

I am very blessed and very thankful. But the stress is insane sometimes. I am trying to stack enough cash and diversify enough that the business doesn't dominate my life to such an extent. But that's a long process.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49841237)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 10:11 PM
Author: https://imgur.com/a/o2g8xYK


Enough to keep the lights on for six weeks is a good baseline

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838820)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 11:31 PM
Author: insane dyke drama



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838949)



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Date: April 23rd, 2026 11:06 PM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49838929)



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Date: April 25th, 2026 12:27 AM
Author: Cletus Van Damme

at least 11

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49841241)



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Date: April 25th, 2026 12:28 AM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!

11 what?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49841243)



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Date: April 25th, 2026 8:19 AM
Author: Buy your next house instantly with Zellow!



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5859824&forum_id=2Reputation#49841456)