How to Buy a Business in a Different Industry with Kevin Joseph, Apollo American - Price Discovery: Money & Mindset #9

Welcome to Price Discovery: Money & Mindset!

This is Episode #9 and you’ll hear Host Jordan Rodriguez interview Kevin Joseph of Apollo American. Check out the video episode on YouTube and listen to the audio episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast spots – Follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re enjoying the show!

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• Learn more about Price Discovery: Money & Mindset

Price Discovery: Money & Mindset Episode #9: How to Buy a Business in a Different Industry with Kevin Joseph, Apollo American

Build relationships with people across multiple industries. In this episode, Host Jordan Rodriguez kicks off Season 2 by interviewing returning guest Kevin Joseph, now the Owner, President, and CEO of Apollo American. Kevin acquired the world class aerospace and defense manufacturer in May 2025 after spending 8 years at Weber Wood Medinger (WWM), where he became the youngest Partner in the firm’s 51-year history. Hear what to look for in a potential acquisition, the pros & cons of leaving a stable career for entrepreneurship, his unique handwritten letter strategy, whether you should work with a business broker, and how to hit the ground running as a new business owner. This episode covers everything from sourcing and structuring an acquisition to stepping into the operator role and leading a business post-close. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How Kevin searched for and sourced his acquisition opportunity

• Why manufacturing - and aerospace and defense specifically - won out

• Lessons from deal structure, SBA financing, and negotiation setbacks

• The importance of people, culture, and operational leadership post-close

• Building a lifestyle business with a long-term ownership mindset

• Navigating the shift from advisor to operator and first-time owner realities

• Leading through transition and earning trust with long-tenured teams

Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn and at ApolloAmerican.net

Connect with Jordan at WSWealthManagers.com.

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• How to Buy a Business in a Different Industry with Kevin Joseph, Apollo American

  • [00:20] Welcome to Price Discovery: Money & Mindset

  • [01:39] Kevin’s transition from real estate investment banking into business acquisition and ownership 

  • [03:52] Entrepreneurial influences from family background and early career exposure

  • [05:29] Why long-term relationship building across industries became a key advantage

  • [06:56] Beginning the acquisition search in 2023 and why staying employed mattered when pursuing an entrepreneurship through acquisition strategy 

  • [07:54] Defining search criteria: manufacturing focus, geography, and operator mindset 

  • [08:52] Using outdated company websites as a signal for underinvested businesses and potential operational efficiencies 

  • [09:20] Handwritten letters as a sourcing strategy and why local ties matter in relationship-driven middle market transactions 

  • [11:48] First impressions of the target company: facility quality, ownership profile, and succession planning 

  • [12:48] Early meetings focused on fit and understanding operations before discussing numbers 

  • [13:44] Signing an NDA and shifting to in-person conversations as negotiations progressed 

  • [15:24] Reviewing financials and identifying growth opportunities through sales and marketing investment 

  • [16:06] Recognizing operational strength as a non-negotiable acquisition requirement 

  • [19:27] Perspectives on business brokers and their role in middle-market transactions 

  • [22:47] Due diligence challenges when operators don’t run businesses “by the textbook”

  • [24:16] Deal structure challenges around purchase price, seller financing, and real estate 

  • [25:45] Why the deal went cold - and what ultimately revived it months later

  • [27:13] Moving from agreement to close and navigating final negotiations

  • [28:09] Financing the acquisition through an SBA 7a loan and aligning family expectations 

  • [29:09] Closing the deal just weeks before the birth of Kevin’s first child

  • [30:06] Day-one realities of ownership and learning the business from the inside

  • [31:06] Rebranding from Apollo Manufacturing to Apollo American and signaling reinvestment through brand repositioning 

  • [32:36] Improving customer experience through responsiveness and personal service

  • [34:29] Earning trust and credibility as a younger owner with a seasoned workforce through effective leadership transition

  • [37:50] Growth strategy focused on existing customers and selective new relationships

  • [39:51] Managing capacity, quality standards, and responsible growth in aerospace manufacturing 

  • [41:46] Hiring strategy and assembling the right leadership team post-acquisition

  • [42:31] Evaluating CapEx needs and confirming the strength of prior operational investments

  • [44:09] Redefining performance metrics around people, retention, and accountability using employee engagement metrics 

  • [46:52] Leadership by walking the floor and staying close to daily operations through management by walking around

  • [47:49] Lessons learned about the difference between advising businesses and running one

  • [53:26] Empowering managers with decision-making authority and shared accountability

  • [56:17] Defining a long-term lifestyle business

  • lifestyle business versus a short-term financial exit 

  • [59:22] Final reflections on people-first leadership and earning team trust

  • [01:03:28] Price Discovery: Money & Mindset is brought to you by Wernick Spear Wealth Managers and Chagrin Valley Business Strategies. Opinions expressed by Jordan and guests are their own and do not represent investment advice, solicitation, or the like.

What is Price Discovery: Money & Mindset?

Wealth. Business. Personal finance. Each episode, hear thought leaders, business owners, and finance experts share their tales of successful entrepreneurship, innovative financial strategies, and the art of balancing wealth with personal fulfillment. Hosted by Jordan Rodriguez, CFP, CEPA, a seasoned expert in wealth management and business consulting. Presented by Chagrin Valley Business Strategies and Wernick Spear Wealth Managers.