Tony Grebmeier didn't follow a conventional path to building ShipOffers, a fulfillment company that has made the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list 11 times and grown to more than $75M…

He got there by nearly going bankrupt before rebuilding from the inside out.

Here are the most valuable lessons from his journey that every acquisition entrepreneur and business builder can apply right now:

When asked what he'd do differently if starting over, Grebmeier doesn't hesitate: he'd surround himself with the right people faster.

He calls it "collapsing time." Rather than spending years learning lessons the hard way, he'd find someone who'd already solved the problem he was facing and ask for help.

The fastest path to growth isn't working harder; it's working alongside people who've already been where you're trying to go.

Before making any major business decision, ask yourself: who in my network has already solved this problem? A phone call to the right person can save years of painful trial and error.

Grebmeier credits asking for help as the single most important shift in his life and business. He stopped drinking, saved his marriage, and turned around millions in debt — all by raising his hand and admitting he didn't have the answers.

He points out that somewhere between elementary school and adulthood, most people stop asking for help. They get laughed at for asking a wrong question, and they never ask again. That conditioning costs entrepreneurs enormously.

The businesses that scale are the ones led by people willing to say "I don't know, but I know someone who does."

Grebmeier doesn't put much stock in resumes. What he's looking for is far simpler: people who show up, communicate proactively, and take ownership.

He pulls a move in interviews he calls "drainers and drivers." He asks candidates to write down three things that drained them about their last job, and three things that drove them. Then he watches what happens when they can only come up with two drainers — and starts digging into why.

His best hires have come from restaurants, dental offices, and fitness studios. Pedigree has nothing to do with it.

The next great member of your team might not be on LinkedIn with the right keywords. Look for people who are hungry, coachable, and honest… and give them a seat at the table.

Grebmeier is blunt about this one: the people who got a business to 7-figures aren't necessarily the same people who will get it to 8-figures.

That doesn't mean firing everyone when growth stalls... It means investing in people (paying for courses, seminars, masterclasses, etc.) so they can expand alongside the business. It also means being honest when someone has hit their ceiling, and building a bridge to the next level of talent.

Take a hard look at your leadership team today — Are they equipped to operate at the level you want to reach? If not, what's the investment required to get them there, and is it worth making?

One of Grebmeier's most memorable frameworks is what he calls "life's dumpster." Every person carries one — full of past failures, broken relationships, bad decisions, and accumulated baggage.

The question isn't whether the dumpster exists… It's whether it's in front of you or behind you.

For the first 36 years of his life, Grebmeier pushed his dumpster into every relationship and every business interaction. The shift came when he realized he could put it behind him — still accessible when needed, but no longer blocking the path forward.

What unresolved weight is a business owner or leader dragging into their decisions, negotiations, and team interactions? Identifying it is the first step to getting out from behind it.

When growth accelerated at ShipOffers, it wasn't because of a better sales strategy or a new product line...

It was because Grebmeier made people feel like they mattered.

"Family first" is an operating principle at his company. VPs are expected to own mistakes publicly so their teams don't have to. Team members are encouraged to find and train their own replacements as a path to promotion. When personal crises hit, the business holds.

Grebmeier puts it plainly: lead with the wallet, and it eventually runs dry. Lead with the heart, and both fill up.

The retention, loyalty, and culture that drive long-term business value aren't built through compensation packages. They're built through consistent, genuine investment in people as people — not resources.

Grebmeier keeps a journal. He starts each day writing three to four things he's grateful for. He calls 23 people on company anniversaries just to say thank you — not all of them clients or partners, just people who mattered.

His reasoning is simple: anger and gratitude can't occupy the same space. And a leader who leads with gratitude makes better decisions, builds stronger relationships, and creates the kind of company culture that other people want to be part of.

He also practices “the pause,” or waiting before responding to a tense email, a difficult conversation, or a moment of frustration. The first thought, he says, is usually selfish. The second thought is where the good decisions live.

Gratitude is a discipline that sharpens judgment, strengthens relationships, and compounds over time.

Tony Grebmeier built a $75M business not by having the best product, the most capital, or the most impressive resume, but by becoming the kind of person — and building the kind of company — that people want to be around.

Whether you’re acquiring or running companies (or both), now is the time to reflect on how you can do the same.

Thanks for reading Acquiring & Exiting.