SMB Investor Network Blog

SMB investing, search fund, and co-invest playbooks. Fundraising tips and operator tactics for accredited investors and advisors.

JAN 20, 2026

Why Proprietary Sourcing Is Becoming the Only Path to Reasonably Priced SMB Deals

Multiples in the SMB market continue to drift upward, and broad-auction deal flow is increasingly priced at levels where returns compress fast. The only reliable path to buying at rational valuations is building sourcing advantages—proprietary outreach, curated platforms, and network-driven deal flow.