What Is Searcher School?
Searcher School is a business acquisition training program designed for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to buy an existing small or medium-sized business through the search fund or independent sponsor model. The program is hosted on the Skool platform and is led by Jed, an active independent sponsor who is currently acquiring businesses himself — not a retired guru teaching theory from the sidelines.
The program positions itself as “the fastest way to build MASSIVE leverage in your search to buy a business” and backs that claim with a 90-day money-back guarantee. In an industry filled with overpriced courses and questionable promises, that guarantee is a notable differentiator.
Who Is Behind Searcher School?
Searcher School is founded and led by Jed, an independent sponsor who is actively acquiring businesses. This is an important distinction in the business acquisition education space — many programs are run by people who teach about buying businesses but haven’t done it recently (or at all). Jed brings current, real-world deal experience to the table, which means the strategies and tactics he teaches reflect today’s market conditions, not outdated playbooks.
His approach is refreshingly anti-guru. The program’s own marketing states: “No Gurus. No ‘Passive Income’ Scheme. Just actual experience from an independent sponsor actively acquiring businesses right now.” That positioning resonates with serious searchers who are tired of flashy marketing and want substance.
What’s Included in the Program?
Searcher School claims a total value of over $55,000 in resources. Here’s what members get access to:
- Day-by-Day Roadmap: A structured, step-by-step plan to build your search and land your first signed Letter of Intent (LOI). This is particularly valuable for first-time buyers who don’t know where to start.
- The Searcher’s Playbook Curriculum: A comprehensive course covering the fundamentals and advanced strategies of business acquisition through search.
- Document Library: Ready-to-use templates including financial models, NDAs, LOIs, due diligence checklists, and other deal assets that Jed uses in his own acquisitions.
- SunsetAI Tech Stack: Proprietary technology tools for lead generation, automations, and workflows — designed to replace an entire support team and streamline the search process.
- Live Coaching: Direct access to Jed for questions, feedback, and guidance on your specific deals and search strategy.
Bonus Features
- Guest Q&A Sessions: Access to members of Jed’s deal team — lawyers, accountants, lenders, and other professionals involved in real acquisitions.
- Live Hotseats: Get your specific deal coached live on video, with real-time feedback from Jed and the community.
- Community of Searchers: A growing network of committed peers who are also actively searching for businesses to buy.
Who Is Searcher School Best For?
Based on the program’s structure and focus, Searcher School is best suited for:
- First-time business buyers who need a clear roadmap and don’t want to figure everything out through trial and error
- Independent sponsors and search fund operators who want to accelerate their deal pipeline
- Career changers coming from corporate, consulting, finance, or military backgrounds who want to acquire a business as a path to entrepreneurship
- Searchers who value technology and want AI-powered tools to make their search more efficient
- People who prefer learning from active practitioners rather than academic or retired instructors
Strengths of Searcher School
- Active Practitioner as Instructor: Jed is currently doing deals, not just teaching about them. This means the content stays current and relevant.
- Technology-Forward Approach: The SunsetAI tech stack is a unique offering that most competitor programs don’t provide. In a world where deal sourcing is increasingly competitive, having proprietary lead generation and automation tools is a significant advantage.
- 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee: This removes a lot of the risk for new members. If you don’t find value within 90 days, you can get a full refund.
- Practical Templates and Documents: Having battle-tested financial models, LOIs, and diligence checklists from someone who is actively using them saves enormous time and reduces costly mistakes.
- Community Element: The Skool platform facilitates genuine peer-to-peer learning and networking, which is invaluable during the often-lonely search process.
- Live Coaching and Hotseats: Direct access to the founder for deal-specific feedback is something you typically only get from expensive advisory retainers.
Potential Drawbacks to Consider
- Website Under Construction: As of this review, the main searcherschool.com website is under construction, which means prospective students need to find the program through Skool or other channels. This may signal the program is still relatively early-stage.
- Limited Track Record Visibility: While Jed’s background as an active acquirer is compelling, there’s limited publicly available information about specific deals or outcomes from program graduates.
- Focus on Search Fund Model: The program appears heavily oriented toward the independent sponsor and search fund approach, which may not be ideal for buyers looking at more traditional SBA-financed acquisitions of Main Street businesses.
- Pricing Transparency: The program’s pricing isn’t prominently displayed on public pages, which means you may need to join or inquire to learn the cost.
- Newer Program: Compared to more established programs in the space, Searcher School may have a smaller alumni network and fewer case studies to reference.
How Does Searcher School Compare to Other Programs?
The business acquisition training space has become increasingly crowded. Here’s how Searcher School stacks up against some of the key considerations buyers should weigh:
- vs. Traditional MBA Search Fund Programs: Searcher School is far more affordable and practical than the search fund education you’d get at a top MBA program, though it lacks the institutional credibility and alumni network.
- vs. Other Online Courses: The inclusion of proprietary AI tools (SunsetAI) and live coaching sets it apart from passive, pre-recorded course programs.
- vs. Coaching-Only Programs: Searcher School offers a blend of curriculum, tools, community, and coaching — rather than just one-on-one advisory, which can be more expensive and less structured.
SBA Financing and Searcher School
If you’re planning to use SBA financing to acquire a business, it’s important to understand that Searcher School appears more focused on the independent sponsor and search fund model. While there is certainly overlap — many of the skills around deal sourcing, valuation, negotiation, and due diligence are universal — the specific nuances of SBA 7(a) loan requirements, seller note structures, and lender packaging may not be deeply covered.
For buyers specifically pursuing the SBA acquisition path, you’ll want to complement your Searcher School education with SBA-specific expertise from a specialized loan broker who understands the lending landscape.
How GoSBA Can Help You Alongside Your Training
Regardless of which training program you choose, having an experienced SBA loan broker on your side is one of the highest-leverage moves you can make when acquiring a business. At GoSBA, we specialize exclusively in SBA acquisition financing and provide:
- Free SBA Loan Packaging: We prepare your entire loan package at no cost to you — the lender pays our fee at closing.
- Free Business Plans & Financial Projections: We provide professional business plans and financial projections (a $2,500-$5,000 value) at no charge, included with every deal we work on.
- Lender Matching: We work with a network of SBA preferred lenders to find the best fit for your specific deal, industry, and borrower profile.
- Deal Structuring Expertise: We help you structure deals to maximize your chances of SBA approval, including seller note requirements, equity injection strategies, and more.
- End-to-End Support: From LOI through closing, we guide you through every step of the SBA lending process.
Training programs like Searcher School can teach you how to find and evaluate deals. GoSBA ensures you can actually close them with the right financing in place.
Final Verdict: Is Searcher School Worth It?
Searcher School is a promising program for aspiring business buyers, particularly those drawn to the independent sponsor and search fund model. The combination of an active practitioner as instructor, proprietary AI tools, live coaching, and a 90-day money-back guarantee makes it a relatively low-risk way to accelerate your search.
However, if your primary path is SBA-financed acquisitions of Main Street businesses, you may find that the program’s focus doesn’t perfectly align with your needs. In that case, you’ll want to pair any training with hands-on guidance from an SBA specialist.
Ready to start your business acquisition journey with the right financing partner? Contact GoSBA today for a free consultation and let us help you navigate the SBA lending process from start to finish.
