Once I flew to Germany for an INDEX multi-spindle deal that was stolen out from under us the morning after I arrived. I laid in my hotel bed swearing at the ceiling for a few minutes and then called a friend who happened to be our best European INDEX customer. Hours later, I was on a plane to Spain to inspect two different INDEX machines that we ended up making more money on than if we had sold the one I had come to Germany for.
One thing I usually like about my work as a used machinery dealer (or treasure hunter, as I like to say) is that you never know what’s going to happen on a given day. Maybe a stranger will call out of the blue about an online ad. Maybe someone who has been thinking about selling a machine for six months will suddenly be ready to work together.
Yesterday, my day started with a call from someone who wanted us to find him a machining company for them to acquire. He had found out about Graff-Pinkert’s M&A service when he heard me on an industry podcast. It was a pretty substantial and fun conversation. We had a lot in common, and he seems like a smart guy who wants to take action. Will we sell this guy a company in 2025? There’s a decent chance. But if we don’t, I am quite sure this hour-long conversation will still matter—even if it takes years to know why.
In the late afternoon, I followed up with two potential used machinery prospects—one for a Tsugami and one for an INDEX. Both said they liked the machines but had to pass—one because of a machine’s control type and one because of budget. I told them both I was grateful to at least get quick responses. One prospect apologized in an email for “wasting my time.” I told him our conversations were NOT a waste of my time. I had learned about his business. I had made a new interesting contact in him—a new dot to connect to my existing ones. The other customer had taught me quite a bit about machine tools in our conversations. He also said he would consider being on my podcast.
Meanwhile, two other potentially big deals are rattling around in my head. Neither one gave me feedback, which was disappointing. But I’m telling myself to be patient about things that are out of my hands. Hopefully they work out, but if they don’t, I need to try to make them lead to something else interesting.
Every day the treasure hunt for serendipity continues. Success comes from staying mindful of the world around you—the casual conversations that might lead somewhere unexpected, the “failed” deals that create new connections, the feedback that teaches you something new about the industry.
Be mindful of the process, rather than only focusing on your desired outcome.
If only I could follow my own advice!
Question: What business deals have you made that were totally unexpected?
