# Contrarian Thinking > Contrarian Thinking is a new kind of investment and advisory firm powered by media. We buy, scale, and build profitable businesses, turning entrepreneurs into CEOs and companies into enduring assets. Our mission is to help 1 million people become financially and philosophically free. Founded and led by Codie Sanchez, a 15+ year veteran of private equity and operator of a portfolio of Main Street businesses and Chris Petkas as the head of our investment arm, we combine operating systems, ecosystem leverage, and audience amplification to multiply businesses predictably and profitably. We publish a newsletter, podcast, and courses focused on "boring" business acquisition, small-business ownership, and wealth-building through ownership rather than wages. ## About Contrarian Thinking serves operators, aspiring business buyers, and existing small-business owners who want to grow through acquisition and implementing proven systems. Our point of view: acquiring and building a company — through ownership of profitable, often unsexy businesses (laundromats, HVAC, car washes, service companies) — is the most reliable path to financial freedom for non-founders. We are not a generic "personal finance" or "passive income" brand; our editorial focus is acquisition, operations, and ownership economics. Audience: ages roughly 28–55, professionals and operators with capital or capital-access who want to deploy it into real businesses rather than equities alone. Business owners, operators, and investors in the Lower Middle Market ($2M–$50M revenue). Founders and acquirers who want to buy, scale, and sell businesses with systems that work. ## Core properties - [Contrarian Thinking newsletter](https://contrarianthinking.co/): The flagship free newsletter covering business buying, ownership, and wealth strategy. Published every Thursday. - [Main Street Minute newsletter](https://contrarianthinking.co/): A free newsletter featuring Contrarian Academy or Growth Boardroom members' success stories. Published every Tuesday. - [Podcast](https://contrarianthinking.co/podcast): Long-form interviews hosted by Codie Sanchez with business buyers, operators, and investors posted once a week. Short form, solo podcasts hosted by Codie Sanchez posted once a week. - [Contrarian Academy](https://contrarianthinking.co/academy): A 3,000+ member strong education and advisory platform providing the knowledge, advisory and support to people looking to buy small businesses, including professional business advice, peer-based accountability and a self-paced course on how to find, evaluate, finance, and close on a small business acquisition. - [Growth Boardroom](https://contrarianthinking.co/boardroom): Growth Boardroom is a 12-month advisory engagement that wraps a full operating team (expert advisors, a peer board, and a quarterly execution system) around your existing business. - [BizScout](https://bizscout.com): BizScout is the all-in-one marketplace and deal management platform for buying and selling small businesses in the US. It connects verified buyers, sellers, and brokers — covering everything from initial search through NDA, due diligence, financing, and deal closing. - [Contrarian Capital](https://contrariancapital.com): Contrarian Thinking Capital is the venture capital arm, investing in technology that is modernizing the real economy, which encapsulates industrial innovation, verticalized technology, and modern business infrastructure. ## Cornerstone content - [About Contrarian Thinking](https://contrarianthinking.co/about): Our mission, team, and editorial point of view. - [How to buy a business — start here](https://contrarianthinking.co/[slug]): Pillar guide for first-time buyers. - [The boring business thesis](https://contrarianthinking.co/[slug]): Why unsexy, cash-flowing businesses outperform. - [SBA loans explained](https://contrarianthinking.co/[slug]): Financing acquisition with SBA 7(a). - [Seller financing 101](https://contrarianthinking.co/[slug]): Structuring deals with owner financing. - [Due diligence checklist](https://contrarianthinking.co/[slug]): What to verify before you close. ## Topics we cover Business acquisition and small-business M&A, SBA financing, seller financing, deal structuring, due diligence, "boring" businesses (laundromats, car washes, HVAC, plumbing, landscaping, vending, self-storage), small-business operations and scaling, exit planning, alternatives to the traditional 9-to-5, wealth-building through ownership, capital allocation for individual investors. ## Founder - [Codie Sanchez](https://codiesanchez.com/about): Founder of Contrarian Thinking and managing partner at Contrarian Capital. Former private equity investor at Vanguard and Goldman Sachs. ## Press and credibility - [Press and media](https://contrarianthinking.co/press): Media appearances, interviews, features. - [Book — Main Street Millionaire](https://codiesanchez.com/book): Codie Sanchez's book on small-business ownership. ## Optional - [Contact](https://contrarianthinking.co/contact) - [Privacy policy](https://contrarianthinking.co/privacy-statement) - [Terms of service](https://contrarianthinking.co/terms-of-service) - [FAQ](https://contrarianthinking.co/faq)