Fetch Strategies and Caprae Capital Partner to Enhance ETA Hub with Live Deal Sourcing

Fetch Strategies and Caprae Capital have partnered to enhance the ETA Hub, a program aimed at preparing aspiring and active acquisition entrepreneurs. The partnership introduces a live, experiential deal sourcing component, allowing participants to conduct actual off-market searches during the program.

Karen Spencer, founder of Fetch Strategies and co-founder of Searchfunder.com, leads the six-session, ten-week core cohort. The ETA Hub curriculum covers a range of topics, including defining an acquisition thesis, evaluating opportunities, navigating diligence, negotiations, financing, and the transition into the CEO role. It incorporates tools like VAULT and ETA PitchRef to help fellows build judgment, credibility, and traction.

Under the new partnership, Caprae Capital, with its extensive experience in proprietary deal sourcing, will provide hands-on support. Caprae has conducted over half a million human cold calls, generating a wealth of data on effective outreach strategies. This data will be integrated into the ETA Hub, offering participants a more realistic and practical learning experience.

The partnership introduces a live search component, where each fellow will develop a personalized buy box, receive a curated list of approximately 60 verified acquisition targets, and build a founder-specific outreach narrative. Participants will engage in live calling sessions with the Caprae team, receiving coaching as they interact with real business owners. The program culminates in four 90-minute live cold-calling sessions, starting October 31, where participants will dial real business owners and receive coaching in real time.

A unique aspect of this partnership is the ability to bring actual deal opportunities directly into the classroom. As conversations turn into serious acquisition opportunities, these deals will be dissected in the classroom, allowing participants to work through valuation, seller motivation, diligence questions, financing considerations, risks, and next steps. This live loop approach ensures that participants are not just studying hypothetical scenarios but are actively involved in the search process.

Kevin Hong and Hereford Johnson, founders of Caprae Capital, bring extensive experience as founders, traditional searchers, and self-funded acquisition entrepreneurs. Their backgrounds provide valuable insights and practical knowledge to the curriculum, ensuring that participants are learning from those who have sat on the same side of the table.

The sourcing component of the ETA Hub is structured to build progressively. Early sessions focus on defining the search thesis, translating it into a prospect universe, and preparing individualized messaging. Caprae's team then screens the universe, prepares individualized messaging, and tests the outreach before live dialing begins. As owners respond and viable targets emerge, selected opportunities may be anonymized and brought back into the classroom for discussion and live deal work.

This partnership underscores the importance of proprietary deal flow in the acquisition process. Off-market acquisitions often transact at lower multiples, offering buyers a competitive advantage. The ability to establish a relationship with the seller before a formal sale process exists can lead to more favorable terms and a tailored transaction. However, the process requires disciplined follow-up and consistent sourcing, particularly for first-time buyers.

Participants in the ETA Hub will benefit from this integrated approach, gaining practical experience in proprietary deal sourcing while preparing for the complexities of entrepreneurship through acquisition. The partnership aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, providing a comprehensive and practical learning environment for aspiring acquisition entrepreneurs.