#221: You Don't Own a Business — You Have a Job: Why Most Businesses Stall - Mark Evans

He bought his first business at 18. Thirty years later he's running multiple companies, acquiring businesses with $1M+ EBITDA, and developing a longevity company — all without being involved in day-to-day operations.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Mark Evans DM — a 30-year entrepreneur who started with a seamless gutter company at 18, discovered real estate, and never stopped building. Mark has owned construction companies, residential and commercial real estate, and multiple business ventures since 1996. Today his focus is on acquiring established businesses, solving big problems, and creating strategic partnerships that run without him. This is one of the most seasoned entrepreneurial perspectives to ever sit down on the Leadway Podcast.

In this episode you'll learn:

How Mark went from buying a gutter company at 18 to 30 years of entrepreneurship across multiple industries

Why real estate is a business — not a job — and what the difference actually looks like

His business acquisition criteria: $1M+ EBITDA, 15–20 employees, 10+ years of operation

Why the $1–3 million revenue range is the hardest phase of any business — and how to get through it

How traveling the world while running businesses forced him to learn delegation and trust

Why he focuses on the $10 million path within 24 months when acquiring a business

What most people get wrong about buying businesses with SBA loans

Why learning business fundamentals matters more than learning real estate

His current focus: Telegenix.com a longevity and wellness company