Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta’s community for buying and building businesses.

Monthly meetups for operators, searchers, and the ETA-curious. First Thursday. No pitch decks. Just real conversations.

Free to join. We'll only email you about upcoming meetups.

WhenFirst Thursdayof every month
WhereAtlanta, GAvenue TBA
CostFreealways
Upcoming

Next Meetup

TBD1stThursday

Inaugural Meetup

6:00 PM — Networking, speaker, more networking
Atlanta — Venue to be announced
Open to all — beginners welcome

Date and venue coming soon. Sign up for notifications and we'll let you know the moment details are confirmed.

What to Expect

Practical education meets real community.

Every meetup follows the same format: arrive, network, hear from a featured speaker, ask questions, and keep the conversation going.

Learn

Hear from operators who've done it — SBA lenders, M&A attorneys, and founders who bought their first business.

Connect

Meet people at every stage — from first-time searchers to experienced acquirers and the professionals who support them.

Build

Turn conversations into action. Find accountability partners, deal flow, and a network that compounds over time.

Who It's For

Built for people who do the work.

This is for you if…

  • You're curious about buying a business
  • You're actively searching for an acquisition
  • You've already acquired and want to connect with peers
  • You're an M&A professional who serves this market
  • You're a lender, attorney, or broker in the ETA ecosystem

This might not be your thing if…

  • You want to pitch your services to a captive audience
  • You're looking for a get-rich-quick community
  • You prefer theory over practice
How It Works

Three steps. Zero friction.

01

Sign up

Drop your email and we'll notify you when the next meetup is confirmed.

02

Show up

First Thursday of the month. Walk in, grab a drink, and introduce yourself.

03

Stay connected

Build relationships that turn into deal flow, partnerships, and accountability.

House Rules

How we show up.

We take the community part seriously. These norms keep the room valuable for everyone.

No hard sells.

This is a community, not a sales floor.

Respect what's shared.

Conversations here stay here.

Help more than you ask.

Generosity is the currency.

Beginners welcome.

Everyone started somewhere.

About

Why Atlanta needs this.

Aerial view of downtown Atlanta skyline

There are 20+ ETA meetup groups across the country — in Denver, Charlotte, Austin, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and beyond. Atlanta, the largest metro in the Southeast, doesn't have one yet.

ETATL exists to change that. We're building a space where people interested in buying, operating, and growing small businesses can learn from each other, connect with the professionals who make deals happen, and find the kind of community that turns ambition into action.

No pitch decks. No gatekeeping. Just a room full of people who believe that owning and operating a business is one of the best paths to building lasting wealth and impact.

DG

Daniel Giles

Organizer

Atlanta-based operator and entrepreneur building the ETA community that the city has been missing. Inspired by the groups in Denver, Charlotte, and beyond — and determined to bring the same energy here.

Connect on LinkedIn
FAQ

Common questions.

What does ETA stand for?
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition — the practice of buying an existing business rather than starting one from scratch. It's a growing movement backed by MBA programs at Stanford, Harvard, Booth, and many others.
Do I need experience to attend?
Not at all. Our meetups welcome everyone from the purely curious to experienced operators. The whole point is to learn together. If you're interested in business ownership, you belong here.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. Meetups are free to attend. We plan to cover food and drinks through sponsors. You just need to show up.
What's the format?
We follow the format that's worked for ETA groups across the country: arrive and network, listen to a featured speaker or panel, ask questions, then continue the conversation over drinks. Expect about 2–3 hours, starting at 6 PM.
Where do you meet?
We're still finalizing our venue. It'll be a casual, accessible spot in Atlanta — think a restaurant or bar with a semi-private space for our group. Sign up for notifications and we'll share the details as soon as they're set.
Is this affiliated with a specific company?
No. ETATL is a community-first group, not a front for any business or service provider. Sponsors help cover costs but don't run the programming. Our speakers are chosen for their value to members, not their sponsorship dollars.
How can I get involved beyond attending?
We're looking for speakers, sponsors, and people who want to help build this community. Reach out through the notification signup and mention how you'd like to help — we'll be in touch.
Join Us

Don't miss the first one.

Sign up and we'll let you know when the date, venue, and first speaker are confirmed. No spam — just meetup announcements.