ETA Workshop: Self- Funded Search Deep Dive

Join us for the Venture Lab ETA Workshop: Self-Funded Search Deep Dive with Professor Bob Chalfin on Wednesday, November 12 at 6:00 pm (Tangen Hall, 7th Floor).

The self-funded search model is one of the most flexible and accessible paths to Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). In this workshop, Wharton Professor and acquisition expert Bob Chalfin, CEO of The Chalfin Group, will lead an in-depth discussion on what it takes to successfully pursue and complete a self-funded acquisition.

💡 Learn what makes this model unique and why an aspiring entrepreneur would take the self-funded route. Professor Chalfin will cover:

• Why take the self-funded path—and when it makes sense
• What types of businesses are best suited for this model
• How to find acquisition opportunities and who self-funded searchers compete with
• How financing works for self-funded deals in today’s market (with a deeper dive coming Friday from financing expert Keith Kohler)
• What a typical deal team looks like and how to build yours

🎤 You’ll also hear real-world stories and lessons from Penn and Wharton alumni who have successfully pursued the self-funded search route, followed by a live Q&A with Professor Chalfin.

📍 Where: Tangen Hall, 7th Floor (115 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA)

🗓️ When: Wednesday, November 12 | 6:00–7:15 pm ET

This session is ideal for students curious about ETA or ready to dive deeper into the self-funded model as a path to becoming a CEO through acquisition.

Participant Biographies

Professor Bob Chalfin (W'78, WG'78) - Moderator

CEO, The Chalfin Group

Robert J. Chalfin is the CEO of The Chalfin Group Inc., a Metuchen, New Jersey-based firm that offers advisory services in connection with the purchase and sale of closely held businesses, strategic planning, and valuation. Mr. Chalfin is an owner/investor, corporate board member, and consultant to several businesses, many of which are in the information technology sector. He has invested in, operated, and developed real estate, which has included serving as a land bank. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Raritan Bay Medical Center and Raritan Bay Health Service Corporation.

Mr. Chalfin is an attorney, CPA, and a Lecturer in Management at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He teaches graduate-level courses on acquiring closely held businesses and real estate entrepreneurship to MBA candidates and has been the recipient of several Wharton Teaching Excellence Awards. Bob is the author of the books, A Practical Guide to Buying a Business- Second Edition (2023), A Practical Guide to Selling a Business (2022), A Practical Guide to Buying a Business (2020), and Selling Your IT Business: Valuation, Finding the Right Buyer, and Negotiating the Deal (2006). He is the host of the podcast series, Business Talk with Chalfin. In addition to being an avid baseball fan, Bob owns minority interests in three minor league baseball teams.