Most people never buy a business because of the same three mistakes: they don't know what to look for, they assume it takes millions they don't have, or they try to work out the financing alone and stall before making an offer. In five days, live, we take down all three — with guidance from mr.FourAM.
Whether you clock in or you own the place, what happens to your income the day you're not the one doing the work?
As seen on
What five days actually changes
If the work stopped when you did, would there still be a business — or just a job?
Most high-income professionals and business owners hit the same three walls on the way to real ownership.
Powered by The Acquisition Artistry™ system- 01They don't know what to look for, so they never start looking.
- 02They assume buying a business takes millions they don't have.
- 03They try to work out financing and structure alone, with no framework, and stall before making an offer.
The Buy Your First Business Challenge is five days, live, built to take each wall down in order — what to buy, how these deals actually get financed, and what changes once you're the one who owns it instead of the one who runs it.
Who's teaching it
He's closed over $8 million in acquisitions, is a 5x founder with two exits, and won a 2024 M&A award for it — before ever teaching a single class.
Acquisition Artistry is built on decision-level frameworks: how to evaluate a business, how deals actually get financed, and how ownership works once the deal closes.
"Stop building companies. Start buying them. Wealth isn't built from scratch — it's acquired."
Hosted live by
Quanasia has spent the last nine years building an audience with nothing but a phone and a strategy — no ads, no gimmicks. She's built seven businesses on organic content alone and taught more than 50,000 entrepreneurs how to do the same: become the brand, build the audience, and turn content into revenue. She's hosting the Challenge, bringing that same energy to the room all week.
Photographed with founders, executives, and public figures
Photos show mr.FourAM with the people named. No endorsement of FourAM Academy or this Challenge is implied.
Kevin Costner
Actor and Filmmaker
James W. Keyes
Former CEO of 7-Eleven & Blockbuster
Wayne Gretzky
Former Professional Hockey Player
Elizabeth Hurley
British Actress, Model, and Producer
Rick Hoffman
American Actor
Derrik Fay
Entrepreneur & Investor
Mario Lopez
American Actor and TV Host
Adam E. Coffey
M&A & PE Expert
Tonino Lamborghini
Italian Entrepreneur
Bernt Ullmann
Tim Gannon
Founder of OutBack Steakhouse
Joe Foster
Founder of Reebok Shoes
John Catsimatidis
Businessman
Jeremy Piven
American Actor and Comedian
Tommy Hilfiger
American Fashion Designer
Gabe Karp
Conflict Keynote Speaker & Author
The five days
What each night covers
Most high-income earners assume that if they just make more, eventually they'll be free. They won't. Day 1 shows you the trap nobody talks about: the moment you stop working — whether you're on someone else's payroll or your own — the income stops too. mr.FourAM breaks down why owning an asset, not earning a bigger salary, is the actual lever that changes that. You'll leave Day 1 knowing exactly which side of that line you're on, and what it takes to cross it.
Most people start browsing business listings before they know what they're actually looking for — and waste months chasing deals that were never right for them. Day 2 flips that order. You'll build your own buy box first: the specific criteria that make a good deal obvious and a bad one easy to walk away from. Once that's locked in, everything after it moves fast.
Most people never buy a business because they assume it takes millions of dollars they don't have. It doesn't — but only if you know which financing path actually fits you, and most people never learn there's more than one. Day 3 is where that gets resolved.
Most new owners just trade one job for another — same long hours, same stress, different title on the door. Day 4 shows you the shift that actually changes that: thinking like an asset manager and investor instead of an operator. That mindset, more than the deal itself, is what buys you your life back.
Knowing you should buy a business and knowing what to actually do first are two different things — and that gap is where most people stall out for good. Day 5 closes it. You'll leave with the exact sequence from where you are today to sitting at the closing table, and a clear next step to start it.
Every session live at 7:00 PM ET. Miss one? A recap video is included with every ticket.
Reserve your seat
Choose your ticket
- ✓ All 5 live sessions
- ✓ Challenge workbook (PDF)
- ✓ Daily recap videos
- ✓ Private challenge group
- ✓ Pre-challenge orientation call
- ✓ All 5 live sessions
- ✓ Challenge workbook (PDF)
- ✓ Daily recap videos
- ✓ Private challenge group
- ✓ Pre-challenge orientation call
- ✓ Everything in General Admission
- ✓ Live Q&A access each day
- ✓ A bonus live session after Day 5
- ✓ Everything in VIP
- ✓ Thursday happy hour with mr.FourAM and a surprise guest, 1:30 PM ET
Before you register
Who this is for
THIS IS FOR YOU IF
- You're a high-income professional who wants equity, not just a bigger title
- You already own a business and are ready to stop trading time for operations
- You're willing to talk to real sellers, lenders, and brokers — not just watch a course
- You're ready to make a decision this year, not "someday"
THIS IS NOT FOR YOU IF
- You're looking for a no-work, guaranteed-outcome shortcut
- You're unwilling to look at real numbers, real financing, real risk
- You want this done for you, start to finish
- You expect to own a business by the end of the five days
- You want someone else to find, evaluate, and finance the deal for you
What you get
What's included
Side by side
Compare tiers
| Feature | Early Bird | GA | VIP | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 5 live sessions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pre-challenge orientation call | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workbook, recap videos, challenge group | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live Q&A access | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bonus live session (after Day 5) | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thursday Happy Hour and Surprise Guest | — | — | — | ✓ |
Inside Platinum
One afternoon built just for this room
Platinum includes everything in VIP, plus a Thursday happy hour with mr.FourAM and a surprise guest at 1:30 PM ET — a relaxed hour to ask questions live and hang out with LaJuan “mr.FourAM” Payne. Bring your lunch and a glass of wine.
In their own words
What working with LaJuan actually looks like
He saved me money, he saved me time, he saved me pain and aggravation by showing me where to focus my energy, what things are important, what things aren’t. He’s also exposed me to his network, which is invaluable.
Jeremy Lawson FourAM Academy member
The way he can help you think about all the aspects of a business or a deal and instantly get to the root of what is needed and where you need to focus is an incredible skill.
Jordan Friedman Private advisory client
You know, there’s no gatekeeping that’s going to happen with him. He’s going to really teach you and show you how to become successful. If you are ready and going to put the work in, and look forward to changing your life.
Dennis CEO, First Class Rentals
Jeremy and Jordan are FourAM clients. Results vary.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
I don't have millions saved. Can I really buy a business?
Yes. Day 3 is built entirely around this — how SBA lending, seller financing, and creative deal structures let buyers acquire businesses without covering the full price in cash.
I've never owned a business before. Is this too advanced for me?
No. Most attendees have never bought a business before and don't come from a finance background. Each day builds the framework from the ground up — what makes a business viable, how to evaluate one, and how experienced buyers move with confidence.
Can I ask questions live?
Live Q&A each day is included with VIP and Platinum tickets only. General Admission includes all five live sessions, the workbook, the recap videos, the private group, and the orientation call — but not the daily Q&A.
I'm worried about ending up working 80-hour weeks. How do I avoid that?
That's one of the biggest misconceptions about ownership. Day 4 covers the difference between owning a business and operating one, and how the two can be separated.
What happens after the challenge?
Nothing you're signed up for automatically. Some attendees choose to go further with FourAM's Accelerator program — that's covered live during the challenge, never assumed here.
You can keep earning it, or you can own it.
Five days, live, with mr.FourAM: what to look for, how these deals actually get financed, and what changes once you’re the one who owns it.
November 16–20, 2026 · Live, virtual · 7:00 PM ET
Reserve Your Seat