Best Communities & Networks for Searchers
Every Entry in This Category
SearchfunderThe main online community for searchers.Booth-Kellogg ETA ConferenceThe largest annual ETA conference.Main Street SummitA three-day gathering for owners and investors.SCOREFree one-on-one mentoring from volunteers.Search Fund FellowsHire search interns from the only ETA job board.SMBashThe annual summit for the acquisition community.Women's Search NetworkThe community for women in search.
Compare on Price and Fit
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| Booth-Kellogg ETA Conference | One-TimeRegistration priced by attendee type; the 2026 page (13th annual, October 30, 2026) had not posted tier pricing when we checked. Recent years ran roughly student-priced tickets up to a few hundred dollars for professionals. | Anyone deciding between search paths who wants a year of conversations in one day: capital providers, current searchers, and operators all attend |
| Main Street Summit | One-Time2026 (September 15 to 17, Columbia, Missouri): Main Stage pass $250, Classic $1,500, All-In $6,000 (mainstreetsummit.com, August 2026). The $1,000 and $5,000 prices recorded in July are no longer offered, having risen on August 1 exactly as the site said they would, which is worth knowing a year out: this event prices early buyers lower and publishes the step in advance. | Buyers who want operator conversations more than capital-raising ones, and new owners building a peer bench after closing |
| SCORE | FreeMentoring is free with no session limits; some workshops carry small fees (score.org, July 2026). | A free sounding board with operating scars, especially valuable before the deal, when what you need is someone who has run a business asking you hard questions |
| Search Fund Fellows | FreeFree for searchers to post roles and manage applicants; free for students to apply. | Searchers who want sourcing and analysis leverage without payroll weight, and students who want into ETA before anyone tells them it exists |
| Searchfunder | SubscriptionFrom the searchfunder.com homepage, verbatim tiers: Monthly $79/month; Annual $19/month (prepaid annually, ~$228/year); Lifetime $432 one-time. Unusual offsets, per the vendor's own FAQ: each post or comment earns at least 30 days of free access (bankable up to 12 months); accounts maintained 4+ continuous years get permanent free access; referrals give both parties a permanent 33% discount, and 3 successful referrals earn indefinite free access. No dedicated /pricing page; pricing appears on the homepage, and registration is required before seeing member content. | Anyone seriously exploring or actively running a search, especially self-funded searchers who want peer advice, investor/SBA-lender connections, and bundled IBISWorld + transaction-comps data for less than the cost of a single retail industry report. Not for buyers who just want a browsable listings marketplace or who won't engage with a forum. |
| SMBash | One-Time2026 general admission ran $1,895 per ticket at the two-plus-ticket rate (smbash.com, July 2026); 2027 ticket tiers were not yet published at review time. Tickets include meals and session recordings, with refunds until 30 days before the event. | Searchers far enough along to convert hallway conversations into lenders, investors, and diligence partners, which is where a four-figure ticket earns itself back |
| Women's Search Network | Custom PricingMembership terms are not published; joining runs through the site's application (womenssearchnetwork.com, July 2026). | Women at any point on the searcher arc who want peers and mentors who have run the same path, in a field where they remain sharply underrepresented |