In The Trenches (Steve Divitkos)
PodcastsA podcast about the part after the wire: Steve Divitkos, a former searcher CEO who bought, ran, and exited the software company he acquired, interviews SMB CEOs and operators on hiring, boards, systems, decision-making, and the psychological load of ownership.
- Pricing
- Free, Free on all podcast platforms; roughly two episodes a month since 2021, with 141 episodes as of April 2026. The host also publishes companion essays and invests in searchers through his own firm.
- Best for
- Searchers under LOI and owners in their first years post-close; it fills the operator-content gap that the deal-focused shows leave open
- Roadmap stages
- 1. Decide if ETA is for you8. Close & transition
Pros
- Rare, sustained focus on operating after the acquisition rather than deal hunting
- Host credibility: he searched, bought, ran, and exited before becoming an investor in searchers
- Long-form depth (episodes run about an hour) with a consistent cadence since 2021
Cons
- Deal sourcing and screening are not the point; listen elsewhere for the buy side
- Roughly twice-monthly cadence is a slower drip than the deal-a-week shows
- Public rating volume is small, so platform ratings are a thin signal
What searchers say
Regularly recommended in searcher circles as the post-close complement to Acquiring Minds and Acquisitions Anonymous. Platform ratings are high but few (about 5.0 across roughly 31 reviews on Apple's US listing as of July 2026), consistent with a niche, senior audience.