# In The Trenches (Steve Divitkos)

A podcast about the part after the wire.

A 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.. Hosted by Steve Divitkos and running roughly twice a month, its listing now shows 148 episodes, the newest dated September 2026. It sits under Mineola Search Partners, which invests in search funds and the entrepreneurs who run them.

- Category: Podcasts & YouTube
- Pricing model: Free
- Where it fits: Learn & Choose Your Path, Operate & Grow the Business
- Website: https://mineolasearchpartners.com/podcast/

## At a Glance

Queue it the week you sign an [LOI](https://searchspheresource.com/glossary/loi); it is the best free preparation for the job you are actually buying.

## What It Costs

Free, with no paid tier, no course and no community. Note the address: a substack of the same name belongs to a different publication entirely, so link the podcast's own host rather than the obvious guess.

## Best For

[Searchers](https://searchspheresource.com/glossary/searcher) under LOI and owners in their first years post-close; it fills the operator-content gap that the deal-focused shows leave open

## Pros and Cons

- Pro: Rare, sustained focus on operating after the acquisition rather than deal hunting
- Pro: Host credibility: he searched, bought, ran, and exited before becoming an investor in searchers
- Pro: Long-form depth (episodes run about an hour) with a consistent cadence since 2021
- Con: Deal sourcing and screening are not the point; listen elsewhere for the [buy side](https://searchspheresource.com/glossary/buy-side-versus-sell-side)
- Con: Roughly twice-monthly cadence is a slower drip than the deal-a-week shows
- Con: 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.

## Compared With

- Which operator podcast earns the post-close slot? (https://searchspheresource.com/resources/compare/in-the-trenches-vs-think-like-an-owner.md)

## Sources

- https://mineolasearchpartners.com/podcast/
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-trenches/id1565767218
- https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/in-the-trenches-steve-divitkos-7ytJoGSji3M/
- https://mavenequitypartners.com/podcast-series-in-the-trenches-hosted-by-steve-divitkos/

Also on this site: https://searchspheresource.com/resources/category/podcast.md
Source: https://searchspheresource.com/resources/in-the-trenches
Last checked: 2026-09-07

Site index for machines: https://searchspheresource.com/llms.txt