Contrarian Thinking

Contrarian Thinking: investment and training to buy and scale profitable businesses

Contrarian Thinking defines itself as a media-driven investment and advisory firm. Its activity combines buying, scaling, and building profitable businesses with training programs and a community aimed at entrepreneurs who want to acquire or grow a company. The firm claims to have taught more than 10,000 members over the past five years using proven methods to drive profitable growth.

Programs for business buyers

The firm offers an exclusive community and a data-backed acquisition system for those looking to buy their first or next business and build a lasting legacy. The program includes step-by-step playbooks, proven tools and resources, as well as personalized mentorship with industry experts. According to testimonials on the site, some participants have managed to acquire their first business within four months of joining.

Programs for business owners

For business owners, Contrarian Thinking suggests that many entrepreneurs get stuck not for lack of opportunities, but because they try to solve $10 million problems with $1 million strategies. Its offering, called Boardroom, aims to help scale businesses through a growth operating system, growth cohorts, events, community, and world-class coaches.

Activities and events

The firm organizes events and workshops, including a live virtual masterclass scheduled for September 2, 2026 at 6 PM, titled "How to Buy a Profitable, Small Business (That You Don’t Regret Buying And Doesn’t Take Up All Your Time)". In it, Codie Sanchez breaks down the 10 key steps to buying a cash-flowing business. It also plans an in-person Growth Accelerator Workshop in Austin, TX, from October 20 to 22, 2026, aimed at immediate strategies to grow the business, uncover hidden revenue, and optimize operations.

Publications and resources

Contrarian Thinking publishes two weekly newsletters: "Contrarian Thinking", distributed on Thursdays, and "Main Street Minute", sent on Tuesdays. Both offer practical analysis on buying and owning businesses. The site states it has more than 1,000,000 weekly readers. It also has articles, case studies, and a podcast as resources for the community.

Leadership and origin

The firm was founded by Codie Sanchez, who worked on Wall Street for 15 years, is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Main Street Millionaire", and owns dozens of businesses across the United States. Her stated goal is to help buy and grow local businesses. In her manifesto, Sanchez explains that she created Contrarian Thinking to bring together business buyers, operators, and builders in small groups that function as advisory boards, where topics such as M&A negotiation, structuring seller financing, solving operational chaos, scaling revenue, leadership, legacy, and managing problems are addressed. The firm notes that each member is vetted and only a fraction are admitted into the circles.

Market context

The site presents data on the small business market: 99% of businesses are small businesses, 40% are owned by baby boomers, and more than 60% of job growth comes from small businesses. Contrarian Thinking positions itself as the fastest-growing company in the small business and acquisition space, attributing this to its proven methods.