A Boca Raton Family Office Tests Whether a 1986 Warren Buffett Ad Still Works in 2026
J2 Labs, a Boca Raton family office, has run a memo - closely modeled on Warren Buffett's famous 1986 "businesses wanted" newspaper ad - in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, testing whether the same plain-spoken approach can still reach business owners in the age of AI.
BOCA RATON, Fla., July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1986, Warren Buffett ran a now-famous newspaper ad inviting owners to sell him their businesses - plain-spoken, no bankers, no pitch. Forty years later, a Boca Raton family office has run a closely modeled memo in the South Florida Sun Sentinel to see whether the same approach still reaches business owners in the age of AI. The memo reads in full:
We want to buy or partner with businesses earning $1,000,000 or more in profit.
We are looking to acquire all or part of established businesses with real, proven cash flow, providing owners with a straightforward liquidity event while allowing them to remain involved for as long as they wish.
At J2 Labs we buy exceptional businesses and keep them. We are operators first - not bankers, consultants, or financial engineers. Our team has built companies, taken them public on the Nasdaq and NYSE, managed global workforces, and served on the boards of billion-dollar enterprises. Every company that joins J2 gains access to that experience, network, and perspective while maintaining its independence. We are building a league of enduring businesses that learn from one another, support one another, and are positioned to thrive in the post-AI era.
We believe great businesses are built by the people already running them. Our capital is permanent, our ownership is stable, and our time horizon is measured in decades. We are there when our partners want us, and out of the way when they do not.
Phone or email us with a general description of your business and tell us the sort of transaction you are seeking. We can immediately tell you whether we have an interest. And if we do, we will proceed instantly.
Our ideal match:
- Profitable businesses (at least $1M of operating cash flow, and preferably much more). Actual operating cash flow and GAAP profitability - not adjusted EBITDA, pro forma EBITDA, or other add-back-driven metrics.
- Demonstrated, consistent earning power. Future projections are of no interest to us.
- Businesses that generate attractive returns on equity with little or no debt.
- A genuine competitive advantage - something that makes the business painful to leave: high switching costs, workflow lock-in, proprietary data, regulatory hurdles, mission criticality, or another durable advantage.
- Founder-led is preferred but not required. You built it and know it best.
- An asking price based on an acceptable multiple of current operating cash flow. We value a business on what it earns, not what it bills; and on what it is producing today, not on projections, potential, or outcomes that have not yet happened.
- Importantly, a high-integrity, intelligent business owner with a successful track record.
Ideally you meet all of these criteria if you are reaching out to us.
For the right CEO, we are not just capital. We are quiet, long-term partners. Your inquiry will be totally confidential and you will deal directly with us.
About J2 Labs
J2 Labs is a Boca Raton-based family office and permanent-capital firm that acquires all or part of established, profitable businesses and holds them for the long term. Learn more at https://j2labs.co.
Media Contact:
Shay Di Castro
Managing Director, J2 Labs
561-441-6026
[email protected]
https://j2labs.co
SOURCE J2 Labs Inc
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