Contrarian Thinking, founded by Codie Sanchez, is on a mission to help 1 million people become financially and philosophically free by teaching them to create the wealth they need to live the life they want, on their own terms!
Written by the business, not verified by us.Contrarian Thinking (contrarianthinking.co) has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 104 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Education & Training and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 98% rating it 4 stars or higher; The business has replied to 50% of negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss User experience, Customer service. Last updated 2026-09-05.
Reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the knowledgeable and helpful staff for providing valuable guidance during mentoring sessions and interactive workshops. Consumers also deeply appreciate the warm, highly supportive community and the wide abundance of practical resources designed to help individuals successfully navigate complex business acquisitions. However, some people mentioned difficulties regarding communication and a lack of follow-up from the team. Reviewers noted that certain interactions felt overly demanding without clear operational plans provided initially, while some participants experienced frustrating communication delays or unfulfilled promises regarding ongoing support during their entrepreneurial journey.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.This community has been a great experience. I'm grateful to have found a circle of professionals who source and study deals alongside me and openly share their insights. Special thanks to Heather and Chris Williams for their recent feedback on a deal I was analyzing, and to the coaches whose boot camp sessions have been full of practical knowledge.
I reached out to Ms. Heather Williams for a review of my sde calculations. Her quick responsiveness, feedback and guidance helped me understand and get clarity on the areas I needed help on. This is just another example of the high quality support and learning opportunity CT academy exhibits as the core of its culture. I'd invite others to join a session and experience it themselves.
Everyone in the Contrarian Academy extremely helpful and invested in seeing each business buyer succeed. They answer my individual questions and messages in a timely manner and helped me out tremendously. I couldn't do it without them!
I really appreciate all the support I’ve received from the team. The Deal Advisors are incredibly knowledgeable, but what I appreciate most is how willing they are to help whenever you need it. Heather made time for me and walked me through a confusing deal I was working on. She also helped me understand the tools in the academy a bit better. She’s the freaking best! Stephanie has also been a great resource! She’s helped me polish up my buyer profile, understand a brokers mindset, and also has helped me work through a deal. Candice has also helped me work through a mental block when learning new things started to feel overwhelming. It’s reassuring to know that you’re not doing this alone and that you have a team behind you that genuinely wants to see you succeed. This Contrarian Academy has changed my life for the better. I am forever grateful to all the advisors a part of this team in their kindness to share their talents with the world. Thank you to everyone.
I am searching for a successful, profitable small business to purchase. The help and support the Contrarian Thinking has provide has been game changing. I especially appreciate the support and guidance of Heather Williams and Stephanie Veal.
The advisors are superb and very knowledgeable about the process of acquiring a business. The most helpful advisors that I love working with are Stephanie Veal and Heather Williams. They have been a tremendous help in understanding how SDE calculators work and moving deals to the next steps accordingly. Without them, I would be lost in the process.
I have been a member of the Growth Boardroom for almost 1 year now. I cannot say enough amazing things about this program!! The help and guidance with growing my business has been so much more then I could ever ask for! Alex and Carter have been directly my coaches throughout the year and anything I need help with they are quick to lend a hand and give me guidance. I had several big hiccups this year in the business. One where Carter hopped quickly on a call with me and guided me through the process and helped me land another full year contract with a big client. And another where one of my systems needed to be entirely changed and the next day Alex sent me an entire plan to change the system I was using with a detailed breakdown for my team. My business is growing and my team is getting stronger and working so much more independently without my daily guidance. To be honest I never even knew what an SOP was until I joined the group. Now my team lives off of them! Truly from the bottom of my heat thank you everyone on the Growth Boardroom team and also to Cody, she's another one who will help you when you need help and point you to the right person when you need it. Pretty incredible to get on a call with Cody and learn from her during this journey. Also, having the community of other business owners to get resources and help from has been so great! 100% Worth every penny!!
The team at CT is fantastic. I was working on fast moving deal and needed help with my valuation. Heather stepped in to answer my questions and make sure I was analyzing the financials properly. All of the advisors’ office hours are a wealth of knowledge and they are incredibly helpful in moving past obstacles.
I joined the Contrarian Academy last September after wrapping up a season working for one of the big ski resort companies — the kind that rakes in billions every year while treating the people who make that possible as replaceable. I left feeling undervalued, overworked, and underpaid, and I knew it was time to build something of my own. My goal isn't just financial freedom for myself — I want to build a business that takes care of my growing family and, eventually, the people who work for me. Financial abundance shouldn't be reserved for people willing to use others to get it. It should be available to everyone. I haven't closed a deal yet — my wife and I are still actively searching for the right business for us. I've reviewed financials, signed NDAs, and looked at several opportunities along the way. It hasn't happened yet, but I'm optimistic it will in the near future, and I credit the Academy for giving me the frameworks and confidence to evaluate deals properly rather than rushing into the wrong one. The Monday Night Live calls are a goldmine — 90 minutes every week with a Deal Advisor walking through real deals at every stage, from initial analysis to closed transactions, with members sharing their own wins and lessons learned. The Deal Advisor Office Hours give you direct, specific answers to your own deal questions. What I love most is the community aspect of these live calls. The Socratic nature of the format means every participant brings their own knowledge and wisdom to the table. No question is too small or "stupid" — every interaction adds real value, no matter where you are in your journey. I've also noticed the platform and website have kept evolving since I joined — new tools keep getting added and the overall user experience has steadily improved. Attending Contrarian Camp in person this June took everything to another level. Getting to meet deal advisors and fellow members face-to-face — everyone from people just starting out, to those who've closed their first deal, to seasoned veterans of business buying — made the online community feel even more real and connected. So many people have made this experience what it is. Rylan Harvey (Head of Academy), Nick Carey, Hants White, and Stan Sanchez have all given me sharp, deal-specific feedback as coaches and advisors. Brittany Hill (Head of Member Success) genuinely cares about members beyond the transaction, and Sage Price brings incredible energy and expertise to the community. I also had a great conversation with Mike Bardawil, who shared real, applicable insight that stuck with me. And a shout-out to Shannan Hale and Ashleigh McNew for all the work behind the scenes that makes this community run so well. Worth every bit of the investment. Highly recommend to anyone serious about building generational wealth on their own terms.
My husband and I joined Contrarian Academy because we want to become entrepreneurs and acquire our first business, but we also knew there was a lot we didn’t know. What I’ve appreciated most is that it doesn’t feel like we were handed a bunch of videos and told, “Good luck.” We’re currently under LOI on our first deal, a non-emergency medical transportation business, and being able to bring real questions into office hours, deal advisor sessions, and one-on-one conversations has been incredibly valuable. The advice isn’t always “keep going,” either. We’ve been challenged to slow down, question our own assumptions, dig deeper into the numbers, look at operational risk differently, and make sure we understand what we’re actually buying. That matters to me. CT Deal Advisor Hants White recently spent time with us before an important seller diligence call. He didn’t try to make the decision for us. He challenged how we were looking at the deal, shared lessons from his own transportation experience, and helped us think about the difference between buying a stable business and potentially buying something that needs to be turned around. We left that conversation with better questions, but more importantly, with a better way to think about the deal. We’ve also gotten a lot of value from seeing the deal through the lender’s eyes. Working with CT Director of Business Lending Jordan Gregory on the financing side has helped us understand that lender approval and buyer confidence are not the same thing. A bank may be willing to finance a deal at a certain level, but that does not automatically mean it is the right price for us. Seeing how a lender looks at historical earnings, debt coverage, and what the business can realistically support has made us much more disciplined about separating: “Can we finance it?” from “Should we buy it?” That has been a really important lesson for us. The access to people who will challenge your thinking, not just cheer you on, has been one of the strongest parts of the Contrarian community for me. We still have a lot to learn, and we haven’t completed an acquisition yet. I actually think that is worth saying because we’re still in the middle of the process. But my husband and I are much better buyers today than we were when we joined. We’re learning how to look at a deal from multiple sides: the operator’s perspective, the lender’s perspective, the seller’s perspective, and ultimately our own perspective as the buyers who will have to live with the decision. And I think we’re starting to understand that becoming an entrepreneur is about much more than finding a business and getting a loan. It’s learning how to evaluate risk, make hard decisions, ask better questions, and be willing to walk away when something isn’t right. For me, that’s the real value of Contrarian Academy. You’re learning how to buy a business, but you’re also learning how to think like an owner. And while you’re learning, there are people in your corner who genuinely want to see you succeed. ❤️
I have been part of the community for almost 10 months now and during ths time, I have worked with all the deal coaches. I have found all the deal coaches to be very supportive and genuinely interested in your success. I have never seen any selfless group anywhere in my life before. I have worked with Heather in preparing deals and other coaches in reviewing those deals. Heather is truly phenomenal. She has always found time to help us and always spent necessary time without rushing anything to make sure our deal is put together correctly for next step. I highly appreciate her for support and cannot thank her enough. I am so grateful to be part of the community and hope to continue to remain part of the community for a foreseeable future. Thank you everyone in the community and special thanks to my wonderful friend, Heather. You are truly amazing.
I have had the pleasure of joining Ms. Stephanie Veal's office hours and deal advisory sessions and every single one of them has been amazing. I am always learning from her guidance and feel encouraged to ask my own questions no matter how silly they may be. She is always patient and never rushes anyone to get to the next person. Everyone gets her full attention. I am sure it must get tiring with all the prep work that goes in before her sessions. I am grateful for having the opportunity to learn from her.
Jordan has been a major help in getting me grounded on the SBA lending side of buying a business. He walked me through the pre-qualification process, helped me understand how to present my financial picture, and gave clear feedback on how much liquidity I would need for different acquisition sizes. What has helped most is his ability to look at a deal and quickly identify whether the financials support the price. He has helped me think through cash flow, valuation gaps, buyer injection, and whether a deal is lender-ready. His feedback has made me more disciplined as a buyer. I am no longer just asking if I like a business. I am asking if the numbers support the deal, if the lender will view it as financeable, and what price actually makes sense.
I cannot recommend Contrarian Thinking enough. Now in my second year with the program, I can confidently say that being part of this community has completely transformed my understanding of the M&A landscape. The depth of the curriculum and the actionable insights shared have accelerated my learning curve faster than I thought possible; navigating this journey solo would have been unimaginable. The education provided here far surpasses any traditional degree I have pursued. Beyond what I’ve learned, networking and being in a room with like-minded people with common goals is unmatched and priceless. The caliber of mentorship across the board is outstanding. I am particularly grateful to Stephanie Veal and Rylan Harvey, who have selflessly extended their time to steady me through a whirlwind of deals. A huge shoutout also goes to Shannan Hale for always making me feel so welcomed at events and for flawlessly running operations behind the scenes. In addition, it is important to note that this program isn't a passive experience; it requires serious time and effort. Seeing real results demands diligence, perseverance, and active energy. You must stay on top of the curriculum, show up to the calls, and fully engage with the community to get the full value. Finally, to Codie Sanchez, your impact on my mindset is profound, and I cannot thank you enough. Stumbling upon your program is one of the best things that could have happened to me at this stage of my life. It has been genuinely life-changing, and I am deeply grateful.
Great resources available for the entire business buying process. I also have a dedicated ambassador to help me as I move forward.
Jeff Holmes, Cohort 62 Ambassador was nice enough to take time out of his day to have a 1:1 discussion with me and provide feedback and direction on 3 different types of off market opportunities I am at the beginning for. The 2 of the 3 opportunities are larges and extra large and Jeff pointed me in the right direction on both as well as in the right direction for a couple of SBA Loan questions. Jeff also assured me that CT is here for all types of deals from small to large/PE type deals. Thank you Jeff. What a great Cohort Ambassador.
Joining Contrarian Academy has been one of the best investments I have made in myself. The resources, tools, and support available to members create a strong foundation for anyone serious about buying a small business. What stands out most is the community's depth of knowledge. Members come from a wide range of industries and backgrounds, and the advisors bring real acquisition experience, including work with large private equity firms where they have bought and sold businesses at scale. That combination makes it easy to get thoughtful guidance on deals, industries, challenges, and the overall acquisition process. The weekly calls, one-on-one support, in-person events, and practical playbooks provide real-time help and accountability throughout the business-buying journey. Many of the tools and insights feel like resources you would normally only find inside private equity circles. I cannot imagine buying a business without Contrarian Academy by my side. If you are serious about acquisition entrepreneurship and willing to put in the work, this community gives you the people, processes, and resources to move forward with confidence.
An opportunity to learn all the valuable things to enable me to buy my dream business with confidence. Nick Carey is a great example. He makes the sessions very interesting by engaging the students and his way of engaging is complimenting and encouraging.
Thank you, Shahid. There is a big difference between wanting to buy a business and feeling prepared to actually make the move. We love hearing that Nick’s sessions are helping you build that confidence while making the process engaging. Keep going after that dream business.
So helpful, clear and precise on each subject!
Thanks, Sammy. There is plenty of complicated advice out there, so we work hard to make the important stuff clear and actionable. Glad to hear that is coming through. Appreciate you being part of what we are building.
I just left a 2-hour long office hours with Nick Carey. He was patient and engaging and gave each participant thoughtful feedback on their questions. These are the types of productive meetings that make me feel like I'm getting great value for my money. A+ experience.
Thanks for sharing this, Pablo. Getting two hours of thoughtful feedback and real conversation with Nick is exactly the kind of value we want members walking away with. Glad you made the time to join and got so much out of it. We will make sure Nick sees this one.
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