AIgility Presents at Haskayne School of Business eMBA Program

Andrew
May 23
2 min read

Last Update: March 27,2025

Editor: Andrew

How Generative AI Adds Value to ETA Business Opportunities: Insights from Haskayne School of Business

I had the privilege of joining Philip Davidson, Director of the Executive MBA Program at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, for another lecture. This time the topic was How Generative AI Adds Value to Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Business Opportunities. This lecture provided an opportunity to explore how business value is measured and how genAI can be applied to scale and grow that value faster and shorten the ROI time for investors.

It was a fun lecture with a great group of future leaders that were engaged, motivated, and eager to learn.

Understanding Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is a strategic business acquisition strategy where entrepreneurs identify, acquire and manage existing businesses with the support of investor capital. Entrepreneurs target businesses that have a proven model and will benefit from streamlining operations, improving marketing strategies, management, and strategy practices. These lectures are inspired by Brian O’Connor of Chicago Booth, who uses the following analogy to describe the roles within ETA:

Horse: The acquired, profitable, established, stable business.

Jockey: The entrepreneur transforming and scaling the business with better technology and management practices.

Trainer: The investor, who provides mentorship, strategic guidance, and financing.

The Role of GenAI in Enhancing ETA Success

During the lecture, I shared insights on how GenAI can be applied to a typical business to improve value in some of these areas:

Revenue & Profitability – Total income, gross margin, net profit.
Cash Flow – Operating cash flow strength and consistency.
Customer Value – LTV (Lifetime Value), retention, satisfaction (NPS).
Market Position – Brand strength, market share, growth rate.
Intellectual Property – Patents, trademarks, proprietary tech/data.
Team & Culture – Talent quality, leadership strength, employee engagement.
Operational Efficiency – Cost structure, automation, process scalability.
Scalability & Growth Potential – TAM, SAM, expansion opportunities.
Risk Profile – Legal, financial, reputational, dependency risks.

Conclusion

Recognizing generative AI as a value creation tool when accessing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) opportunities can change how businesses are identified for acquisition and scaling. By considering how GenAI will impact a business, entrepreneurs and investors will make better acquisition decisions to improve outcomes and ROI.

Thank you to Philip Davidson, Director of the Executive MBA Program at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, for inviting me to participate in this lecture.