Zack Knight
Partner, Patriot Growth Capital
Zack Knight is a former Army Special Forces officer — Green Beret — whose career was built on operating in austere environments with minimal resources, building indigenous partner forces, and achieving mission objectives conventional forces could not. At PGC, he leads the veteran operator pipeline and the firm's partnership with ATLVets, connecting transitioning service members with the ETA ownership path. He writes on veteran leadership, military-to-civilian career transition, and how Special Operations discipline maps to business ownership.
Areas of Expertise
Articles by Zack Knight
Benefits of veteran owned business status
August 18, 2026
Veteran-owned business certification opens federal contracting set-asides and supplier diversity programs most veteran owners never claim.
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Veteran entrepreneur programs: which ones work
August 8, 2026
Most veteran entrepreneur programs teach startup mechanics. Few cover acquisition. This is how to evaluate which ones are worth your time.
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Veteran entrepreneur: SF doctrine applied to business
August 2, 2026
1.6 million veteran-owned firms generate $1 trillion in annual receipts. SF doctrine is why veteran entrepreneurs outperform, and where the gaps still are.
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SBA 8(a) program for veteran-owned businesses
July 28, 2026
SBA 8(a) certification opens sole-source federal contracts up to $4.5M for qualifying veteran-owned businesses. Here is how the nine-year program works.
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The acquisition entrepreneur: who they are and how they win
July 27, 2026
Acquisition entrepreneurs buy proven businesses instead of building from scratch. Stanford data: 35.1% IRR, 57% success rate. Here's who they are.
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HUBZone certification: what veteran business owners need
July 20, 2026
HUBZone certification gives veteran businesses a second federal contracting advantage most operators never use. Here's what qualifies.
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Veteran owned business certification: the full stack
July 19, 2026
Federal VetCert unlocks SDVOSB and VOSB contracts. Texas VetHUB and Florida VBE unlock state procurement most veteran businesses never pursue.
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VOSB vs SDVOSB: which certification unlocks more contracts
July 13, 2026
SDVOSBs competed for $32.8 billion in government-wide federal contracts in 2024. VOSBs access VA Vets First. Here is the difference between the two.
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SDVOSB exit: protecting set-aside value when you sell
July 12, 2026
Service-disabled veteran-owned businesses hold access to $32.8 billion in federal contracts. Here's what happens to that access when you exit.
Read MoreBoots to Business: what veteran operators do next
July 2, 2026
SBA's Boots to Business teaches veterans business basics. Here's what it covers, what it misses, and what serious operators do next.
Read MoreStarting a business after military service
June 30, 2026
Most veterans start wrong. Acquisition beats starting from scratch. Here is why the ETA path fits the military mindset, and how to start.
Read MoreVeteran-owned business grants: the complete map
June 28, 2026
Veterans own 1.6 million U.S. businesses generating nearly $1 trillion in revenue. Here is the complete funding map most operators never see.
Read MoreVeteran franchise opportunities: what the numbers say
June 20, 2026
Veterans account for 14% of all U.S. franchisees at double their population share. VetFran, SBA loans, and FDD diligence put ownership within reach.
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Seller's discretionary earnings: the exit number
June 19, 2026
SDE tells a buyer what your business is worth. Most sellers don't know it before they go to market. The formula, the add-backs, and what buyers pay.
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Why veterans are built to buy boomer businesses
June 17, 2026
Veterans have the discipline and mission alignment boomer owners want. Here is how veteran operators are capturing the Silver Tsunami.
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Search fund operating model: day one to exit
June 15, 2026
The search fund operating model forces you to own the P&L from day one. No ramp, no safety net. Here's what actually works from acquisition close to exit.
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SkillBridge: hire military talent before they separate
June 13, 2026
SkillBridge lets active-duty service members work for your business for up to 180 days at no cost. How to build a talent pipeline before your deal closes.
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Off-market business acquisition: the operator's guide
June 12, 2026
The best acquisitions never get listed. This is how search fund operators find businesses before brokers do, and why the timing changes the deal.
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The veteran edge in search fund acquisitions
June 10, 2026
Military training maps directly to search fund acquisition. Here is why veterans make strong ETA operators and the one mistake that trips most of them up.
Read MoreBaby boomer business exit: the $10T mission brief
June 8, 2026
2.34 million boomer-owned businesses need new owners. 78% of owners have no succession plan. What veteran operators need to know before the window closes.
Read MoreVeteran business grants: what's real in 2026
June 6, 2026
Most veteran business grants are smaller than advertised. Here is what SBIR, VBOCs, and federal contracts actually offer and where to focus your energy.
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Search fund SBA loan: how the 7(a) finances your close
June 6, 2026
SBA 7(a) can finance up to 80% of your acquisition. Here is what the 2025 rule changes require, where deals stall, and what the personal guarantee means.
Read MorePreparing to sell your business: what PE buyers check
June 5, 2026
Most sellers fail PE due diligence on day one. Here is exactly what private equity buyers verify in lower-middle-market acquisitions and how to be ready.
Read MoreSearch fund target industries: what the data shows
June 3, 2026
Stanford tracked 681 search funds. Healthcare and B2B services each take 25% of acquisitions. Here’s where operators focus their search and why.
Read MoreVeteran-owned business government contracting: the $32.8B opportunity
June 1, 2026
The federal government awarded $32.8B to SDVOSBs in FY2024. Most veteran founders have never accessed it. Here is the real contracting playbook.
Read MoreHiring veterans: tax credits and the business case
May 30, 2026
WOTC for veterans expired December 31, 2025. Operators who stopped screening made a mistake. Here's what to do now.
Read MoreSearch fund operator: what the job actually demands
May 30, 2026
What makes a great search fund operator? Seven skills that determine whether an ETA acquisition succeeds or fails, with 2024 Stanford data.
Read MoreSearch fund acquisition criteria: 7 filters
May 26, 2026
What makes a business worth acquiring? The 7 criteria that define the search fund buy box, backed by Stanford 2024 data and practitioner frameworks.
Read MoreVeteran business loans: what the SBA offers
May 24, 2026
The SBA runs three veteran loan programs worth knowing. What each covers, who qualifies, and where the ceiling is for operators who want to scale.
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How to find a business to acquire
May 21, 2026
Most acquisition searches fail at target selection. Apply SF precision-criteria thinking to find the right business to buy before the competition.
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Veteran small business grants 2026: what's available
May 20, 2026
Grant funding for veteran-owned businesses in 2026 is real, but it's scattered. Here's what's available, who qualifies, and how to apply.
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Military discipline in business
May 19, 2026
How military SOPs, after-action review, and commander's intent translate directly to lower-middle-market business ownership.
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SDVOSB certification: the rule change you can't ignore
May 18, 2026
Self-certification for SDVOSBs ended in 2024. Here's how VetCert works—and why getting certified protects both your contracts and your exit multiple.
Read MoreReady to Join the Mission?
Whether you're an investor, veteran family, or business owner — there's a place for you at Patriot Growth Capital.