Joseph Cabrera leads Brand & Community at American Operator, a media and community platform built for small business operators and self-funded searchers. Joseph has built his career at the intersection of entrepreneurship and brand strategy — helping operators tell compelling stories, attract the right talent, and build businesses with culture that outlasts any single owner.

At SMBash 2026, Joseph breaks down the capital-raising process for self-funded acquisition deals — the mechanics, the relationships, and the mindset shifts required to successfully bring outside capital into your transaction. Drawing on his experience in the operator and media community, Joseph covers how to position your deal to investors, what capital partners actually look for in a self-funded searcher, and how to structure conversations that turn interest into committed capital.