We recently had the chance to connect with Andrew “Andy” Cagnetta and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Andrew “Andy” , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
If you ask me what’s more important—intelligence, energy, or integrity, I’ll tell you without hesitation: integrity. Don’t get me wrong, intelligence and energy are incredibly valuable. I’ve built a career surrounded by smart, driven people. But at the end of the day, if someone doesn’t have integrity, none of the rest matters. I can be tired. I can be unsure of the answer to a complex problem. But I will always show up and do the right thing. That’s the standard that I hold myself to, and it’s the foundation of every relationship, every deal, and every decision I’ve made in my professional life. You can’t teach integrity—but you can count on it to carry you through just about anything.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Andrew “Andy” Cagnetta, CEO of Transworld Business Advisors—the world’s
largest business brokerage organization. What started in 1995 as my first job as
a sales agent in Fort Lauderdale turned into a lifelong mission: empowering
entrepreneurs through business ownership. In 1997, I bought the company. Back
then, Transworld was a small local firm. Today, we’ve grown to over 250 offices
across six continents and facilitated more than 15,000 business sales—from
mom-and-pop shops to multimillion-dollar enterprises.
What makes Transworld special is our franchise model, which combines local
ownership with global scale. We give business brokers and entrepreneurs the
tools, training, and support to succeed—while staying rooted in integrity,
transparency, and community values. I’m proud to be a member of the IBBA Hall
of Fame and to continue innovating at the intersection of entrepreneurship,
franchising, and economic growth.
But I’m just as passionate about giving back. I founded Andy’s Pasta Dinner, an
annual event that has raised millions for LifeNet4Families, and I serve on the
national board of Compass Pro Bono. I’ve also partnered with USA Pickleball to
help bring the sport to underserved schools around the country—because play,
like business, builds confidence and community.
I’m also passionate about celebrating community—and that includes the
incredible food scene here in South Florida. As part of The Lunchbox with Mike
Mayo and South Florida Live, I get to highlight the iconic eateries and hidden
gems that make this region special. It’s a fun way to connect with locals and
spotlight the small businesses that fuel our neighborhoods.
Most recently, I launched the Coffee with Cagnetta podcast, where I sit down with
inspiring leaders from across industries to share stories, strategies, and life
lessons.
Whether it’s growing a global brand or serving my community, I’m here to help
others create meaningful impact—one business, one conversation at a time.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself was with my grandfather,
Sam Lacova. He was a book binder in Brooklyn—worked the night shift, was a
proud union man, and led a diverse team with quiet strength and integrity. By
the time I really came to know him, he was retired, but everything about him
still radiated the discipline and purpose of a man who took pride in his work.
His hands were rough and strong—built from a lifetime of honest labor—but
his spirit was incredibly gentle.
What impacted me most wasn’t just his work ethic, but the way he treated
people. He was an extraordinary listener, always present, always patient. He
never rushed to judgment. In fact, he genuinely believed people were good,
and when they weren’t—when someone was dishonest or cruel—you could
see how deeply it affected him. Not with anger, but with a kind of sorrowful
confusion, like he couldn’t understand how anyone could stray so far from
decency.
He taught me that strength doesn’t have to be loud, and that leadership can
come through empathy and trust. Watching the way he carried
himself—grounded, kind, principled—gave me a model not just for how to
work, but for how to live. I carry him with me every day.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of the defining wounds of my life was struggling with anxiety as a young
man. It hit me at a time when everything felt like it was falling apart—failing in
school, trouble at home, and the unthinkable loss of a friend who was murdered.
It was a dark, chaotic time, and I didn’t know how to process it all. I felt
overwhelmed, lost, and ashamed for not being able to hold it together.
Eventually, I reached a breaking point and had to seek help. That decision
changed my life. Therapy helped me understand that strong people have strong
emotions—that feeling deeply isn’t a weakness, it’s human. I learned how to
manage the anxiety, how to communicate, how to face what I was feeling instead
of trying to bury it. It didn’t erase the pain, but it gave me a way to live with it, and
eventually, to grow from it.
What’s helped me continue to heal is giving back. Being of service to others has
given meaning to the pain I went through. I now serve on the board of Clery
Center, an organization founded in memory of Jeanne Clery, a friend whose life
was taken far too soon. Working to create safer communities and support others
facing trauma has been one of the most powerful ways I’ve turned wounds into
purpose. It reminds me that healing is never just about you—it’s also about
helping others find their way through, too.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves in this industry is that the real
opportunity lies “up market.” Everyone wants to call themselves a middle-market
firm. Everyone wants to chase the elusive $20 million+ deal. Brokers constantly
rebrand, reposition, and realign to look more institutional, more boutique, more
high-end.
The truth? The vast majority of business sales happen to be under $5 million.
And if you go even more granular, most deals happen under $1 million. But
somehow, brokers are always chasing the one-in-a-hundred shot instead of
serving the huge, underserved market right in front of them. According to
BizBuySell and IBBA data, roughly 90% of all small business transactions are
under $5 million in deal value. Over 70% are under $1 million. And yet, over 90%
of U.S. small businesses fall into that under-$5 million enterprise value range.
This is the real economy. The deli on Main Street. The HVAC company with 12
employees. The family-owned distribution business. These are the businesses
that make up the backbone of our communities—and they need professional,
ethical, and informed brokers more than ever.
But instead of leaning into that core market, brokers try to distance themselves
from it. They use buzzwords like “lower middle market” and “strategic M&A
advisor,” when in reality, they’re still listing pizza shops and tow truck companies
on Monday morning.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with doing big deals. We do plenty of
them. But pretending that smaller Main Street deals are “beneath” us is not only
dishonest—it’s bad business. Because that’s where the volume is. That’s where
the people are. That’s where you build trust, reputation, and long-term success.
So, let’s stop pretending. The real money isn’t in chasing unicorns—it’s in solving
real problems for real business owners. And there are millions of them under $5
million.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Honestly, I hope it’s as simple as: “He was a nice guy.”
That might sound small in a world obsessed with titles, accomplishments, and
awards—but to me, it says everything. Being a “nice guy” means I treated people
with kindness, fairness, and respect, whether they were the CEO or the janitor. It
means I showed up when it mattered, that I listened more than I talked, that I
didn’t step on people to get ahead. It means I made people feel valued.
In business, in community, in life—I’ve always believed relationships matter more
than transactions. That integrity outlasts success. And if you lead with decency,
the rest has a way of falling into place.
I don’t need to be remembered as the smartest guy in the room, or the richest, or
the most important. If people look back and say, “Andy made my life a little better,
a little easier, a little more successful, a little more human,” then I’ll have done
alright.
So yeah— “he was a nice guy.” I’d be honored.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tworld.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acagnetta/
- Twitter: https://x.com/acags
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transworldbusinessadvisors
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CoffeewithCagnetta
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@andycagnetta
Image Credits
Transworld Business Advisors
