In a state where ambition stretches as wide as the horizon and business is woven into the culture, Texas has long been a proving ground for entrepreneurs looking to operate at scale. From oil fields to tech corridors, the Lone Star State rewards those who move decisively and think expansively. For CJ McMahon, Founder and CEO of ATMInvestors.com, Texas isn’t just a market, it’s a catalyst.
Though McMahon doesn’t call Texas home, his company’s footprint across the state tells a different story. With hundreds of ATM units operating in high-traffic locations and a growing portfolio of cash-flowing assets, Texas has become central to his investment thesis and operational mindset.
“Everything is bigger in Texas—and the opportunity is exactly that,” McMahon says. “That’s what drew us to put an office there. I don’t live in Texas, but operating there has forced us to think bigger and move faster. The scale of opportunity, the volume of deals, the speed of execution—it raises your standard whether you’re ready or not.”
Texas has a way of sharpening business instincts. In cities like Dallas, Houston, and Austin, where industries collide and growth is constant, companies are forced to either scale efficiently or fall behind. McMahon credits the environment with reinforcing his approach to disciplined expansion.
“It’s a market that rewards action,” he explains. “If you have a real model, you can scale quickly. If you don’t, you get exposed just as fast. For us, it reinforced how we operate.”
That operational clarity is evident in the numbers. ATMInvestors.com currently controls 249 ATM units across Texas, a network that quietly generates consistent revenue in the background of everyday transactions. Unlike speculative investments or trend-driven ventures, McMahon’s model is rooted in simplicity.
“We control 249 ATM units across Texas—and the value they serve is simple: They produce consistent, predictable cash flow. That’s it,” he says. “Every machine is tied to a location where transactions are already happening—bars, clubs, convenience stores, travel stops. Places where people are pulling cash regardless of what the market’s doing.”
In a business landscape often dominated by high-risk startups and volatile markets, this approach stands out. Rather than chasing innovation for its own sake, McMahon focuses on infrastructure, systems that already work and continue to produce regardless of economic cycles.
“So what they generate isn’t theoretical,” he adds. “It’s real transaction-based income, day one.”
That philosophy aligns with a broader Texas business ethos. Across the state, companies like H-E-B and Buc-ee’s have built empires not by reinventing the wheel, but by executing proven models at scale with relentless consistency. McMahon’s ATM network follows a similar pattern, placing assets where demand already exists and optimizing for performance rather than potential.
For investors, the appeal is straightforward. ATM ownership offers a path to income without the operational headaches typically associated with small business ownership.
“Because it’s one of the few models where you can take capital and turn it into immediate, predictable cash flow—without operational complexity,” McMahon explains. “You’re not building. You’re not guessing. You’re acquiring something that’s already producing.”
He breaks it down even further: “No employees. No inventory. No customer acquisition. Just transactions.”
Of course, no discussion about cash-based businesses is complete without addressing the question of digital payments. As mobile wallets and contactless transactions grow, some investors worry about the long-term viability of ATMs. McMahon doesn’t dismiss the concern, he quantifies it.
“Now—on top of that—you have to address the biggest objection people have: ‘Cash is going away.’ We didn’t guess on that—we had an industry diagnostic done,” he says. “What came back was clear: The ATM industry is still growing ~5% annually. Cash usage is projected to remain stable well into 2050.”
For McMahon, that data reinforces his commitment to the model. “So yes—we focus on what’s producing today… But we also validate the future. Because I’m not putting my name on something that’s fading.”
His investment strategy doesn’t stop at ATMs. Through ATMInvestors.com, McMahon has deliberately narrowed his focus to two asset classes: ATMs and laundromats. While they may seem unrelated at first glance, both share the same underlying characteristics—steady demand, simple operations, and minimal reliance on personnel.
“We’ve narrowed our focus down to two things: ATMs and laundromats. That’s it,” he says. “Both follow the same principle: Simple operations. Real cash flow. Low dependency on people.”
In an era where many investors diversify across multiple sectors, McMahon takes the opposite approach—doubling down on what he understands deeply.
“At ATM Investors, we’re not trying to do everything. We’re trying to do a few things extremely well,” he explains. “We don’t look at startups, ideas, or trend-based businesses. We look at existing cash flow, strong location economics, and simple, repeatable operations.”
That discipline extends to how deals are evaluated. McMahon and his team are selective, often passing on opportunities that don’t meet strict criteria.
“We’re ruthless with it. Most deals don’t make it past the first pass,” he says. “The ones that do go through financial validation, contract and lease verification, and downside stress testing. I say it all the time: If you have to convince yourself it’s a good deal—it’s not.”
This no-nonsense approach has become a defining characteristic of his brand, and it’s one he plans to expand on in his upcoming book, The Art of Acquisitions. Set for release this summer, the book is aimed at individuals who have already achieved financial success but are looking to transition into asset ownership.
“This is the playbook for going from making money to deploying capital to owning businesses that produce cash flow without you,” McMahon says. “No theory. No fluff. Just: Here’s how you actually go buy a business that pays you.”
The focus, he emphasizes, is on permanence, building income streams that continue regardless of personal involvement.
“Because the goal isn’t more income. The goal is permanence. Taking what you’ve already built and locking it into assets that continue to produce, whether you’re working or not.”
Looking ahead, Texas remains a central pillar of that vision. With its population growth, business-friendly climate, and constant demand for essential services, the state offers fertile ground for continued expansion.
“What’s next for us in Texas is simple: More scale. More acquisitions. More assets,” McMahon says. “Texas is a major market for us, and we’re continuing to expand both sides of the portfolio—ATM businesses and laundromats. Same model. Same thesis.”
For those hoping to work with him or pitch opportunities, the criteria are clear—and uncompromising.
“We’re always open to looking at deals, but we’re very clear on what we want: existing ATM routes, existing laundromats, real financials, real cash flow,” he says. “We’re not looking for ideas. We’re not looking for startups. If it’s already producing…we’ll look at it.”
That clarity has enabled McMahon to scale quickly in a state that demands nothing less. In Texas, where opportunity is abundant but competition is fierce, success often comes down to execution. For CJ McMahon, it’s not about chasing trends—it’s about owning assets that work, day in and day out, deep in the rhythm of the Texas economy.
