FAQ: Selling a Business

The honest answer: it depends on your financials, your industry, and your readiness — not just on market conditions. A business with growing EBITDA, strong recurring revenue, and low owner dependence is worth selling in most market conditions. A free valuation consultation will tell you where you stand specifically.

We earn a success fee — a percentage of the final transaction value, paid at closing. There are no upfront fees for our sales representation services. Our fee is disclosed transparently in our engagement agreement. Because we're paid on success, our interests are aligned: we only get paid when you close at a price that works for you.

For well-prepared businesses in our target market ($5M+ revenue), the typical timeline is 6–12 months from engagement to close. Businesses with strong recurring revenue, clean financials, and minimal diligence risk tend to close at the shorter end. SBA-financed deals add lender processing time.

Not unless you choose to tell them. Our confidentiality process uses blind profiles (no company name), NDA-first buyer qualification, and staged information disclosure. In 15+ years of transactions, we have never had a premature disclosure due to a failure in our process.

Yes — and the earlier you start, the better. Buyers value 3–5 years of clean, accountant-prepared financials. Personal expenses should be removed from the business or clearly documented as add-backs. Normalized EBITDA that holds up to scrutiny is the foundation of your asking price.

The gap depends on deal structure. A $5M asking price paid all-cash at close is different from $5M that includes a $1M seller note, a $500K earnout, and an 18-month transition obligation. We help you evaluate offers in totality — not just the headline number — and structure deals that maximize what actually reaches your account.

Unsolicited offers are rarely at market value because there's no competition. Before responding substantively, talk to us. We'll tell you whether the offer is in the right range and what you'd likely achieve in a properly marketed process.

To begin: 3–5 years of tax returns and financial statements, a basic description of your operations and team, and your current lease or property situation. We'll walk you through everything else as the engagement progresses.

Yes. Buyers analyze trends, not single data points. If one year was an anomaly — COVID impact, a one-time event, a temporary disruption — it can be explained and often excluded from the normalized earnings calculation. What matters more is whether the forward earnings story is credible.

The CIM is the detailed marketing document we prepare to present your business to qualified, NDA-signed buyers. It typically includes your business history, operations overview, financial performance, customer analysis, team description, and growth opportunities. It's the document that moves serious buyers from interested to committed.

Our focus is Virginia — primarily Hampton Roads, Richmond, Northern Virginia, Charlottesville, and Roanoke. We have the deepest buyer network and market knowledge in these markets and believe that focus produces better outcomes than a generalist multi-state approach.