Everything an owner should know before selling.
Valuation multiples, who the buyers are, how deal structure works, what taxes do to your proceeds, and how long the whole thing takes. Free, and written for owners rather than for bankers.
No cost, no obligation, and nothing is listed without your approval.
The three things worth reading first.
If you only have twenty minutes, these three answer most of what owners want to know.
How adjusted EBITDA is calculated, current multiple ranges by size, and the seven factors that move you within your band.
The nine diligence items that decide your price, in the order buyers check them, and what each is worth in dollars.
A realistic stage-by-stage timeline, where the delays come from, and how to shorten the process.
What is my business worth?
Multiples differ by trade, size, and revenue mix. These pages show the ranges and the reasoning behind them.
Enter revenue, margin, and mix. Get an indicative range in under a minute, with no email required.
Ranges by EBITDA band, how add-backs work, and why structure matters as much as multiple.
Why service and drain mix drives the number more than revenue does, with ranges by profile.
Storm normalization, commercial maintenance contracts, and the widest multiple spread in the trades.
HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, pest control, and landscaping compared side by side.
Over $7B committed to trade services in eighteen months.
These transactions are why independent owners are getting calls:
Who is buying, and why.
Understanding the buyer changes how you read every term in an offer.
The five traits that brought institutional capital into the trades, and the operational upside that keeps it here.
Multiple arbitrage, platform versus add-on pricing, and where consolidation stands market by market.
The honest case for and against, when a different buyer serves you better, and six questions to ask first.
The platforms and sponsors buying in the trades, and what each one is looking for.
The terms that decide what you keep.
Two offers at the same multiple can be very different deals. This is where that difference lives.
The second bite of the apple, the terms that decide whether it pays, and how much to roll.
Why one is a debt and the other is a hope, and what to negotiate if you accept either.
Asset versus equity sales, purchase price allocation, and why this belongs in the letter of intent.
Selling in your specific market.
Buyer competition varies enormously by metro, and it affects your price as much as your business does.
Arizona
By trade
Questions about these resources.
Are these guides free?
Yes. Every guide, market page, and the valuation calculator are free and require nothing from you. We are paid a success fee only when a business sells, so there is no reason to put useful information behind a form.
Where should I start if I am thinking about selling?
Start with the valuation calculator or a free confidential valuation so you have a number. Then read what private equity looks for in a trade business to see which gaps are costing you the most, and how long a sale takes so the timeline is realistic. Those three cover most of what an owner needs before making a decision.
Do I have to list my business to use any of this?
No. Most owners who request a valuation are one to five years from selling and use it as a planning exercise. Nothing is listed, and no buyer sees your identity, unless and until you specifically approve it.
Is any of this tax or legal advice?
No. These pages are educational background written so your conversations with a CPA and transaction counsel are more productive. Structure and tax questions should be handled by professionals who know your entity, basis, and state.
Start with your number.
A free, confidential valuation gives you the multiple range your business supports today and the specific gaps costing you the most. No obligation, and nothing is listed without your approval.