Planning to sell your business, or thinking of buying one? Then you’ll need to work with a business broker. Just as people buying/selling a property work with a real estate agent, business brokers help to make the entire process run more smoothly. They can manage the valuation, marketing, vetting, due diligence, and closing, ensuring that the process of buying or selling a business is as straightforward as possible.
With that said, it’s important to keep in mind that not all business brokers are created equal, and with so much riding on the broker’s performance, it’s important to choose the right one.
Happily, the United States has a long list of expert business broker firms. We took a deep dive to take a look at some of the leading brokers on the market. Choose from one of the following, and you’ll have confidence that you’re in good hands.
- Bridge Point Business Brokers: Best Overall Business Broker
Bridge Point Business Brokers has established a reputation for ensuring seamless business transactions. Boasting extensive expertise and experience, they’ve successfully brokered more than 150 transactions with a deal volume that exceeds $100 million, and have a client satisfaction rate of 99%.
What sets Bridge Point Business Brokers apart is the depth of their expertise. They combine CPA/CVA valuations with real estate appraisals, providing integrated business and real estate solutions that traditional brokers cannot. That means, if the business sale involves property, there’s no need to outsource its valuation to a real estate appraiser. Bridge Point Business Brokers can take care of it in-house. They also offer multiple valuation options: Broker’s Opinion of Value (suitable for most sellers) or a Certified Business Valuation. That ensures that they have the expertise and resources to provide the right service depending on the client’s needs.
- Murphy Business Brokers: Large Brokers With Extensive Reach
Murphy Business Brokers were founded back in 1994, and since that time have established themselves as one of the leading business brokers in the United States, and they even have offices in Canada.
They can assist with all aspects of the sale process, including valuation (as with Bridge Point Business Brokers, they also offer multiple valuation tiers), marketing, negotiating the price, and closing. They boast more than $4.3 billion in completed transactions, which gives an idea of their size. With that said, while Murphy Business Brokers does offer extensive reach, it’s important to note that, as one of the largest brokers in the country, their services can feel a little less boutique compared with smaller specialists.
- Empire Flippers: Good Option For Online Businesses
Looking to sell an online business? Then Empire Flippers might be the right option for you. Unlike other brokers on this list, they deal exclusively with the buying and selling of online businesses, such as ecommerce stores, websites, and SaaS businesses.
They were founded back in 2011, and since then have completed transactions with a combined value of more than $590 million. They offer a wide range of services that are designed to streamline the buying and selling of online businesses, including business listings, business valuations, and buyer-seller matching. They also offer due diligence support and transfer assistance. With extensive experience and a long history of successful transactions, they’ve shown that they’re a trusted name in the online business sector.
- United Business Brokers and Advisors: Reliable Brokers That Value Confidentiality
United Business Brokers and Advisors have more than 30 years of experience assisting with business transaction deals. They work with business owners across all industries, providing customized advice and support that ensures each client receives help that is relevant to their needs.
Located in Salt Lake City, they work with clients across the United States and the world, and are highly valued for the emphasis they place on confidentiality. In addition to their brokerage services, they also provide additional services that include growth consultancy, strategic planning, and positioning planning.
- Sunbelt Business Brokers: One of the Largest Brokerage Firms In The World
Sunbelt Business Brokers, one of the largest brokerage firms in the world, has a long history that dates back to 1978. Today, they boast more than 250 offices across the globe. That makes them a good option for business sellers/buyers looking to tap into the global market. It specializes in business transactions for both Main Street (businesses with sales under $5,000,000) and Middle Market businesses (annual sales from $5 million to $100 million).
While Sunbelt Business Brokers has a track record of success, it’s important to check the reviews for the specific office you’re planning to work with. Since it operates on a franchise system, service quality can vary significantly between offices.
- First Choice Business Brokers: A Reliable Nevada-Based Business Brokerage
First Choice Business Brokers, established in 1994, offers regional expertise in Las Vegas with national reach. They provide a wide range of brokerage services, including business sales, business valuations, buyer representation, and business search. They have a large team of nearly 300 business brokers operating in Nevada and the wider United States, and over the past three decades have managed more than $15 billion in business transactions.
How to Choose the Right Business Broker
Working with a business broker can make the process of buying or selling a business much more straightforward than it would otherwise be. With that said, you’ll only unlock the benefits of working with a broker if you choose the right one for your needs. As you’ll have seen from this list, most brokers have a speciality that can make them more suitable for some types of businesses than others. Bridge Point Business Brokers, for instance, provide multiple valuation tiers and can also offer real estate appraisals, which can make them a good option for businesses that want the broker to manage all aspects of the transaction. Others, like Empire Flippers, focus on online businesses.
Once you’ve identified a potential broker, get in touch — you should get a strong sense of whether they’re the right option for you during the discovery call or first meeting.
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