BUSINESS BROKERAGE SERVICES
SELL YOUR BUSINESS
Selling a business is the single largest financial transaction most owners will ever make. It is not a listing. It is not a handshake. It is a months-long process that demands precision at every stage, from valuation to closing. The East Coast Advisory Team manages the entire sell-side journey for owners of businesses valued between $1M and $65M across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Washington DC, and Delaware.
WHAT IS SELL-SIDE ADVISORY?
Sell-side advisory is the process of representing the business owner throughout the entire sale of their company. Unlike a listing service that simply posts your business for sale and waits, sell-side advisory is an active, managed engagement. Your broker works as your advocate from the first conversation through the final wire transfer.
This includes determining the right asking price through a professional business valuation, creating the confidential marketing materials that attract qualified buyers, screening and vetting every inquiry, managing the negotiation process, coordinating due diligence between all parties, and guiding you through closing and transition. You continue running your business while we manage the transaction.
The average business sale takes 6 to 11 months from listing to close. During that time, the quality of representation directly determines the outcome. Brokered sales consistently achieve 10 to 20 percent higher sale prices than owner-managed transactions, close faster, and collapse less frequently. The broker's fee is not a cost. It is an investment that pays for itself in the final number.
OUR SELL-SIDE PROCESS
Every engagement follows a proven five-stage framework. Each stage is designed to build on the one before it, creating momentum toward a closed deal at the highest defensible price.
1.
Valuation and Strategy
We begin with a comprehensive valuation of your business using SDE or EBITDA methodology, industry-specific multiples, and comparable transaction data. From this, we establish the asking price, identify the ideal buyer profile, and build the go-to-market strategy. This stage typically takes 2 to 3 weeks.
4.
Negotiation & Deal Structuring
Once offers come in, we manage the negotiation on your behalf. This includes evaluating the letter of intent (LOI), advising on deal structure (asset sale vs. stock sale, seller financing terms, earnout provisions), and ensuring the final terms align with your financial goals. Our 25+ years of closing experience is your advantage at the table.
2.
Confidential Marketing
We prepare a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM), the professional document that presents your business to qualified buyers. Your business is then positioned before our private network of 50,000+ domestic and international buyers. Your identity remains protected at every stage; no buyer learns who you are until they have signed an NDA and been financially vetted.
5.
Due Diligence & Closing
We coordinate the due diligence process between you, the buyer, attorneys, accountants, and lenders. We keep the deal on track through the 30 to 90 day diligence period, resolve issues before they become deal-breakers, and guide you through closing documents and the post-sale transition. Our job is not done until the wire clears and the keys change hands.
3.
Buyer Screening & Qualification
Not every inquiry is a real buyer. We filter out unqualified prospects, verify financial capacity, assess strategic fit, and present only serious, vetted candidates for your consideration. This protects your time, your confidentiality, and the integrity of the process.
WHY BUSINESS OWNERS TRUST US
You are not hiring a listing service. You are engaging a deal team with the network, the intelligence, and the closing experience to deliver results that justify the engagement.
25+
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Mike Morris brings over two decades of transaction experience that shapes every exit strategy with market-tested intelligence.
50,000+
QUALIFIED BUYERS
We plan your exit knowing exactly who the buyers are, what they want, and what they will pay. Strategy built on data, not guesswork.
150+
YEAR COMBINED
The HedgeStone team brings over a century and a half of collective deal-making intelligence to every advisory engagement.
8
STATES SERVED
Deep market knowledge across NY, NJ, PA, VA, NC, MA, DC, and DE, not generic national averages.
HOW WE PROTECT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY
Blind Marketing
Your business is presented to the market without revealing its name, location, or identifying details. Buyers receive a teaser profile that describes the opportunity in general terms. Only after signing a non-disclosure agreement and passing financial qualification do they learn who you are.
NDA Enforcement
Every prospective buyer signs a legally binding non-disclosure agreement before receiving your Confidential Information Memorandum. We manage this process for every inquiry, whether it comes from an individual buyer, a private equity firm, or a strategic acquirer.
Controlled Information Flow
Sensitive financial and operational details are released in stages, not all at once. Buyers earn access to deeper information as they demonstrate serious intent and financial capability. This layered approach minimizes exposure and maximizes your protection.
Employee and Customer Shielding
We advise you on when and how to communicate with employees, customers, and suppliers. In most transactions, these stakeholders learn about the sale only after the deal is signed. We help you manage that communication with care and precision.
INDUSTRIES AND MARKETS WE SERVE
We represent business owners across a wide range of industries throughout the East Coast corridor, from Boston and the NYC metro through Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Raleigh, and Charlotte. Our sell-side clients include owners of construction and trades companies, manufacturing operations, healthcare practices, professional service firms, technology businesses, home service companies, distribution and logistics operations, food and beverage establishments, and auto service businesses.
The common thread is not the industry. It is the deal size. We specialize in businesses generating $500K to $50M+ in annual revenue, with transaction values between $1M and $65M. These are companies large enough to attract serious, qualified buyers but not so large that they require Wall Street investment banking. This is the range where our team operates with the deepest expertise and the strongest results.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long does it take to sell a business?
The average business sale takes 6 to 11 months from listing to close. The timeline breaks down roughly as follows: 2 to 3 weeks for valuation and preparation, 3 to 6 months for marketing and buyer search, 2 to 4 weeks for negotiation and LOI, 30 to 90 days for due diligence, and 2 to 4 weeks for closing. Businesses with clean financials, reasonable asking prices, and low owner dependence tend to sell faster. Businesses with messy records, inflated expectations, or heavy founder involvement take longer.
How much does a business broker charge to sell a business?
Commission structures for business brokers typically range from 8 to 12 percent for transactions under $5M, with rates declining as deal size increases. Larger transactions may use a modified Lehman formula or a combination of retainer plus success fee. The commission covers the full scope of the engagement: valuation, marketing materials, buyer outreach, screening, negotiation, due diligence coordination, and closing support. Our specific fee structure is discussed during the initial confidential consultation, where we tailor the engagement to your deal size and complexity.
Can I sell my business without a broker?
You can, but the data suggests you probably should not. Owner-managed sales (FSBO) consistently achieve lower sale prices, take longer to close, and fail more frequently than brokered transactions. The primary risks include limited buyer exposure, confidentiality breaches, pricing errors, weak negotiation position, and the distraction of managing the sale while running the business. That said, selling without a broker can work for very small businesses or situations where the buyer is already known. For companies in the $1M to $65M range, professional representation pays for itself in the outcome.
What documents do I need to sell my business?
At a minimum, you will need:
-
Three years of federal tax returns
-
Three years of profit and loss statements
-
A current balance sheet
-
Accounts receivable and payable aging reports
-
A list of assets included in the sale
-
Your commercial lease or property documentation
-
Any existing contracts with key customers or suppliers
Additional documents may be required during due diligence, including employee records, insurance policies, licenses, and legal filings. We provide a complete checklist at the start of every engagement and help you organize the data room.
How do I get started with selling my business?
Fill out the Sell Your Business form on our website. Our team will schedule a confidential consultation, typically within 48 hours. During that call, we learn about your business, discuss your goals and timeline, and outline what the engagement looks like. There is no obligation and no pressure. If we are the right fit, we move forward. If not, we will tell you honestly.