How to Value a Private Business for Sale in 2026: 5 Methods Every Owner Should Know
5 valuation methods owners should know: EBITDA multiples, DCF, asset approach, comparable companies, and rule of thumb. Plus when to hire a formal appraiser ($3k-$15k).
New York Lower Middle Market M&A Deal Trends You Should Know in 2026
New York Lower Middle Market M&A Deal Trends You Should Know in 2026 New York lower middle market M&A deal trends 2024-2026 show sustained PE consolidation across financial services, healthcare services, media/marketing, and professional services. Deal volume in the $2M-$50M enterprise value range has stayed within 15-20% of 2019 baseline despite macro volatility. Top NY-based […]
How Buyers Use Cold Outreach to Acquire Businesses
How Buyers Use Cold Outreach to Acquire Businesses Quick Answer Cold outreach is a proactive acquisition strategy where buyers directly contact potential sellers without prior relationships, typically through email, phone calls, or social media to identify and engage off-market acquisition targets. This approach allows buyers to expand their network beyond traditional deal channels and significantly […]
Lower Middle Market Deal Origination in 2026: How Buyers Hunt for LMM Deals
Lower Middle Market Deal Origination in 2026: How Buyers Hunt for LMM Deals Lower middle market deal origination in 2026 covers how buyers hunt for $2M-$50M enterprise value acquisitions. The channels: broker networks (traditional Lehman-scale intermediaries), AI-driven sourcing platforms (SourceScrub, Grata, PitchBook), direct-to-owner outreach (buyside-advisor retained mandates), and family-office co-investor networks. Conversion rates from first […]
Selling a Small Business in NYC: A No-Nonsense Guide
Selling a Small Business in NYC: A No-Nonsense Guide Quick Answer Selling a small business in NYC typically involves valuing your company based on revenue and profitability, preparing financial documentation, and navigating a competitive market where digital-enabled businesses and niche services command strong valuations. The NYC market has seen growing numbers of lean, online-based businesses […]
How Private Equity Sources Small Businesses No One Else Sees in 2026: The $1M-$10M EBITDA Sourcing Channels
PE deal sourcing in the lower middle market: how 76+ firms find proprietary deals at $1M-$10M EBITDA. The channels (Sourcescrub, Grata, broker network), the metrics, and what they pay.
How Proprietary Deal Flow Gives Buyers an Edge (and Why Sellers Should Care)
How Proprietary Deal Flow Gives Buyers an Edge (and Why Sellers Should Care) Quick answer: Proprietary deal flow is the set of acquisition opportunities a buyer sources directly from owners, without a banker or broker running an auction. By the latest Sutton Place Strategies dataset, roughly 70 to 90 percent of completed lower middle market […]
How Buyers Really Find Off-Market Businesses Like Yours
How Buyers Really Find Off-Market Businesses Like Yours Quick Answer Private equity buyers find off-market businesses through a stack of channels working in parallel: BDR teams running LinkedIn outreach, partners working sector conferences, AI deal-sourcing software pulling from Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. Magazine lists, and state corporation filings, intent-data layers that flag owners researching exit […]
Search Fund Earnouts: Fair Deal or Hidden Trap for Sellers?
Search Fund Earnouts: Fair Deal or Hidden Trap for Sellers? Quick Answer Search fund earnouts typically push 15% to 30% of purchase price into a 2 to 3 year measurement period, usually tied to EBITDA. They can be fair when the buyer offers a cushion, GAAP-plus accounting, an ordinary-course covenant, and a no-shop clause that […]