US business sale guides
Every guide on bizflip is sourced, dated and bylined, and links the methodology it draws on. US guides cover US tax and US process — not another market’s content with the spelling changed.
Thinking about it2
Should I sell at all, and what does the process involve?
A first-time buyer’s guide to buying a businessMethodology
From bizflip’s own published methodology series.
Read the answerBuying a business with an SBA 7(a) loanUnited States
How SBA 7(a) acquisition loans work: the $5 million program maximum, the 10% equity injection rule, personal guarantee requirements, and typical timeline.
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Valuing4
What is it actually worth, and how is that worked out?
Business valuation essentialsMethodology
From bizflip’s own published methodology series.
Read the answerCalculating your true EBITDAMethodology
From bizflip’s own published methodology series.
Read the answerHow much is my business worth in the US?United States
A plain guide to valuing a US small business: when to use SDE vs EBITDA, current median sale multiples by deal size, what moves a multiple, and why add-backs matter.
Read the answerSDE vs EBITDA: which one values your business?Everywhere
SDE adds back one owner-operator's wage, EBITDA does not. Which figure fits your business, why the cut-off is a convention, and how to check yours.
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Preparing3
What do I need in order before a buyer sees anything?
Preparing your business for a successful exitMethodology
From bizflip’s own published methodology series.
Read the answerWhat is a data room for selling a business?Everywhere
What a data room is, what documents go in it, how staged access and privacy obligations work, and how to prepare one before you sell your business.
Read the answerWhat platforms offer a virtual data room for small business sales?Everywhere
Which business-for-sale platforms include a virtual data room, what each charges, and when a specialist provider such as Ansarada is the better fit.
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Going to market6
Where do I list it, and do I need a broker?
How to sell a business in the USUnited States
A plain-English walk-through of how to sell a business in the US: preparing, valuation, confidential marketing, LOI, due diligence, asset vs. stock sale, and closing through escrow.
Read the answerBusiness broker fees and commissions in the USUnited States
How US business broker fees work: Main Street's 10-12% convention, the Double Lehman scale for larger deals, minimum fees, retainers, and co-broking.
Read the answerWhat documents do I need to sell my business in the US?United States
The financial, operating and legal documents US buyers and lenders ask for, the state bulk sale filings that happen before closing, and how long you keep records after you sell.
Read the answerWhat does a business broker do in the US?United States
What a US business broker actually does — pricing the business, the CIM, confidential marketing, buyer screening, NDAs, negotiation and closing — plus why licensing varies by state.
Read the answerDo I need a business broker to sell my business?Everywhere
You do not need a broker to sell your own business. What one is worth, when a private sale is realistic, what commission costs, and how to decide.
Read the answerIs there an AI tool that helps sell a business?Everywhere
Which AI tools help sell a business, what they actually do (listing copy, IMs, financials, buyer matching) and what stays your responsibility.
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Offers and NDAs1
Someone is interested — what happens now?
The acquisition roadmap after a verbal offerMethodology
From bizflip’s own published methodology series.
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Due diligence2
They are checking everything. What will they ask for?
What should I check before buying a business in the US?United States
A due diligence checklist for US buyers: financials, secretary-of-state and court records, UCC-1 lien searches, the lease, licenses, employees, successor tax liability and franchise disclosure.
Read the answerDo I need an NDA before showing my business financials to a buyer?Everywhere
An NDA before releasing financials is standard practice in a private business sale, not a legal requirement. What it does, what it does not, and what to check in the document.
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Settlement1
How does the deal actually complete, and what does it cost me?
Asset sale vs stock sale: what it means for your taxesUnited States
How US asset sales and stock sales differ for tax purposes: buyer step-up, seller capital gains, depreciation recapture, purchase price allocation, and the C-corp double-tax risk.
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In production for the United States1
- How much is my business worth?Not yet written
Ready now: the free business valuation calculator. Every guide on the estate, including the other markets, is on the master guides hub.