The Best Broker to Sell Your Business

I Thought I Could Do It Alone

So picture this: It’s late Wednesday night. I’m standing in the kitchen, barefoot, half-eaten sandwich in one hand, scrolling through my inbox with the other. I had just received the third email that week from a “potential buyer” interested in my business. Their offer? Insulting. Like… did they think I built this company in a weekend?

I had been trying to sell my business solo—figured I could save the commission and handle it myself. I mean, how hard could it be? I knew the numbers, I knew the value, and I definitely knew how to talk. Or so I thought.

Turns out, I didn’t need a mouthpiece. I needed a shark. 🦈

Why a Business Broker Isn’t Just “Nice to Have”—They’re Essential

You ever try to sell a house without a realtor? Now imagine doing that, but the house is a moving target, has dozens of variables, staff depending on you, tax implications you can’t spell, and buyers that ghost you like a bad Tinder date.

That’s what it felt like trying to sell my business without a broker.

The right broker doesn’t just list your business and sit back. A good broker acts like a mix between a therapist, an FBI negotiator, and a pit boss. They sniff out real buyers, set expectations, and, honestly, keep you from doing something dumb—like saying “yes” to the first lowball offer because you’re tired.

So, Who’s the Best Broker to Sell Your Business?

Here’s where things got real. I started interviewing brokers. Dozens of them. Some talked a big game, threw around jargon like “EBITDA multiples” and “strategic synergies” like I was supposed to be impressed. Others gave off used car salesman vibes, promising outrageous valuations and “guaranteed” sales.

But one stood out: Earned Exits.

From the first call, they were surgical. No fluff. Just solid questions that made me realize how much I didn’t know.

“What’s your SDE?”

“Are your books clean and ready for due diligence?”

“Have you mapped out your transition timeline post-sale?”

No one else was asking that stuff. Everyone else was busy trying to charm me into signing an agreement. These guys were doing reconnaissance.

The Process Felt Like Getting an MBA—On Speed

When I signed on with Earned Exits, they didn’t just slap my business on some marketplace and hope for the best. They dissected it. Took it apart like a mechanic with a classic car. Then they rebuilt the pitch, better than I ever could’ve imagined.

They prepped a professional valuation report, walked me through buyer psychology (which honestly felt like voodoo magic), and designed a marketing strategy that made my business look like a unicorn.

And the best part? They only introduced buyers who had already been vetted—like background-check-and-bank-statement-level vetted. No more “interested parties” who ghost after the second email.

Real Talk: They Negotiated Like It Was Their Business

Let me be honest here. I was ready to take the first solid offer that came in. It felt good. Almost… too good. I called my broker, excited to move forward.

You know what he said?

“Let’s hold off. This buyer’s hot, but I think we can squeeze more.”

I almost laughed. But he wasn’t wrong. Two weeks later, same buyer came back with 12% more on the table, plus a cleaner deal structure with less post-sale entanglement for me. That extra push? Pure broker magic.

Selling Your Business Is Emotional. Get Someone Who Gets That.

Here’s something no one talks about: selling your business hurts. It’s like handing your kid off to a stranger. Every time someone nitpicked a detail, I got defensive. Every time I got ghosted, it felt personal.

My broker? He was like my emotional bodyguard.

“Don’t take it personally,” he’d say. “They’re negotiating. That’s what buyers do.”

He’d seen this play out a hundred times. He knew when to push, when to back off, and when to tell me to go take a walk and stop checking my email every five minutes.

Key Traits to Look for in the Best Business Broker

If you’re serious about selling, here’s my cheat sheet:

• Track Record – Ask for recent deals. Real ones. Not the “we’ve done this for 20 years” line. What have they actually closed?

• Transparency – Good brokers don’t sugarcoat. They tell you when your baby’s ugly (figuratively).

• Network – If they don’t already know buyers in your space, you’re fishing in an empty pond.

• Process – They should have one. A real one. With steps, milestones, and timelines.

• Gut Check – Do they feel trustworthy? You’re going to be in the trenches with them. Make sure they’re the kind of person you’d actually want next to you in a tough negotiation.

Would I Do It Again?

Selling a business is one of the most stressful, complex, and emotionally tangled things I’ve ever done.

But would I do it again? With the right broker—hell yes.

There’s something powerful about seeing your business get the recognition (and price tag) it deserves. It feels like validation. Like every late night, every customer complaint you handled personally, every moment you chose the hard path over the easy one… actually mattered.

And if I had to do it all again? I’d call Earned Exits first thing, before even telling my spouse I was thinking of selling. Yeah, they’re that good.

Final Word (or Rant, Whatever You Wanna Call It)

If you’re on the fence—still debating whether a broker is worth it—here’s my unsolicited but highly caffeinated opinion:

You built something valuable. Don’t cheap out on the final chapter.

A good broker won’t just get you a better price. They’ll get you peace of mind. And trust me, when your phone rings with a seven-figure offer that didn’t involve weeks of buyer nonsense, you’ll thank yourself for making the smart call.

So, take it from a guy who tried to do it solo and almost lost his mind:

Get a broker. Get a good one.

And if you’re smart? You already know who I think that is. 😉