ACQUISITION GUIDE

BUY A BORING
BUSINESS

Why start from zero? Existing businesses come with customers, revenue, and systems. The math is often better than a startup — you're buying proven cash flow, not a hypothesis.

70%
of small businesses listed for sale never sell
2.5–4x
typical EBITDA multiple for service businesses
SBA 7(a)
most common financing for acquisitions <$5M
60–90 days
typical close timeline with SBA financing
ACQUISITION TOOLS
FINANCING

SBA Loan Calculator

Calculate monthly payments, total interest, and qualification estimates for SBA 7(a) loans up to $5M.

Up to $5MSBA 7(a) limit
VALUATION

Business Valuation Calculator

Estimate what a boring business is worth using EBITDA multiples by industry. Adjust for size, growth, and risk.

2–8xEBITDA range
CHECKLIST

Due Diligence Checklist

50-item interactive checklist covering financial, legal, operational, market, and transition categories. Track your progress.

50 itemsacross 5 categories
COMPARISON

Financing Options Compared

Side-by-side comparison of SBA 7(a), SBA 504, conventional bank loans, and seller financing. Rates, terms, pros, cons.

4 optionscompared

The Acquisition Process

01
Find & Filter

Search BizBuySell, BusinessBroker.net, or direct outreach to owners. Filter by industry, revenue multiple, and owner-dependence.

02
Valuation

Run EBITDA multiples for the industry. Normalize owner compensation. Adjust for growth, risk, and customer concentration.

03
Letter of Intent

Non-binding offer with price range, terms, and due diligence timeline. Typical exclusivity period: 30-60 days.

04
Due Diligence

50-item deep dive across financial, legal, operational, market, and transition categories. This is where deals die or get repriced.

05
Financing

SBA 7(a) for most acquisitions under $5M. 10-20% down, 10-25 year terms. Pre-qualification before LOI saves time.

06
Close & Transition

Purchase agreement, escrow, seller transition period (typically 3-6 months). Notify customers, employees, and suppliers.

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