BizBuySell is an online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses. Learn how selling there works, and how to get the price, the details, the buyer and the deal right before you list.
The guide is free. We are an independent education and planning firm, not a broker.
BizBuySell is an online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses. Think of it as a shop window: your business sits next to many others, and buyers search the window to find a fit. Three groups use it.
Owners list a business for sale, share the numbers and details, and field inquiries from interested buyers.
Individuals, investors and companies browse listings by industry, location and size, then reach out to the ones that fit.
Business brokers also use it, to list the businesses they represent and to be found by owners who want help selling.
According to BizBuySell, owners can list established businesses, closed-business assets, business real estate and start-up opportunities. See BizBuySell’s seller page (opens in a new tab) for what it offers today.
Six stages, from first prep to closing day. Each one sets up the next.
Gather your financial statements and tax returns for the last few years, tidy your records and decide what you want from a sale.
Work out your earnings (SDE or EBITDA), look at comparable sales and use valuation tools as a cross-check.
Set up an account, describe the business and add financial highlights and photos. You choose how much to reveal, including a confidential “blind” listing.
BizBuySell offers listing levels and terms with different exposure and features. Match the option to your timeline and budget. For prices and terms, see BizBuySell’s current listing options (opens in a new tab).
Buyers will get in touch. Reply quickly, screen for fit and funding, and ask serious buyers to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before you share sensitive details.
Work through offers, price and terms, then due diligence. Bring in your attorney and accountant before you sign anything.
This is a plain-English overview. BizBuySell’s own seller resources (opens in a new tab) covers each stage in more depth.
A fair price, a clear listing, qualified buyers and sound terms work together. Weakness in one can drag down the others.
Can you defend the number?
Does the listing tell the truth, clearly?
Who is a real fit?
What matters beyond price?
The free guide walks through each right, with prompts to work through before you list.
Price is where most sellers get stuck. Two terms and one idea cover most of it.
Earnings with one owner’s pay and benefits, personal expenses and one-time items added back. It shows the total cash flow a single owner-operator could take from the business.
A measure of operating profit that usually assumes a manager is paid a market wage. It is more common for larger businesses that do not rely on one owner.
Use a multiple built on the same kind of earnings. Do not apply an SDE multiple to EBITDA, or the other way round. The layout is simplified and the figures are not shown on purpose.
Illustrative comparisons, not measurements or scores.
According to BizBuySell, its valuation tools draw on comparable listings and sales. Use them to see whether your number is in a sensible range, then compare with your own earnings and records. An online estimate is a starting point, not an appraisal, and the right price is the one you can support.
Neither route is better for everyone. It comes down to how much time you have, how complex the business is and how much of the process you want to own.
You do not have to hire anyone to list. If you want help, BizBuySell’s directory is a place to research brokers and compare how they work. Treat it as a starting point and do your own checks. Out of the Box Consultants is not a broker and does not recommend one.
A buyer is really paying for earnings that keep coming after you leave. The less the business depends on you, the less risk a buyer has to price in, so making it less owner-dependent can make it more attractive.
That work is its own project. Our plan for Business Growth and Scaling maps where the business leans on you and puts the fixes in order. We deliver written plans and recommendations only. Out of the Box Consultants is not a broker and does not list or sell businesses.
A practical, plain-English guide for owners who are thinking about listing a business. It follows the four rights, in order, so you can prepare before you pay for a listing.
A free download from Out of the Box Consultants. General education, not advice.
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BizBuySell is an online marketplace where businesses are listed for sale and buyers search for them. Sellers, buyers and business brokers all use it. You can read how it describes the service on BizBuySell’s seller page (opens in a new tab).
No. Owners can list a business themselves, and BizBuySell says it is a marketing platform, not a brokerage. Many owners still hire a broker for help with valuation, marketing, buyer screening and negotiating. Brokers charge a fee, so ask about it up front. You can research brokers in BizBuySell’s broker directory (opens in a new tab).
Listing options, terms and prices change, so we do not quote them here. See BizBuySell’s current listing options on its seller page, then compare them with your timeline and budget before you choose.
Start with clean financials and work out your earnings as SDE or EBITDA. Then look at comparable sales and the multiples that tend to fit your industry and size. BizBuySell’s valuation tools (opens in a new tab) can be a sanity check. For a higher-value business, many owners also ask a broker or a qualified appraiser for a professional opinion. Our EBITDA and valuation page explains the basics.
Often, yes. According to BizBuySell, you choose how much to reveal in a listing, and a confidential, or blind, listing limits details such as the location and photos. Many sellers also ask serious buyers to sign an NDA before sharing sensitive information. Ask your attorney how to word it.
It varies a lot. BizBuySell notes that every business is different: some sell faster, some take longer and some do not sell. Plan for months rather than weeks, and keep running the business well while you wait.
No. We are not a broker, and we do not list, market or sell businesses. We deliver written plans and recommendations, such as a valuation review or a plan to make the business less owner-dependent. The free guide is general education to help you prepare.
A free consultation is a good place to talk through where your business stands before you list. We deliver written plans and recommendations, not brokerage.
Your first consultation is free, by phone or Zoom. We are not a broker and do not list or sell businesses.
Out of the Box Consultants is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by BizBuySell. BizBuySell is a trademark of its respective owner. This page is general education, not legal, tax, financial or valuation advice.
