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Learn how real acquisitions get done.

Practical guides on buying and selling small businesses, written for first-time buyers and seasoned operators, grounded in real market data.

FeaturedSelling26 min read

How to Sell a Business: The Full Process, Step by Step

A practical, step-by-step guide to selling a small business in the United States, from cleaning up your financials to closing day and the handover.

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Coffee shop counter with a lit pastry case
Selling11 min read

How to Value a Small Business: SDE, Multiples, and What Buyers Actually Pay

How small businesses are really priced: compute SDE, apply a market multiple, see what moves value up or down, and sanity check any asking price.

July 16, 2026Read
Espresso machines under a letterboard cafe menu
Buying10 min read

What Is SDE? Seller's Discretionary Earnings, Explained for Buyers and Sellers

What SDE is, how add-backs work, what does not count, and how seller's discretionary earnings set the price of a small business.

July 15, 2026Read
Modern storefront with large glass display windows
Buying11 min read

SBA 7(a) Loans for Buying a Business: Down Payments, Terms, and How to Qualify

How SBA 7(a) acquisition loans work: the 10 percent down rule, seller note standby, loan terms, what lenders check, and how to qualify.

July 14, 2026Read
Bright open-plan office with plants and cubicles
Buying12 min read

Due Diligence Checklist for Buying a Small Business: What to Check Before You Close

A practical due diligence checklist for buying a small business: financial, legal, customer, and operational checks to run before you close.

July 13, 2026Read
Cozy cafe with wooden tables near a window
Selling10 min read

Seller Financing in a Small Business Sale: How It Works and When to Offer It

Seller financing explained for buyers and sellers: how seller notes work, typical terms, SBA standby rules, and how both sides protect themselves.

July 12, 2026Read
Car workshop with tools, machinery, and lifts
Selling10 min read

Asset Sale vs. Stock Sale: How Deal Structure Changes Your Taxes and Risk

Asset sale or stock sale changes your taxes, liability, and closing paperwork. A plain English guide to deal structure for buyers and sellers.

July 11, 2026Read
Warm bakery shop interior with a pastry counter
Buying23 min read

How to Buy a Business: A Buyer's Playbook for Main Street Deals

How to define your buy box, find the right business, analyze the numbers, finance the deal with an SBA loan, run due diligence, and close with confidence.

June 21, 2026Read
Flower shop full of colorful arrangements
Marketing20 min read

How to Market a Business for Sale Without Tipping Off Staff or Customers

Confidential marketing that reaches qualified buyers: how to write a blind profile, set the right price, use NDAs, and keep the sale quiet until closing.

June 20, 2026Read
Garden center benches full of plants
Market trends10 min read

The 2026 Small Business Acquisition Market: Data, Trends, and What It Means for You

Median prices, cash-flow multiples, the retiring-owner wave, SBA financing rules, and deal terms. What the latest market data says for buyers and sellers in 2026.

June 19, 2026Read
Wall of stacked laundromat washing machines
Newsletter6 min read

The Main Street Memo, Issue 01: Buy the Boring Business

Our newsletter for buyers and sellers of small businesses. This issue: why unglamorous, cash-flowing businesses are the best first acquisitions.

June 18, 2026Read
The Main Street Memo

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