Business Broker, M&A Advisor, or Solo: Which Is Right for You?
For most trades businesses worth $500K+, a broker produces better outcomes than going solo. Here's how deal size, buyer type, and PE interest change the answer.
May 17, 2026
The Owner's Shortlist
The modern Rolodex
for owners
figuring out what's next.
When you've spent 30 years building something real, you deserve straight answers and the right people. Not salespeople in suits.
8
Specialist categories
0
Sponsored listings
1
Rule: earn your spot
What this is
The place where owners like you find the right people.
The Owner's Shortlist is a hand-picked list of specialists who work with owners like you: people who've built real businesses over decades and are starting to think about what happens next.
Whether it's figuring out what the business is worth, keeping more of what you made when you sell, passing it to your kids without blowing up the family, or just getting the right legal structure in place. There are people who do this work well.
Finding them used to mean asking around, sitting through pitches, and hoping you picked the right one. That's what the Shortlist solves.
"You won't find a thousand names here. That's the point."
Built for owners, not investors.
No M&A jargon. No pitch decks. Plain talk about real decisions.
Every name earns their spot.
No one paid to be on this list. They're here because they do the work well.
You reach out directly.
No forms. No middleman. No one selling your information.
The Shortlist covers
Who's on the Shortlist
Future Options
What selling looks like, how to prepare, and what to expect
Business Value
What your business is worth and what moves the number
Taxes
What the tax hit looks like and how to reduce it
Legal & Estate
Ownership, wills, structure, and what happens if something changes
Growth & Financing
How deals get structured and funded
Keeping It in the Family
When the plan involves passing the business to your kids
Your Team
What happens to your people and how to handle it
Finding the Right People
How to find and work with the right specialists
Simple as it sounds
How it works
Pick what you need figured out
You know the question on your mind. Start there: what the business is worth, what the tax hit looks like, or what happens to your family.
Browse the short list
Each category has a small number of specialists who do this work day in, day out. Read what they do and who they work with.
Reach out directly
No forms to fill out. No middleman. Get in touch with whoever looks right and have a real conversation.
Straight from the owners
What owners say
"I'd talked to three different advisors before finding someone on the Shortlist who actually understood what I'd built over 28 years. Took one conversation."
D
Dave R.
HVAC company owner, Florida. 28 years in business.
8 specialist categories
Every major thing an owner eventually needs to sort out.
Every name added by hand
No directory. No algorithm. No self-serve sign-up.
Zero sponsored listings
You're on the list because you're good. Not because you paid.
You contact them directly
No forms to fill out. No one selling your information.
From the editorial team
Questions owners are asking
How to increase what your business is worth before selling
Revenue growth alone won't raise your sale price. Here are the 5 things that actually move the multiple, and a timeline for getting there.
May 15, 2026
How to reduce owner dependency before you sell
Owner-dependent businesses sell for 2-3x earnings. Businesses that run without the owner sell for 7-8x. Here's how to close that gap.
May 13, 2026