How much is my business worth?
Most small businesses sell for a multiple of the cash they produce for the owner, called seller's discretionary earnings, or EBITDA for larger businesses with a manager. The multiple depends on the industry, how much the business depends on you and how dependable the earnings are. A real number starts with recasting your financials. Our valuation page explains how it works and shows typical ranges.
How long does it take to sell a business in Miami?
A typical small business sale in South Florida runs four to nine months from listing to closing, after a few weeks of preparation. Clean books and an assignable lease speed things up. SBA financing, license transfers, landlord approval and partners who must agree all add time.
Will my employees or customers find out I am selling?
Not from us. The business is marketed with a blind profile that does not name it or its location, and buyers see identifying details only after signing an NDA and showing proof of funds. Visits happen after hours. Most owners tell key staff close to closing, and we help plan that conversation. No process can guarantee secrecy, but a careful one keeps the circle small.
Do I need a business broker to sell my business?
You can sell on your own, usually to someone you already know. A broker earns their fee by pricing the business so it survives a lender's review, reaching buyers without exposing you, screening out buyers who cannot fund the deal, negotiating for you and managing the lease, lender and licenses while you keep running the business.
How are business brokers paid?
Most business brokers are paid mainly through a success fee at closing, figured as a share of the sale price, so the fee is not earned unless the business sells. Some also charge a smaller fee up front for the valuation and marketing package, and many have a minimum fee. We explain our fee in writing before you sign anything.
What is SDE?
SDE, or seller's discretionary earnings, is what one full time owner operator takes out of the business in a year: the net profit plus the owner's salary plus personal and one time expenses paid by the business. It is the number most small businesses are priced on.
What is the difference between SDE and EBITDA?
SDE includes the owner's salary, because it assumes the buyer will run the business. EBITDA subtracts a market salary for whoever runs it, because it assumes the owner does not work in the business. Larger businesses with managers are priced on EBITDA. Always ask which one a quoted multiple is based on.
What documents do I need to sell my business?
Start with three years of tax returns and profit and loss statements, year to date numbers, a list of personal and one time expenses, your lease and amendments, an equipment list, a staff list, licenses and major contracts. Medical businesses also need their medical director and supervision agreements. You do not need everything on day one, but it all comes up in due diligence.
Can I sell a business that depends on me?
Yes, but it affects the price and the structure. A buyer will want you to stay through a transition, introduce customers and help keep the team. Businesses that run without the owner are worth more, so if you have time before selling, building a team that can run the day to day is one of the best things you can do for the price.
What is seller financing, and should I offer it?
Seller financing means you carry part of the price as a note that the buyer pays over time. It can widen the pool of buyers and support a stronger price, and lenders often like to see it. The tradeoff is that part of your money arrives later and depends on the business doing well. We look at the terms with you before you agree to anything.
Can a buyer use an SBA loan to buy my business?
Often, yes. Many small business purchases in Florida are financed with SBA loans. The lender will review the recast earnings, the buyer's experience and the lease, and will want the numbers documented. A business priced on earnings a lender can verify is far easier to finance.
What happens to my lease when I sell?
Usually the lease is assigned to the buyer, which needs the landlord's approval, or the buyer signs a new lease. Lenders want enough term left to cover the loan. Because we are also a licensed real estate brokerage, we handle the landlord conversation as part of the sale.
What do buyers ask about when buying a med spa?
They ask who the medical director is and whether that agreement continues, which services run under which license, whether supervision protocols are in place, whether any facility license transfers, and who holds the product accounts. Have clear answers before you go to market, and have a healthcare attorney review the structure.
How do you screen buyers?
Every buyer signs an NDA and shows how they will pay, through proof of funds or lender prequalification, before they see your financials. We also ask about their experience and what they are looking for. You spend time only with buyers who can close.
What is a letter of intent?
A letter of intent sets out the main terms of the deal: price, how it will be paid, what is included, the timeline and the transition. Most of it is not binding, but it is where the deal takes shape, so the terms should be negotiated carefully before anyone signs.
What happens in due diligence?
The buyer and the lender verify everything: financials against tax returns and bank statements, contracts, the lease, licenses, equipment and staff. It usually takes several weeks. This is where most deals that fail fall apart, which is why the preparation before listing matters.
Do I have to stay after the sale?
Most buyers ask for a transition period to learn the business and meet key customers. The length and terms are negotiated, and they affect the price and structure. Decide what you are willing to do before the first offer arrives.
Do you work with buyers from outside the United States?
Yes. We work in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and our buyer network includes buyers in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Some foreign buyers use the E2 treaty investor visa. Visa questions go to an immigration attorney; we help find businesses that fit the plan.
Why does it matter that you are also a real estate broker?
Most business sales include a lease, a building or both. Holding both licenses means the business and the property are negotiated in the same process, instead of two brokers pulling in different directions. It matters most for medical businesses and surgical centers, where the space is hard to replace.
Does a valuation commit me to selling?
No. The valuation is confidential and free, and nothing is marketed and nobody is contacted unless you decide to move forward. Many owners get one years before they sell, so they know what to improve.
For more detail, read how to sell a business in Miami and how valuation works.