How to sell my business without a broker?

Start with valuation and financial prep. Normalize your earnings (add back owner salary and one-time costs to get SDE or EBITDA) and apply industry multiples — roughly 2-4x SDE for small owner-operated firms and 4-8x EBITDA for larger, professionally managed ones. Then assemble three years of clean financials and tax returns; buyers underwrite the numbers, so messy books cost you price.

Next, find and screen buyers, and protect yourself with NDAs before sharing anything sensitive. Buyer type drives price: an individual buyer often pays 2-3x SDE, a search fund 3-5x EBITDA, private equity 4-8x EBITDA, and a strategic acquirer 5-10x EBITDA. Cast a wide enough net that you have more than one interested party — competition is what protects your price.

Finally, move from a letter of intent into due diligence and closing. PE deals are commonly structured as 60-80% cash at close with the remainder as equity rollover, a seller note, or an earnout, and a full process typically runs 6-12 months. Even without a broker, use a transaction attorney and a CPA — how the deal is structured (asset vs. stock sale) materially changes your after-tax proceeds.

The hardest part of going broker-free is buyer access. This is where DealSeam fits: it is not a traditional business broker, but it introduces owners to qualified buyers off-market and is paid a success fee by the buyer where there's a fit, so you reach vetted buyers without paying a listing commission.