Washington DC Business Brokers — Sell Your Business with Confidence
Washington, D.C. · Northern Virginia · Maryland
Washington DC Business Brokers You Can Trust
Our DC business brokers help owners across Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland sell their companies with confidence. At CGK Business Sales, we specialize in confidential sales of businesses with at least $1.5 million in annual revenue and $300,000 or more in Seller's Discretionary Earnings (Owner's Cash Flow). Whether you're in the District, Bethesda, Arlington, Alexandria, or anywhere across the DMV, our experienced DC business brokers make sure you find the right buyer, maximize your value, and keep the process discreet and stress-free.
CGK Business Sales was recently featured on the television show:
Inside the Blueprint
Need proof? Click the video to the left to watch how the television show, Inside the Blueprint, recently highlighted our DC business brokers' proven approach to helping Washington DC business owners sell a business for maximum value through accurate valuation and a confidential, structured sales process.
What Business Owners Say About Our DC Business Brokers
"I could not be happier with the experience I had selling my business with CGK. Greg did a detailed analysis of my business and helped me price and position it right for the market. After receiving multiple offers at full asking price the rest of the process went very smoothly, and we closed in less than two months. It wouldn't have happened without CGK's insight, connections in the industry, and hard work. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone selling a business.”
— Hanna M.
“Wes was outstanding, guiding us through each step, offering perspective and solutions. His dedication, perseverance, and ingenuity made our business sale happen. I strongly recommend Wes and CGK Business Sales.” — Suzanne Piispanen
“If not for the expertise of Matthew Mistica at CGK we would have been so lost. He was patient, professional & very thorough.”
— Dave S.
“Making the decision to sell was tough, but Wes McDonough at CGK was tremendous from start to finish. We confidently entered an agreement thanks to the groundwork by Wes and his team.” — Christy Guthrie
“The team at CGK Business Sales did an outstanding job in selling my business. They were professional, responsive, and worked diligently to find the right buyer. I highly recommend their services.”
— Josh Fowler
“Derik located multiple interested strategic buyers that produced more than one serious offer. The negotiations ... were tough but Greg and Derik’s experience helped us overcome. We got a great result for our employees and for the owners. We would recommend them without reservation.”
— Bob Taylor
If you want the best help and service with a business valuation or selling a business in Washington D.C., Maryland, or Virginia, call CGK Business Sales at (202) 888-6120 or confidentially email us below to start the conversation.
While we certainly love when you call, as you can imagine, we spend the majority of our day on the phone, closing deals, so we love it even more when you use this form to email us! We will get back to you as quickly as possible! Seriously! This form only goes to Greg’s email (CGK’s owner), so it’s completely confidential!
Our unique selling process is tailored for businesses with at least $1.5 million in revenue (up to $100 million) and $300,000 to $10,000,000 in owner’s profit.
Start With a Washington DC Business Valuation
The very first step is to determine what your business is actually worth in today's Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland market. A proper business valuation shows you what your company is worth and gives buyers a clear picture of the "true" cash flow they'll inherit if they purchase the business. To get started, please gather the last three years of business tax returns, a year-to-date income statement (P&L), and a current balance sheet. Once we go to market, we'll also need a list of assets with their approximate market value. Our Washington DC business brokers will walk through all of this, adjust the finances to reflect the correct Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) for smaller businesses or adjusted EBITDA for larger businesses, and determine the full value of your business. Once we have a solid number, and an understanding of your industry and its qualitative strengths, we can begin the search for the right buyer, whether that buyer is based in the District, Bethesda, Tysons Corner, or outside the region entirely.
How Washington DC Business Brokers Find the Right Buyer
Who is going to purchase your Washington DC, Northern Virginia, or Maryland business? There are generally three types of buyers: high net-worth individuals, companies, and private equity firms. High net-worth buyers are often looking for a company to own because they want to be their own boss or aren't ready to retire yet. They want to get out of the corporate rat race and control their own destiny instead of having someone else dictate their work hours or the way things are done. Many of these buyers come from the deep bench of executives and entrepreneurs across the DMV, including Bethesda, McLean, Arlington, and Tysons Corner. Most will bring some funds from their personal savings but will likely need bank financing to complete the purchase. They may or may not have experience as a business owner, but they typically have experience in the industry and know what it takes to be successful.
Companies also buy businesses in their industry to fuel faster growth. While most business owners assume another company in their industry will be the buyer, this is rarely the case for smaller businesses. Smaller companies often don't understand the mergers and acquisitions market and are sometimes unwilling to pay market prices. Once a business grows into the lower-middle market or middle market, corporate buyers tend to be more sophisticated about M&A and more acquisitive. We love when another business buys one of our clients, since it usually cuts down on questions and post-closing training, but we always prepare for the possibility that the buyer will come from somewhere else.
The third type of buyer is private equity, which may occasionally include venture capital. Typical private equity buyers are sophisticated. They graduated from top schools and have learned the art of buying, running, and selling businesses. They dive deep into due diligence and do extensive research on an industry. They are also savvy negotiators. Because PE firms use leverage (bank loans) to boost their equity returns, the deal has to work within the confines of a bank loan. PE buyers have become a much larger part of the marketplace over the past decade, and many of the active firms are headquartered right here in the District or across Northern Virginia.
Since no one can predict with certainty who will ultimately buy your company, we prepare the marketing materials to appeal to all three types of buyers. As Washington DC business brokers serving the entire DMV, from Bethesda to Arlington to Alexandria, we've spoken with thousands of buyers over the years, and we know their likes and dislikes. Put your best foot forward with our team, or risk losing a solid buyer and potentially not getting the kind of deal you want.
What Buyers Look for in a Washington DC Business
Every buyer starts with one question: will this business make me money? That's why cash flow sits at the center of every deal. Buyers want proof your business is profitable today and confidence it will stay profitable after closing, so they can focus on growth instead of survival in their first year. Depending on the deal size, working capital from the Seller may or may not be included in the sale, and our Washington DC business brokers will walk you through the norms for your deal size and industry.
Once a buyer is interested, they dig in. They will ask for detailed information on inventory, outstanding debts, customer concentration, supplier relationships, employee retention, and anything else that could affect cash flow and profits after closing. Whether your business is in downtown DC, Bethesda, Alexandria, Tysons Corner, or anywhere across Maryland or Northern Virginia, the more prepared you are before going to market, the less friction you will encounter in due diligence. Unprepared sellers lose strong buyers early, often before the CIM is even circulated.
The formal vetting happens through the Confidential Information Memorandum, or CIM. Buyers will review the CIM in detail, press on how your valuation was built, and ask pointed qualitative questions about the business, the industry, and your role in day-to-day operations. They are also comparing your company against other businesses on the market, so the way you present the story matters as much as the numbers. Our Washington DC business brokers coach you through every meeting and every question, from the first buyer call to the final signed definitive agreement, so you answer the way that protects your value.
Preparation is the single biggest lever a seller controls, and it is also the piece most owners underestimate. The good news: we have done this for hundreds of DMV business owners, and we know exactly what buyers will ask and what they want to hear. Talk to our team before you go to market and we will help you get ready to command the price and the terms you deserve.
How We Market Your DC Business to Qualified Buyers
Once your business is ready, the search for the right buyer begins, and this is where our process looks different from most brokers. Rather than posting a listing and waiting for inbound interest, we actively and confidentially market your business to a curated pool of pre-qualified buyers from our network. For strong businesses, that often means multiple serious offers on the table at roughly the same time, which puts you in a position to choose the best deal rather than accept the only one available.
Our buyer network stretches well beyond the DMV. We have active relationships with high net-worth individuals across Washington DC, Bethesda, Arlington, Alexandria, and Tysons Corner, with strategic corporate buyers throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia, and with private equity groups and family offices from New York, Chicago, Dallas, and international markets. When your business is ready to go to market, we know exactly who to call and who is actively deploying capital in your industry.
The highest number on the offer sheet is not always the best outcome. The right buyer is the one who can actually close, who will treat your employees and the legacy you built with respect, and whose terms hold up through due diligence. For some sellers, maximum price is the priority. For others, it is speed, or continuity for the team, or a structure that keeps the seller involved as an advisor. We help you weigh all of it, because a deal on paper is only a real deal once the wire hits.
Our Washington DC business brokers have closed hundreds of deals across the DMV and know which buyers are likely to pay a premium for your specific business, industry, and deal structure. When you are ready to find the right buyer for your DC, Maryland, or Virginia business, we are ready to put our network to work for you.
Looking to Buy a Business in DC, Maryland, or Virginia?
Our work does not stop at the sell side. We also represent buyers across Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia who are looking to enter a new industry, expand through acquisition, or build a portfolio. When you work with our Washington DC business brokers as a buyer, you get the same deep vetting and market knowledge that our sell-side clients rely on.
We start by understanding what you want: the industry, the size of the deal, the geography, and the role you want to play in the business after closing. From there, we connect you with qualified businesses for sale in the DMV and beyond that actually fit the profile. Every engagement is confidential, and every conversation focuses on finding the right fit, not pushing a listing.
When you are evaluating a business, a few questions matter more than most. How long has the company been operating? How long has the current owner been at the helm, and why are they selling now? How clean are the financials, and what does the real cash flow look like after typical add-backs? Where is the upside, and where is the risk? Each answer shapes whether the business is a fit for you and what you should be willing to pay for it.
We especially enjoy helping existing companies acquire strategically. Horizontal integration, where you buy a competitor in your industry, and vertical integration, where you buy a supplier or distribution partner in your supply chain, both tend to produce real synergies and lower your effective purchase price. If you are considering an acquisition anywhere in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia market, get in touch and we will tell you what is out there.
Why Choose CGK as Your Washington DC Business Brokers
Our team lives and works in Washington DC, which means we know this market personally. We understand the businesses, the neighborhoods, and the economics that drive deals across the District, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. From Bethesda and Silver Spring to Arlington, Alexandria, and Tysons Corner, we represent sellers across the entire DMV, and we sell businesses in Maryland and Virginia with the same local expertise you would expect from a broker based in your own county.
We also know the buyers. Our network includes a deep roster of local high net-worth individuals, regional private equity firms, family offices, and strategic corporate acquirers who actively buy businesses in the DMV. When your business goes to market, we already know who is likely to pay a premium and who is ready to move quickly, which is exactly why our deals tend to close on better terms than sellers expect.
Industry-wide, fewer than 20 percent of businesses put on the market ever sell. We close more than 85 percent of the engagements we take on. The gap is not luck. It comes from rigorous pre-market preparation, confidential marketing to the right buyers, and a structured bidding process that creates real competition for your business. We almost always pay for ourselves through some unforeseen piece of the deal, whether that is a higher price, better terms, or a structure that protects you after closing.
If you are considering selling a business in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia, or if you simply want to know what your business is worth in today's market, contact our Washington DC business brokers today. CGK Business Sales serves sellers across the greater Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia market, and every conversation is confidential with no obligation.
In Summary: What to Expect from Our DC Business Brokers
Selling a business is one of the biggest financial decisions an owner ever makes, and it deserves a team that treats it with the weight it carries. Our Washington DC business brokers handle a limited number of engagements at a time, which means your transaction gets senior-level attention from start to finish. We will tell you what your business is worth, what the market is likely to pay, what you need to fix before going live, and exactly where the process stands at every step. Confidentiality is absolute. We protect your identity, your employees, your customers, and your competitive position until the deal is signed. If you are considering a sale of your DC, Maryland, or Virginia business in the next five years, the best time to start the conversation is right now.
How We Sell a Washington DC Business, Step by Step
Our process follows a clear path from valuation to closing. We start with a confidential valuation, where we analyze your tax returns, financial statements, and operational details, normalize the numbers to reflect the true cash flow a buyer will inherit, and deliver a defensible range of what your business is worth in today's DMV market. We then work together on pre-market preparation, which can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years depending on where your business is now and where it needs to be.
When you are ready to go to market, we build the marketing package. That includes a blind teaser that protects your identity, a Confidential Information Memorandum with the full story behind the numbers, and a buyer list curated to your industry, deal size, and geography. We take the opportunity to our network of pre-qualified individuals, corporate acquirers, private equity firms, and family offices across Washington DC, Maryland, Northern Virginia, and beyond.
From there, we run a structured and confidential outreach that generates competing offers. We help you evaluate each one on price, terms, structure, and buyer fit, not just the headline number. Once an offer is accepted, our Washington DC business brokers manage due diligence alongside your CPA, attorney, and lender, keeping the deal moving through the hundred small decisions that determine whether a transaction actually closes.
On closing day, we are in the room with you until the wire clears and the documents are signed. That is how we do it, and that is why more of our deals close than the industry average. If you want to see how this process would look for your specific business, call our Washington DC business brokers at (202) 888-6120 for a confidential conversation.
Meet Your Washington DC Business Brokers
When you engage CGK to sell your Washington DC business, you work directly with the senior team. Greg Knox, CFA, is CGK's Managing Principal and leads the DC market. Greg brings more than 20 years of institutional finance experience, including positions at Deutsche Bank, T. Rowe Price, and Wachovia, and an MBA from Cornell. He has guided business owners across the DMV through the sale of companies ranging from main street to the lower middle market, and every seller who works with us has his direct email, which is the same address our contact form flows into.
Greg is joined on DC engagements by Myres Tilghman, Managing Director, whose 25-year career spans niche investment banks, regional firms, and multinational institutions. Before CGK, Myres spent 18 years trading international derivatives for hedge funds, which gives our sellers a rare depth of experience across the capital markets that private equity and strategic buyers actually operate in. When a buyer pushes on deal terms, financing structures, or valuation methodology, there is no gap between what the buyer knows and what we know.
Beyond credentials, we spend serious time in the DC market. We have closed deals across Washington DC, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Arlington, Alexandria, and Tysons Corner, and we keep pace with what is actually selling, what buyers are paying, and where the market is moving month to month. We have followed the Navy Yard transformation from underused industrial land into one of the most valuable submarkets in the country, and we understand why the professional corridors along Connecticut Avenue, K Street, and across Northern Virginia continue to drive deal flow. Most importantly, we know what a well-run DMV business is worth and exactly who will pay for it.
If you are considering selling a business in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia, contact our Washington DC business brokers today to start a confidential, no-obligation conversation.
CGK Business Sales, Washington, DC Office:
1050 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 888-6120
Washington DC Business Brokers: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a business broker in Washington DC? Our fees are structured as a success fee paid at closing from the sale proceeds, which means you pay nothing upfront and nothing if the business does not sell. The percentage depends on the size and complexity of the transaction, and we walk through the exact terms during our first confidential conversation.
How long does it take to sell a business in the DMV? Most engagements run 6 to 12 months from signed agreement to closing, though some businesses sell faster and some take longer. Timeline depends on how prepared the business is when we go to market, the industry, and current conditions across Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. We will give you a realistic range once we have reviewed your financials.
Will the sale of my business stay confidential? Yes. Confidentiality is absolute from the first conversation through closing. We market your business using a blind teaser that does not identify the company, and every serious buyer signs a non-disclosure agreement before receiving the Confidential Information Memorandum. Your employees, customers, competitors, and suppliers will not know the business is for sale unless and until you decide to tell them.
What size businesses do you represent? CGK works with business owners whose companies have at least $1.5 million in annual revenue and $300,000 or more in Seller's Discretionary Earnings (Owner's Cash Flow). Our unique selling process is tailored for businesses up to approximately $100 million in revenue, which covers the full range from main street to lower middle market.
How do you determine what my business is worth? We begin with a confidential valuation. We analyze three years of tax returns, your current year-to-date income statement, and your balance sheet, then normalize the financials to reflect the true Seller's Discretionary Earnings or adjusted EBITDA a buyer will inherit. From there, we apply industry multiples, market comparables, and DMV-specific conditions to deliver a defensible range of what your business is worth in today's market.
Do you represent sellers outside of Washington DC? Yes. Our Washington DC business brokers work with owners throughout the DMV, including Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Arlington, Alexandria, Tysons Corner, McLean, and the broader Maryland and Northern Virginia markets. We have also represented clients across the country through our national team.
What makes CGK different from other business brokers in Washington DC? Three things. First, our team comes out of institutional finance (private equity, investment banking, hedge funds), so we understand deal mechanics the way buyers do. Second, we run a structured, confidential bidding process rather than a passive listing, which creates real competition for your business. Third, we close more than 85 percent of the engagements we take on, compared to an industry average of less than 20 percent.
Reviews From DMV Business Owners
OUR TEAM
GregKnox
ManagingPrincipal
Greg Knox, CFA has spent his 20+ year career in investment banking, private equity, a hedge fund, and institutional trading, at institutions as Deutsche Bank, T. Rowe Price, and Wachovia. After his MBA at Cornell...(click Greg's picture to read more)
DerikPolay
ManagingDirector
Derik Polay has over twenty years of experience in distressed securities and mergers and acquisitions and seven-plus years of upper-management positions at small and middle-market businesses. Derik’s previous ... (click Derik's picture to read more)
EricLewis
ManagingDirector
Eric Lewis has over 17 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked for a breadth of companies ranging from investment banks to proprietary trading firms. Following his MBA at the University of Chicago, Eric... (click Eric's picture to read more)
JasonClendaniel
ManagingDirector
Jason Clendaniel has been in “business” since he was seven years old. Whether mowing lawns, or delivering papers, Jason learned business from the ground up. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy... (click Jason's picture to read more)
MatthewMistica
ManagingDirector
Matthew Mistica has 13+ years of experience in finance and entrepreneurship. Matthew spent 7 years in Corporate Finance working for Chevron and Shell Oil. After his MBA at the University of Houston, Matt became... (click Matthew's picture to read more)
WesMcDonough
ManagingPrincipal
Wes McDonough has over 18 years of experience in M&A, corporate finance, and entrepreneurship. Previous to CGK, Wes held numerous positions, including accounting, payroll, billing, project management, and IT/Application Support at ... (click Wes' picture to read more)
MatthewZienty
ManagingDirector
Matthew Zienty has 20+ years of financial industry experience in areas ranging from institutional equity trading, currency trading, financial sales, RIA valuations, payout/loan negotiations & compliance. He has worked for ... (click Matthew's picture to read more)
MyresTilghman
ManagingDirector
Myres Tilghman has had a 25-year career in finance, investments, and capital markets. He has worked with both niche and regional investment banks up to multinational institutions. Prior to CGK Myres spent 18 years trading international derivatives for hedge funds and ... (click Myres's picture to read more)
ThomasLennon
ManagingDirector
Mr. Thomas “Jay” Lennon is an Air Force veteran, combat aviator, and distinguished leader with 26 years’ experience leading multi-million dollar projects, finance, and organizational transitions, inside and outside of the.... (click Jay's picture to read more)
LanceHupfield
Director of Business Development
Lance Hupfeld has over 25 years of experience in sales and business development management. With a broad array of valuable experience, Lance has deep knowledge in healthcare consulting... (click Lance's picture to read more)
How to Finance a Business Acquisition
Financing a business acquisition is one of the most important steps in the buying process, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. Many first-time buyers assume they need to pay cash for the entire purchase price, or that financing a business works the same way as getting a mortgage. Neither is true. This […]
Tariffs and Small Business Valuations in 2026: How Tariff Whiplash Is Reshaping M&A
The impact of tariffs and small business valuations in 2026 has become one of the most urgent topics for business owners considering a sale, merger, or acquisition. At CGK Business Sales, we have watched a year of dramatic tariff reversals create both anxiety and opportunity in the lower and middle market. From the Supreme Court’s […]
Rising Oil Prices and Small Business Acquisitions: How the Iran Conflict Is Reshaping M&A in 2026
The escalating conflict in Iran has driven crude oil prices past $100 per barrel for the first time in years, sending shockwaves through global markets and forcing businesses of every size to reassess their cost structures. For owners of small and lower-middle-market companies, the connection between rising oil prices and small business acquisitions may not […]
Austin Office:
2720 Bee Caves Road
Austin, TX 78746
(512) 900-5960
San Antonio Office:
700 N Saint Mary's St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 526-0094
Houston Office:
1200 Smith St
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 588-0240
Dallas Office:
325 N Saint Paul St
Dallas, TX 75201
(469) 998-1968
Phoenix Office:
40 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 714-7470
Colorado Springs Office:
102 S Tejon St
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 471-0115
Denver Office:
1600 Broadway
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 974-7978
Nashville Office:
424 Church St
Nashville, TN 37219
(615) 800-7118
Louisville Office:
312 S 4th St
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 287-0332
Baltimore Office:
111 S Calvert St
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 777-5759
Washington DC Office:
1050 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 888-6120
Business Broker Resources
Whether you are buying or selling a business in Washington DC, our expert guides walk you through every step of the process:
CGK Business Sales Locations
Explore CGK Business Sales Across Our Locations
In addition to Washington DC, CGK Business Sales provides expert M&A advisory and business brokerage services through our Baltimore business brokers teams. Whether you're selling a business in the DC Metro Area or expanding your search, our experienced brokers are ready to help.
Ready to take the next step? Learn more about selling your Washington DC business with CGK.
Looking to acquire instead? Explore opportunities on our buying a business page.
Sell Your Washington DC Business by Industry
We help Washington DC business owners sell across a wide range of industries. Explore our specialized resources: