Sell My Business with Experts Who Get Results
Updated July 2026.
If you are thinking, I want to sell my business, the process comes down to five stages: a valuation built from comparable sales, preparation that makes your earnings provable, confidential marketing to qualified buyers, negotiation driven by competition rather than hope, and a professionally managed close. CGK closes more than 90% of the engagements we take on, against an industry average of roughly 20%.
CGK Business Sales specializes in confidential, successful exits for companies with $1.5 million or more in annual revenue and $300,000 or more in Seller’s Discretionary Earnings. We connect owners with serious, financially qualified buyers, including private equity firms, strategic acquirers, and high-net-worth individuals, and we run every sale with the discipline of an investment banking process. Local presence, national reach, always confidential.
How Do I Sell My Business? The CGK Process
- Confidential consultation. We learn about your business, your goals, and your financials. No obligation, and nothing leaves the room.
- Valuation and market strategy. We assess what your business is worth from actual comparable sales and build a targeted buyer strategy around it.
- Confidential marketing to qualified buyers only. Your business is marketed without its name across our national buyer network. No buyer learns your identity without a signed confidentiality agreement.
- Buyer vetting. Only serious, financially capable buyers get through. Vetting before disclosure is half of why our close rate is what it is.
- Deal negotiation and due diligence. We drive competition among buyers, negotiate price and terms from strength, and manage diligence so the deal keeps moving.
- Close with confidence. Coordinated legal and financial workstreams, a managed closing, and a successful exit.
What Is My Business Worth?
Every good exit starts with a real number. Most privately held businesses are priced on a multiple of Seller’s Discretionary Earnings or EBITDA, and the multiple comes from comparable transactions in your industry and size range, not from rules of thumb. Our valuations are led by a CFA charterholder, and if you are seriously considering a sale, whether that is this year or several years out, the business valuation conversation is free.
Why Business Owners Choose CGK
- A 90%+ close rate. Roughly 20% of listed businesses actually sell industry-wide. Our number comes from disciplined intake and disciplined deal management, both halves matter.
- Institutional finance pedigree. Our principals came from investment banking, private equity, and institutional trading at firms like Deutsche Bank and T. Rowe Price, and they run your deal personally.
- Maximum exposure to the right buyers. One firm, shared deal flow, and buyers sourced nationally across eleven offices.
- Strategic, confidential marketing. Your employees, customers, and competitors do not learn about the sale. Confidentiality is standard M&A discipline on every engagement.
- Skilled structuring and negotiation. Price matters, and so do cash at close, escrow terms, and transition expectations. We negotiate all of it.
Who We Work With
We typically sell companies in business services, construction and the trades, healthcare services, manufacturing, distribution, logistics and transportation, commercial cleaning, IT services, and professional services. Do not see your industry? We have sold businesses in nearly every category. The fit that matters is size: at least $1.5 million in annual revenue or $300,000 in Seller’s Discretionary Earnings, up to roughly $100 million in revenue.
When Should I Sell My Business?
The best time to sell is when your financials are documented, your reasons are clear, and buyers can finance the deal. Readiness beats the calendar every time. If you are weighing timing, our guides to market timing when selling a business and selling your business fast cover the decision in depth, and a free valuation turns the question into numbers.
What Our Clients Say
“If not for the expertise of Matthew Mistica at CGK we would have been so lost. He was patient, professional & very thorough.” Dave S.
“I am grateful for the assistance of CGK Business Sales in selling my business. They provided excellent service, were highly responsive, and helped me find the right buyer. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.” Joanne D.
“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
“Having never sold a business before I had no idea what to expect. We chose CGK because of their presentation, preparation and their energy to sell our business … Without Wes’s dedication, perseverance, ingenuity … the sale would not have happened.” Suzanne Piispanen
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to sell my business?
Most well-prepared businesses close within six to nine months of engagement, and nearly all within twelve. Preparation before going to market is what compresses the timeline.
Will my employees or customers find out?
No. Buyers see a blind profile first, sign a confidentiality agreement before your identity is revealed, and receive information in stages. Strict confidentiality is standard on every CGK engagement.
What if I am not ready to sell today?
That is common, and it is often the best time to talk. If you are seriously considering a sale at any horizon, one year or five, the valuation conversation is free, and the preparation work that raises value takes twelve to twenty-four months to do well.
Do you work with buyers too?
This page and this process are entirely seller-side: on your engagement, we represent you. Buy-side work at CGK is a separate engagement with separate representation, never mixed into your sale.
What does it cost to sell my business?
CGK works primarily on a success fee, earned when your deal closes, which keeps our incentives aligned with your outcome. Plan separately for transaction attorney and CPA fees, and structure decisions with your CPA early, because they routinely matter more than fee differences.
Ready to Sell? Let’s Talk Confidentially.
If your business meets the minimum financials and you are considering a sale, schedule a confidential consultation with our team. No obligation, just insight, strategy, and clarity. The CGK team behind the process spans eleven offices nationwide, with investment banking, private equity, and Fortune 500 finance backgrounds.