M&A insights for business owners
Valuation multiples, buyer guides and exit planning for owners of $5M–$50M revenue businesses. Written by the team that runs the deals.
Exit Planning Guide (2026): A Step-by-Step Checklist to Prepare Your Business for Sale
Exit planning is a process, not an event. This guide walks through a step-by-step checklist to reduce diligence friction, protect value, and understand what your business could sell for.
How to Sell a Business (2026 Guide): Timeline, Process, and What Buyers Actually Care About
A complete guide to selling your business in 2026 - covering valuation, preparation, finding the right buyers, running a competitive process, and closing the deal without leaving money on the table.
EBITDA Multiples by Industry (2026): What Businesses Actually Sell For
A comprehensive guide to EBITDA multiples across every major industry in 2026 - what businesses actually sell for, what drives the multiple, and how to position your company at the top of the range.
How to Sell a $20M Revenue Business for Maximum Value
At $20M in revenue, your business attracts institutional buyers, private equity platforms, and well-funded strategics. But a premium exit demands more than scale: it requires preparation, positioning, and a process built for competitive tension. Here's how to sell for maximum value.
How to Choose a Business Broker in Canada: The Complete Guide for Owners
Not all business brokers in Canada are created equal. This guide breaks down what to look for, what to avoid, and how to choose the right advisor to sell your company for maximum value.
What's the Difference Between an Investment Banker and a Business Broker?
Investment bankers and business brokers both help owners sell companies, but the similarities often end there. Learn the key differences, when to use each, and how Breakwater M&A bridges the gap for businesses in the $5M–$50M range.
The Debt Stack: Understanding M&A Financing Beyond Bank Loans
The financing behind an acquisition is a strategic lever, not just a closing requirement. Here's how PE funds, corporate strategics, and independent sponsors structure capital to maximize returns and manage risk across the deal lifecycle.
Using Debt to Buy a Business: How Leverage Works in Acquisitions
For most business buyers, debt is not a risk. It is a tool. Here is how leverage works in acquisitions, how SBA loans make it possible, and what lenders actually look for when financing your deal.
SDE vs EBITDA: What Buyers Need to Know Before Valuing a Business
Buying a business is hard enough without confusing financial jargon. Two of the most misunderstood terms are SDE and EBITDA. They both try to answer the same question: how much money does this business really produce? But they are not interchangeable, and using the wrong one can lead to serious overpaying or walking away from a great deal.
How to Conduct Due Diligence When Buying a Business
Buying a business can be a fast track to growth, or a costly mistake. This guide walks through practical due diligence steps across finance, legal, and operations so you can separate solid acquisitions from painful surprises and move forward with confidence.
Growth Through Acquisition: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook
Thinking about buying businesses instead of building from scratch? This playbook walks through how entrepreneurs and small PE-backed operators can use acquisition as a growth engine: from identifying the right targets, to funding your deals, to integrating new teams without blowing up culture. Learn how to structure a roll-up strategy that compounds value instead of chaos.
10 Mistakes First-Time Buyers Make When Acquiring a Business
Buying a business can be the fastest way to grow, or the quickest way to blow up value. This post walks through 10 common mistakes first-time buyers make when acquiring a business and how to avoid them so your next deal actually moves your strategy forward.
Should I Sell My Company to My Employees? A Practical Guide for Owners
If you have a strong team and are thinking about succession, selling your company to your employees can be a powerful way to protect your legacy and reward the people who helped build it. This guide walks through when an employee buy-out makes sense, how it’s funded, and what to watch out for so you do not put your retirement at risk.
Management Buy-Out: How to Buy Out Your Boss
Ready to buy the business you help run? Learn how to structure the deal, secure funding, and become an owner, even with limited capital.
The PE Playbook: 9 Attacks Private Equity Use to Lower Your Valuation. How Entrepreneurs Can Defend Themselves
Private equity buyers are skilled at lowering valuations. Here are the nine tactics they use most often and how founders can protect their number.
Buying a Competitor: How to Value their Business
Buying a competitor business can fast-track your growth, but only if you evaluate the right factors. Learn how to assess synergies, cultural alignment, and deal risks before making your move.
Private Equity Rollovers: How to Sell Your Company Twice
Many founders sell too early. The private equity rollover lets you sell once for liquidity, stay in to grow with capital and expertise, and sell again for a second, larger payday. Here’s how it works and what to watch for.
How to Value a Business Before You Buy It
A practical guide for acquisition entrepreneurs on how to value a small business before submitting an LOI. Learn to normalize EBITDA, apply risk-adjusted multiples, compare similar deals, and sense-check payback periods. Includes a simple framework and advice on when to hire professionals.
What to Do If You Receive an Unsolicited Offer for Your Business
Most unsolicited offers never close, and many buyers are not “real.” This article explains how to separate serious buyers from tire-kickers, why competitive processes lead to better outcomes, and how Breakwater reduces fees if you already have a buyer at the table.
Business Valuation Explained: How Buyers Value Your Company (and How to Increase It)
Selling a business requires more than a handshake - it requires understanding your company's true value. In this comprehensive guide, we demystify business valuation methods from EBITDA multiples to discounted cash flow analysis. Discover the factors that drive buyer interest, industry-specific valuation benchmarks, and practical strategies to increase your company's worth before selling. Whether you're planning an exit this year or in five years, these valuation insights will help you maximize the wealth you walk away with when it's time to sell.