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.
Home Care Agency Valuation Multiples 2026: What is Your Business Worth?
Home care agency valuations are climbing as PE platforms and strategic buyers compete for quality providers. Here is what your home care business is worth in 2026 and how to maximize your exit.
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.
HVAC Business Valuation: 2.5x–10x Multiples in 2026
HVAC companies are selling for 2.5x to 10x EBITDA in 2026 depending on service mix, maintenance agreements, and owner dependency. See real multiples by company profile and what PE buyers are paying now.
Fire Alarm & Life Safety Company Valuation Multiples 2026: What is Your Business Worth?
Fire alarm and life safety companies are commanding premium valuations as PE platforms compete for recurring monitoring revenue. Here is what your business is worth in 2026 and how to maximize your exit.
Digital Marketing Agency Valuation Multiples 2026: What is Your Agency Worth?
Digital marketing agency valuations are climbing as PE platforms and strategic buyers compete for quality agencies. Here's what your agency is worth in 2026 and how to maximize your exit.
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.
Preparing Your Assisted Living Business to Sell to Strategic Buyers
Strategic buyers are paying premium prices for well-run assisted living facilities. Here's how to position your Assisted Living Facility (ALF) for maximum value and a successful exit in 2026.
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.
Who Buys Digital Marketing Agencies? (And What Each Buyer Type Pays)
Discover the four main buyer types for digital marketing agencies, what multiples they pay (3x to 7x EBITDA), and how to position your agency for maximum exit value in the $2M to $20M revenue range.
How to Sell a Home Services Business in Texas
Thinking about selling your Texas home services business? This guide breaks down how buyers value HVAC, plumbing, roofing, landscaping, and other home services companies in Texas, and what you can do in the next 6–24 months to increase your exit price.
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.
SaaS Valuation Multiples 2026: What is Your $1M-$5M ARR Business Worth?
For SaaS founders with $1M–$5M in ARR, valuation is not a guessing game. It is a formula. Here is what buyers are paying in 2026 and the metrics that drive the highest multiples.
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.
How to Sell a Fire Protection Company
Learn how to sell your fire protection company for maximum value. This guide covers how buyers value fire protection businesses, what to prepare before going to market, how to reduce owner dependence, and how to navigate deal structures so you can maximize your exit.
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.