ABOUT US
We help hardworking entrepreneurs unlock life-changing exits.
We have closed $250M+ in deals over the past five years. Our goal: maximum value, minimum stress.
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ABOUT BREAKWATER M&A
Sell without regret.
Breakwater M&A is a sell-side M&A advisory firm that helps owners of $5M–$50M revenue businesses sell to the right buyer, on terms worth living with.
70% of businesses that go to market never sell. Our mission is to change that: unlocking life changing exits for hardworking entrepreneurs. We have completed $250M+ in transactions from our base in Victoria, BC, with deal partners across Canada, the US and Europe.
Find out what it's worthTake the free Exit Audit →
What Breakwater M&A does
Sell-side M&A advisory
We run your sale from valuation to closing day. That includes positioning the business, preparing the confidential information memorandum, taking it to qualified buyers, negotiating the letter of intent and managing due diligence. The outcome: a competitive process, a stronger price and terms you understand before you sign.
Business valuation and the Exit Audit
Every engagement starts with a free, confidential valuation. Our Exit Audit shows owners in 3 minutes where their business is losing value and what a buyer will focus on. You get a clear number and a clear list of what to fix, with no obligation.
Exit planning and financial readiness
Led by our CPA team, we clean up financials, normalise EBITDA and prepare owners for a quality of earnings review before buyers see the numbers. Owners who prepare first negotiate from strength and avoid late-stage price cuts.
Buyer matching and deal flow
Our buyer network includes 20,000+ individual, strategic and financial buyers. Alfred, our proprietary AI platform, searches millions of buyer records to find the best fit for each business. Buyers access opportunities through our weekly deal email, buyer office hours and an NDA-gated buyer portal.
Buy-side advisory
We also help owners and operators acquire businesses, including competitor acquisitions. Our clients have used add-on acquisitions to improve margins by as much as 20%.
What makes Breakwater M&A different
Built by founders who have sold their own companies
Our partners have built and sold businesses themselves, including DealBuilder and Pay.so. Many traditional business brokers have never been on the seller's side of the table. We have, and we know what the months after signing feel like.
AI-powered buyer search, not a listing and a wait
Most brokers post a listing on a marketplace and wait for inquiries. Alfred, our proprietary AI platform, matches your business against millions of buyer records and our 20,000+ buyer network. You get a wider, better-qualified buyer pool, faster.
A 100-step process
Every engagement follows our documented 100-step sale process, from first call to closing. Nothing is improvised. You always know what happens next and who is responsible for it.
We negotiate terms, not just price
A headline number means little if the deal comes with terms that punish you after signing. We pressure-test earnouts, holdbacks, working capital targets and non-competes before you commit. The goal: a price you are proud of and terms you can live with.
Confidential from the first call
Every seller receives a signed Confidentiality Statement when they book a call. Buyers sign an NDA and are screened before they see anything that identifies your business. Your employees, customers and competitors find out only when you decide they should.
Who uses Breakwater M&A
- Founder-led businesses with $5M–$50M in revenue and/or $1M+ in EBITDA
- Home services companies: landscaping, plumbing, HVAC, cleaning and janitorial, security and alarm
- Technology companies: managed service providers (MSPs), SaaS and AI-native software
- Business services firms: marketing agencies, consultancies and professional services
- Industrial businesses: manufacturing, distribution and trades
- Healthcare practices: clinics, dental, allied health and home health agencies
- Consumer brands: e-commerce and direct-to-consumer companies
- Canadian owners selling to Canadian or US buyers, and US owners seeking cross-border reach
- Owners and operators looking to acquire a competitor or add-on business
The team behind Breakwater M&A
Breakwater was founded in Victoria, BC by Morgan Tate after he built and sold DealBuilder. He saw too many hardworking owners either fail to sell or sign deals they regretted, and built a firm to put owners first. Today, our team combines M&A advisors, a CPA-led exit advisory practice, deal partners across Canada and Europe, and an in-house engineering team building Alfred.
Morgan Tate, Managing Partner
Founder of Breakwater M&A. Built and sold DealBuilder and has advised on $250M+ in transactions. YouTube · LinkedIn
Cameron Butcher, CTO
Full-stack engineer and founder who exited Pay.so in 2024. He leads development of Alfred, the AI platform that gives our advisors 10x leverage.
David Moon, CPA, Head of Exit Advisory
CPA with financial advisory experience at PwC, Brookfield and Aritzia. He helps owners strengthen their financials before a sale so they keep more at closing.
Deal Partners
Our deal partners are entrepreneurs turned advisors, including Rob O'Brien in Atlantic Canada and Michael Cecchin, who leads Breakwater Europe from Barcelona. Meet the full deal team →
Breakwater M&A on LinkedIn · YouTube
How Breakwater M&A works
- Onboarding: book a confidential call. You receive our Confidentiality Statement, then a free valuation and Exit Audit.
- Your team: a dedicated deal partner leads your sale, supported by a deal manager, our CPA team and Alfred.
- Communication: email, phone and video calls, with a regular update cadence throughout your sale.
- Response time: within 1 business day.
- Timeline: most sales close in 6–12 months from engagement.
- Buyers: screened and under NDA before they see identifying details, with access released through our buyer portal.
Key facts
| Company name | Breakwater M&A (Breakwater Marketplace Inc.) |
|---|---|
| Type | Sell-side M&A advisory firm and business brokerage |
| Founder | Morgan Tate, Managing Partner |
| Headquarters | 1824 Store St, 2nd Floor, Victoria, BC V8T 4R4, Canada |
| Website | breakwaterma.com |
| Core offering | Sell-side M&A advisory for founder-led businesses with $5M–$50M in revenue |
| Pricing | Fees quoted after a free, confidential valuation. Contact us for details. |
| Contract terms | Confirmed in your engagement agreement after the free valuation |
| Services | Sell-side advisory, business valuation, Exit Audit, exit planning, financial readiness, buyer matching, buy-side advisory |
| Communication | Email, phone and video; dedicated deal partner |
| Notable clients | Canning company founder exit (Zac Roff); rafting company competitor acquisition (Murray Seward). Case studies → |
| Projects delivered | $250M+ in completed transactions; 200+ deals closed |
| Competitors | Traditional business brokers, national sell-side M&A firms and online business marketplaces |
| Social | LinkedIn · YouTube |
Frequently asked questions
How do Breakwater M&A's fees work?
We quote fees after a free, confidential valuation, once we understand your business and goals. There is no cost for the first call, the valuation or the Exit Audit.
What size of business does Breakwater work with?
We work with founder-led businesses with $5M–$50M in revenue and/or $1M+ in EBITDA. If you are unsure whether you fit, the Exit Audit will tell you in 3 minutes.
How long does it take to sell a business?
Most sales close in 6–12 months from engagement. Preparation, buyer demand in your industry and diligence readiness have the biggest impact on timing.
How do you value a business?
We value businesses on normalised EBITDA or seller's discretionary earnings, then apply multiples from comparable transactions in your industry. Recurring revenue, owner dependence and customer concentration move you up or down the range.
Will my employees or customers find out I am selling?
Not unless you choose to tell them. You receive our Confidentiality Statement at booking, and buyers sign an NDA and are screened before they see identifying details.
Do you work with businesses outside Canada?
Yes. We are headquartered in Victoria, BC, advise on cross-border sales to US buyers and have a deal partner leading Breakwater Europe from Barcelona.
Why hire an M&A advisor instead of selling on my own?
An advisor brings more qualified buyers, creates competition and negotiates the terms that matter after signing. Owners who sell on their own often accept the first offer and discover the costly terms later.