Valuing Intellectual Property in Service Businesses: Why Systems and Tech Drive Higher Multiples Service businesses can command premium valuation multiples when their expertise is converted into intellectual property (IP): documented methods, standardized delivery systems, and tech-enabled workflows
Most business owners look at their bottom line to determine what their company is worth. While earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, commonly known as EBITDA, is a standard starting point, it is rarely the final
You’ve spent months preparing, you’ve navigated the exit market, and you finally have a signed Letter of Intent (LOI) at a premium multiple. You feel like celebrating, but for most founders, this is where the real work
As we reach the tail end of Q1 2026, the market is no longer a monolith. The "Great Separation" has created two distinct groups of acquirers, each looking at your business through a completely different lens. If
Beyond the Spreadsheet: How to Value a Business That Owns No Trucks, No Inventory, and No Real Estate In 2026, the M&A market is seeing a massive surge in the "Asset-Light" sector. If you are selling a
The Great Separation: Why Some Businesses are Selling for 10x While Others Stall As we enter March 2026, the M&A headlines are telling two very different stories. On one side, we see "Average" businesses, those still operating
The gap between average and premium transactions is widening. Across multiple sectors, we’re seeing two very different outcomes for businesses that, at first glance, appear similar in size and profitability. Some are trading within predictable middle-market ranges.
Most business owners think they know what their company is worth. They look at their P&L, apply a standard industry multiple, and call it a day. But in 2026, that "manual" approach is leaving millions on the
The deal closed, the wire hit, and everything looked exactly the way he’d imagined. Three months later, he called and said, “I’m miserable. I don’t know who I am without the business.” He had planned the sale
The financials were strong. The buyer was qualified. The offer was fair. Everything was lined up for closing. Then, two days before the finish line, the seller paused. “I’m not sure I’m ready,” he said. Twenty years
