Our perspective on market forces, M&A trends, and strategic decisions shaping the future of privately held businesses.
The team at Trailhead Partners is excited to announce the successful sale of Lake Livingston Overhead Doors (LLOD) to a private individual buyer. The husband-and-wife sellers founded LLOD 30 years ago to repair and replace garage doors for residential and commercial customers in their rural community.
Read moreNWC can mean vastly different things to different buyers, and we need to compare apples to apples offers, so we have to get specific.
Read moreTrailhead Partners is pleased to announce the acquisition of Maktech Fleet Services, a commercial fleet maintenance company located in Melissa, TX, by East Fork Trinity Partners, led by Brian Baklenko.
Read moreA sell-side quality of earnings makes sense for more owners now than ever before.
Read moreIn a perfect world, brokers would act in fiduciary harmony with their clients, but we know that unfortunately isn't always true. The industry would be better as a whole if we shifted more in this direction.
Read moreAmbiguous Letters of Intent kill deals. They're a waste of time for both sides and bring consequences for sellers far in excess of the hard costs spent on the transaction.
Read moreThe availability of financing is boosting sub-$10M add-ons through more leverage and less equity. But platforms are still generating appropriate returns for buyers despite high equity investments.
Read moreThere have been calls for this shift among the lender, buyer, and broker communities for some time as each sees it as unlocking a huge chunk of available new business.
Read moreHere's a breakdown of one we closed last year. Small town Texas, small service business, very dependent on the owner. Not an easy sell.
Read moreOn Deal Flow, we go through why in the world a business owner making millions of dollars per year would sell the business; that word \"make\" and how it means different things to different people; and how owners receiving unsolicited buyer outreach benefit most from M&A advisory.
Read moreSelling a business can be messy and stressful, no matter the size. At Trailhead, we've sat in the shoes of buyers and sellers and know firsthand what the experience is really like.
Read moreThe typical M&A process takes 6-12 months from engagement to close. This includes preparation, marketing, buyer negotiations, due diligence, and closing. Well-prepared businesses with clean financials often close faster.
Business valuations in the lower middle market typically range from 3-7x adjusted EBITDA, depending on industry, growth trajectory, customer concentration, and other factors. We provide free, confidential valuation estimates to help you understand your options.
EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It's the standard measure buyers use to value businesses because it represents the cash flow available to service debt and provide returns. Adjusted EBITDA adds back owner compensation and one-time expenses.
The best time to sell is when your business is growing, profitable, and you have flexibility in timing. Market conditions, industry trends, and personal readiness all play a role. Starting the conversation 2-3 years before your ideal exit gives you time to maximize value.
M&A advisory fees are typically success-based, meaning the majority of compensation comes when a deal closes. Fees usually range from 3-10% of transaction value depending on deal size, with minimums for smaller transactions. This aligns advisor incentives with achieving the best outcome for sellers.
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