Main Street To Mid-Street Acquisition & Financing News

Expert insights, funding strategies, and practical guidance for securing capital, financing growth, and navigating business acquisitions. Whether you're raising capital for expansion, restructuring debt, or exploring your first acquisition, our blog provides the knowledge and resources to help you succeed.

Clearly Acquired is reshaping small business M&A by giving sellers accurate valuations and massive buyer reach, buyers a single-pane search with CLARA’s underwriting intelligence, and lenders fully prepared, credit-box-aligned deals. It eliminates friction, guesswork, and inefficiency from the acquisition process. This is the future of buying and selling businesses

Growth
January 30, 2026

Revenue Multiples vs. EBITDA: How SaaS and MSP Companies are Really Valued

SaaS and MSP companies are valued differently because buyers underwrite different “engines” of value: SaaS is typically priced on ARR/revenue multiples when growth and retention are the main story, while MSPs are usually priced on Adjusted EBITDA multiples because predictable cash flow and service delivery margins drive returns. As SaaS matures (slower growth, stronger profitability), it often shifts toward EBITDA-based valuation, but MSPs rarely command true SaaS-style revenue multiples unless they’ve built highly recurring, productized revenue with exceptional margins and low concentration.

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Growth
January 30, 2026

5 Signs Your Agency or IT Firm is Ready for a Strategic Acquisition

If your agency or IT firm has clean, profitable financials, scalable operations that don’t rely on the owner, a clear niche with low client concentration, a stable leadership team, and a credible post-sale growth roadmap, you’re signaling strong readiness for a strategic acquisition. Buyers pay premiums for businesses that reduce risk today and clearly show how they can grow tomorrow, especially when that preparation starts 12–24 months before going to market.

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Growth
January 30, 2026

South Carolina Guide to Selling a SaaS Software

This South Carolina Guide to Selling a SaaS Software Business provides a state-specific roadmap for founders preparing to sell their SaaS company, with a focus on valuation, tax compliance, legal requirements, and buyer expectations. It explains how SaaS is taxed in South Carolina, outlines common deal structures and ARR multiples, and walks sellers through preparation, marketing, due diligence, and closing. The guide is designed to help SaaS owners maximize value while avoiding regulatory, financial, and transaction pitfalls unique to South Carolina.

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Growth
January 29, 2026

How to Keep Your Sale Confidential from Employees and Competitors

Keeping a business sale confidential protects valuation and deal certainty—one leak can trigger employee churn, customer anxiety, and competitors using the situation against you. The best approach is layered: use strong NDAs and blind marketing, pre-screen buyers, and release information in phases (teaser → NDA → LOI → data room) using secure tools like virtual data rooms and separate communication channels. By controlling when and how sensitive details are shared—and meeting off-site when needed—you reduce retrades, keep operations stable, and stay in control of the process.

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Growth
January 29, 2026

How to Sell a Small Business Guide

Selling a small business is a multi-step process that typically takes 6–12 months and requires careful planning to protect value and avoid last-minute retrades. This guide walks owners through preparing financials, valuing the business, increasing attractiveness to buyers, marketing confidentially, and structuring a clean, financeable deal. With early preparation—ideally 18–24 months out—owners can maximize price, reduce risk, and achieve a smoother, more predictable exit.

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Growth
January 27, 2026

Local vs. National Business Brokers

Local and national business brokers serve different roles depending on deal size, buyer profile, and complexity. Local brokers excel in hands-on, community-focused transactions under ~$5M, while national brokers are better suited for larger or multi-location businesses that require broader buyer reach, advanced marketing, and access to institutional capital.

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Growth
January 27, 2026

How to Value a Business with Under $2M in Revenue.

Valuing a business with under $2M in revenue centers on calculating Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE), normalizing financials, and applying appropriate market multiples—typically 2x to 4x—based on industry, risk, and owner dependence. The most accurate valuations blend income-based, market-based, and asset-based methods while adjusting for factors like customer concentration, recurring revenue, and the business’s ability to operate without the owner.

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Growth
January 26, 2026

The Complete Guide to M&A for Lower-Middle-Market Companies

Lower-middle-market M&A is where most real-world deals happen: companies are big enough to be complex, but still owner-influenced and often under-institutionalized—so preparation and process discipline drive outcomes. This guide breaks down the full lifecycle (sourcing, valuation, diligence, structure/financing, and post-close integration) so buyers and sellers can reduce surprises, negotiate cleaner terms, and actually realize the value they underwrite.

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Growth
January 26, 2026

Strategic vs. Financial Buyers of Lower Middle Market Companies

Strategic buyers (operating companies) buy lower middle market businesses for synergies, so they often justify higher multiples and prefer cleaner, cash-heavy structures—but typically integrate hard, which can change leadership, brand, and headcount. Financial buyers (PE, family offices, independent sponsors) underwrite standalone cash flow and a 5–7 year exit, so they more often structure deals as cash + rollover equity (and sometimes earnouts), keeping management in place so the seller can get a “second bite” on the eventual resale.

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Growth
January 26, 2026

How to Survive Due Diligence for Lower Middle Market Companies

Lower middle market due diligence (roughly $10M–$100M enterprise value) is won or lost on preparation: clean financials (3–5 years, QoE + adjusted EBITDA support), tight legal/contract documentation, and organized operational + IT evidence that proves the business runs predictably without surprises. Build a structured virtual data room early, address the usual landmines (customer concentration, working-capital normalization, contingent liabilities, related-party items), and run all buyer requests through one accountable point of contact to keep momentum and protect valuation.

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Growth
January 25, 2026

Florida Guide to Selling a Manufacturing Firm

This Florida Guide to Selling a Manufacturing Firm walks owners through how to prepare, value, market, negotiate, and close the sale of a manufacturing business in Florida. It highlights Florida-specific factors like deal structure choices, documentation and compliance expectations, buyer profiles, and tax planning in a state with no personal income tax.

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Growth
January 25, 2026

The Role of an Investment Bank (Business Brokerage) in a $20M Sale.

In a $20M sale, an investment bank/business brokerage acts as the quarterback—tightening your EBITDA story, packaging the business into a CIM, and running a competitive process (often 150–300 targeted buyers) to drive the highest price and cleanest terms. You’re typically paying a retainer plus ~4–5% success fee, but the right banker can more than cover that by creating bidder tension, surfacing non-obvious strategic buyers, and negotiating deal structure (cash vs earnout vs rollover) to maximize total proceeds.

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Acquire Quality. Fund Growth. Close with Confidence.

As an AI-driven Business Acquisition Marketplace and Financing Platform, we are on a mission to simplify and accelerate the MainStreet to MidStreet lending and acquisition ecosystem.

We specialize in technology that supports price discovery, identity verification and financial qualification, and buy-side tools to help searchers source and manage deal flow, make offers, secure lending/financing solutions, and close with confidence.

illustration of team with digital platform

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions by users that are looking to buy businesses on Clearly Acquired:

How can I show business owners I'm a legitimate buyer and that I'm interested?

With a Clearly Verified account, you can instill confidence in other users, brokers and sellers that you are, who you say you are, when you "verify" your identify.  This is the key to instilling confidence in the users on the platform,  gaining traction and getting instant access to financials, supporting data and insight to quickly move to making an offer or moving on.   This will save you months of wasted time and expedite the closing of a sale.

How are my finances verified?

Using financial technology the Clearly Acquired Platform safely and securely verifies your finances, to help sellers understand your closing capability and help lenders expedite your financing. Additionally, the buy-side deal room will help you get your documentation in order, to prepare you for the debt and equity financing you will need to close your acquisition.

Can I get in touch with advisors to help support me in this process?

The Clearly Acquired team is here to support you on your business acquisition or business sale journey. That said, the platform is designed to connect you with a community of users, who are identify verified, which include: investors, lenders, advisors, brokers, consultants, and other buyers who are looking for partners.  

What is a Deal Hub?

The Deal Hub is the central repository for all transaction-related activities on our business acquisition platform. It serves as a secure and organized space where buyers and sellers can access critical information and manage the entire acquisition process efficiently. The Deal Hub is divided into two main components: the Data Room and the Deal Rooms.

Data Room: The Data Room is a secure, virtual storage space where sellers can upload and share essential documents related to their business. This includes financial statements, legal contracts, operational reports, and other due diligence materials. Buyers can access these documents to conduct thorough evaluations and make informed decisions. The Data Room ensures that all sensitive information is protected and only accessible to authorized parties.

Deal Rooms: The Deal Rooms are dedicated spaces for each business listing where buyers and sellers can collaborate and negotiate terms. Each Deal Room is equipped with tools for real-time communication, document sharing, and tracking the progress of the deal. This streamlined environment facilitates transparent and efficient interactions, helping to expedite the acquisition process and ensuring that both parties are aligned at every stage.

The Deal Hub's comprehensive and secure infrastructure simplifies the complexities of business acquisitions, providing a seamless experience for all users involved.

What is Plaid?

Plaid is a financial technology company that provides a secure and seamless way to connect and interact with financial institutions. It enables applications to access users' financial data with their consent, facilitating a wide range of services such as identity verification, account authentication, and transaction history retrieval. Plaid's robust API infrastructure ensures high security, reliability, and compliance with regulatory standards.

By integrating Plaid, Clearly Acquired can offer a secure, efficient, and reliable method for identity verification, building trust among users and ensuring the integrity of the acquisition process.

I am new to the idea of business acquisition, where can I get more information on how to get started?

Make sure to check out our Educational Course on Business Acquisition that is offered in our paid plans for buyers: From Purchase to Profit: Mastering the Art of Business Acquisition.

This Membership Course for buyers is designed to empower individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the business acquisition process successfully. Whether you're a first-time buyer or an experienced entrepreneur, our course equips you with the tools and insights needed to make informed decisions and achieve your acquisition goals. Join us and embark on your journey to buying a business with Clearly Acquired.

Easy as 1, 2, 3

Create Your Account. Get Verified. Start Searching.

1

Create an account

Every day, lenders, investors, brokers, and sellers come to Clearly Acquired looking for qualified operators like you. Creating an account and getting verified helps you stand out and build trust.

2

Build your profile

Build your profile to get matched with capital and opportunities. Showcase your expertise and resume, to connect with the right capital and acquisition partners—making every opportunity count.

3

Search & Connect

Browse Verified listings, source off-market deals, & manage deal flow with powerful tools to underwrite opportunities, and connect with capital to streamline the entire acquisition and funding process

Join the Clearly Acquired Search Community

Create Your Profile & Get Verified for Free