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.

Growth
December 22, 2025

EBITDA Benchmarks for Recurring Revenue Models

EBITDA is a core profitability metric for recurring revenue businesses because it highlights how efficiently predictable subscription revenue converts into operating cash flow. In 2025, mature SaaS and subscription companies typically post 25–40% EBITDA margins and command premium valuations when paired with strong retention, low churn, and Rule of 40 compliance. As markets prioritize sustainability over pure growth, businesses that balance scalable revenue with disciplined EBITDA performance earn the highest multiples.

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Growth
December 21, 2025

5 Tax Reporting Steps for Seller Financing

Seller financing requires careful tax reporting because the IRS treats it as an installment sale, spreading taxes over time as payments are received. Each payment must be properly allocated between interest income (ordinary income), return of basis (non-taxable), and taxable gain, with sellers and buyers filing the correct forms annually. Staying organized with documentation and compliant throughout the note term helps avoid penalties and preserves the tax benefits of seller financing.

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Growth
December 20, 2025

Ultimate Guide to Payroll Fraud Detection

Payroll fraud impacts 27% of businesses and often goes undetected for 18–30 months, costing an average of $383,000 per case—with small and mid-sized companies most at risk due to weaker controls. Common schemes like ghost employees, inflated hours, and payroll tax fraud can distort financial performance, derail deals, and trigger legal exposure. Strong internal controls and AI-driven detection tools can surface anomalies in months—not years—protecting valuations, financing, and trust.

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Growth
December 19, 2025

Non-Bank Lending Trends in SMB Acquisitions 2025

Non-Bank Lending Trends in SMB Acquisitions (2025) highlight a major shift in how deals are getting financed, with private credit, fintech lenders, and alternative capital sources now leading the market. Faster approvals, flexible structures, and AI-driven underwriting have made non-bank lenders the preferred option for many buyers, especially as traditional banks tighten standards. While this shift enables quicker closings and more creative deal structures, it also requires disciplined underwriting to balance speed with long-term risk.

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Growth
December 19, 2025

Small Business Exit Value Estimator

The Small Business Exit Value Estimator gives business owners a fast, data-driven snapshot of what their company could be worth in a potential sale. By factoring in revenue, profit, time in business, and industry benchmarks, it delivers a realistic valuation range to help you plan an exit, evaluate growth decisions, or understand where you stand today. Think of it as a smart starting point before moving into a deeper, professional valuation.

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Growth
December 18, 2025

Interest Income Tax on Seller Financing

In a seller-financed sale, each payment is split into principal and interest—the principal portion is generally taxed under capital gains rules, while the interest portion is taxed as ordinary income (often at a higher rate). To stay compliant, the note should clearly state an interest rate at or above the IRS Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) and you should track payments with an amortization schedule so interest is reported correctly (typically on Schedule B) and principal gain is reported via the installment-sale rules (Form 6252).

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Growth
December 18, 2025

Silver Tsunami: What It Means for Buyers

The Silver Tsunami is driving one of the largest ownership transitions in U.S. history, as millions of Baby Boomer business owners retire and bring an estimated $10 trillion in private business assets to market. With Boomers owning roughly 40% of small businesses, many of which are profitable but lack succession plans, buyers have a rare opportunity to acquire established, cash-flowing companies. Those who move early—using SBA financing, seller notes, and modern sourcing tools—can secure high-quality businesses before competition intensifies.

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Growth
December 17, 2025

How Liquidity Ratios Impact Business Valuation

Liquidity ratios play a direct role in business valuation by signaling how well a company can meet short-term obligations and withstand cash flow disruptions. Strong current, quick, and cash ratios reduce perceived risk, support higher valuation multiples, and improve financing terms, while weak liquidity often leads to discounts, stricter deal structures, or reduced leverage. In short, liquidity doesn’t just affect solvency—it materially influences price, risk premiums, and how a deal gets financed.

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Growth
December 16, 2025

Ultimate Guide to Customer Perception in M&A

Customer perception is one of the most fragile—and most valuable—assets in any merger or acquisition. With over 40% of customers changing their brand perception and more than a third reconsidering loyalty post-deal, uncertainty around pricing, service quality, and continuity can quickly translate into churn. Successful M&A outcomes depend on proactively managing trust across every phase of the transaction, from pre-deal planning through post-close integration.

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Growth
December 15, 2025

Top 5 Benefits of SBA Loans for Acquisitions

SBA loans are one of the most acquisition-friendly financing tools because they combine low equity injections, extended amortizations, and competitive pricing, which preserves cash flow and reduces the capital you need upfront. They also allow flexible proceeds (purchase price plus working capital, inventory, and some closing costs in one facility), and the government guarantee meaningfully lowers lender risk, improving approval odds for qualified buyers even when hard collateral is limited.

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Growth
December 15, 2025

Top Legal Protections for Seller Financing Deals

Seller financing can be a powerful tool to bridge valuation gaps and get deals done, but it must be structured with strong legal guardrails. Clear promissory notes, properly perfected security interests (UCC-1 filings), well-defined default and foreclosure rights, and strict compliance with disclosure and regulatory requirements are essential to protecting the seller’s capital and collateral. When layered correctly, these protections turn seller financing from a risky concession into a controlled, enforceable investment.

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Growth
December 12, 2025

Bridgepoint Reaffirms Commitment to Brevo with €500M Funding

Bridgepoint has reaffirmed its long-term conviction in Brevo by leading a €500 million funding round, reinforcing the company’s unicorn status and backing its next phase of global expansion. With ARR expected to surpass €200 million in 2025 and sustained double-digit EBITDA margins, the investment highlights Brevo’s evolution from an email tool into a full-suite customer engagement and CRM platform. The capital will accelerate AI-driven product development, North American expansion, and continued bolt-on M&A as Brevo targets €1 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

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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