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 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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

Growth
January 25, 2026

SBA 7(a) vs. Conventional Loans for business acquisition

SBA 7(a) is the go-to acquisition loan when you want maximum leverage and cash-flow-friendly terms—10% down, up to 10-year amortization, and the ability to finance goodwill—at the cost of more paperwork and a slower close. Conventional loans win when speed and deal size matter (often 30–45 day closes and $5M+ transactions), but they typically demand 20–40% down, shorter terms, and heavy collateral—making them tougher on liquidity and service businesses.

Read More

Growth
January 25, 2026

The Impact of Current Interest Rates on Business Valuations

Higher interest rates compress business valuations by raising the cost of capital (higher discount rates) and reducing how much leverage buyers can responsibly use—so the same cash flow supports a lower purchase price and multiple. Even with rate cuts in 2026, borrowing costs remain meaningfully higher than the “easy money” era, pushing deals toward seller notes, deferred payments, and other creative structures to bridge valuation gaps.

Read More

Growth
January 25, 2026

Do You Need an Industrial M&A Advisor or a Local Business Broker?

If your deal is a Main Street sale (typically under ~$2M enterprise value, mostly local buyers, simple asset purchase), a strong local business broker is usually the fastest and most cost-effective path to closing. If you’re selling a complex business (multi-site, B2B/industrial, institutional buyers, earnouts/rollover equity, cross-border, or $5M+ EV), an industrial M&A advisor earns their keep by running a structured process, expanding the buyer universe, and optimizing terms—not just price.

Read More

Growth
January 25, 2026

The Ultimate Guide to Business Acquisition Financing in 2026

Business acquisition financing in 2026 is defined by flexible capital stacks—SBA 7(a) loans, seller notes, and hybrid structures—that let buyers acquire cash-flowing businesses with as little as 5–10% cash down while preserving liquidity. With 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring daily and rates stabilizing, buyers who target a 1.25x+ DSCR and use technology-driven platforms like Clearly Acquired gain a decisive edge in sourcing, underwriting, and closing deals efficiently.

Read More

Growth
January 23, 2026

Capital One expands business banking through Brex acquisition

Capital One is acquiring Brex for $5.2B to accelerate its push into business banking by combining Brex’s spend management and corporate card platform with Capital One’s scale and balance sheet. The deal signals a broader shift toward owning the full business payments stack—cards, controls, and banking—as payments become the front door to modern financial services.

Read More

Growth
January 23, 2026

How Much Do Business Broker Fees Actually Cost in 2026?

In 2026, business broker fees are usually a success-based commission that scales with deal size—often 8%–12% under $1M, ~5%–8% blended for $1M–$25M (often tiered like Double Lehman), and ~1%–4% for $25M+ with larger retainers. Your true all-in cost can run higher once you add legal, valuation, and marketing, so the key is negotiating the tiered schedule, minimum fee, retainer crediting, and tail clause before you sign.

Read More

Growth
January 23, 2026

What is a "Multiple" and How Does it Determine Your HVAC or Plumbing Business Value?

A valuation multiple converts your HVAC or plumbing company’s earnings into a market price by applying a factor to SDE or EBITDA, reflecting what similar businesses are actually selling for. The stronger your fundamentals—recurring service contracts, reduced owner dependence, clean financials, and scale—the higher the multiple, and the bigger the jump in enterprise value from the same dollar of profit.

Read More

Growth
January 23, 2026

Understanding Healthcare Multiples: What is Your Medical Practice Worth?

Healthcare valuation multiples translate your practice’s earnings into a market-backed price tag—most commonly Adjusted EBITDA × a specialty/size-specific multiple—so even a one-turn change (e.g., 6× to 7×) can move value by millions on larger practices. Your multiple is primarily driven by specialty, scale, payer mix, margins/ancillaries (ASC, imaging, labs), provider retention, and growth visibility, which is why “same EBITDA” practices can trade at very different valuations.

Read More

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