M&A Advisors for Small Business Mergers & Sales

The four primary types of M&A are: (1) Horizontal mergers — combining companies in the same industry; (2) Vertical mergers — joining businesses at different supply chain stages; (3) Conglomerate mergers — uniting companies in unrelated industries; and (4) Market-extension or product-extension deals — expanding geographic reach or product lines. For small business sales, horizontal and vertical transactions are most common, and deal structure matters as much as valuation.

We conduct a complimentary Assessment of Value that reviews your last three to four years of financial statements — including income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, and seller's discretionary earnings (SDE). We also weigh industry benchmarks, market trends, comparable sales, tangible assets, and eight key value drivers such as owner dependence and customer concentration to arrive at a defensible, market-ready asking price.

Yes. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of how we operate. All initial consultations, calls, and document exchanges are held in strict confidence. We use blind summaries and confidential information memorandums (CIMs) so buyers learn about your business only after signing non-disclosure agreements. Your employees, customers, and competitors will not be aware your business is for sale unless you choose to tell them.

Most small business sales take between six months and two years from initial valuation to closing, depending on business size, industry, deal complexity, and financing. Businesses that are well-prepared — with reduced owner dependence, clean financials, and a strong management team — typically close faster and at stronger valuations. We help you prepare proactively to shorten the timeline without sacrificing value.

SDE represents the total financial benefit a single full-time owner-operator receives from the business annually, including salary, benefits, and add-backs like personal expenses run through the business. It is the most common profitability metric used to value small businesses and directly influences the multiple buyers are willing to pay. Accurate SDE calculation is critical to avoiding underpricing or deterring qualified buyers.

Valuation sets the asking price, but deal structure determines what you actually walk away with. Two offers with identical valuations can produce very different outcomes depending on payment terms, earnouts, seller financing, working capital adjustments, representations and warranties, and indemnification clauses. Chelsis Financial helps you evaluate every dimension of an offer — not just the top-line number — so your exit aligns with your real financial and personal goals.

We have advised owners across a broad range of industries including IT services and managed service providers (MSPs), dental practices, auto service businesses, fuel distribution, water purification manufacturing, healthcare testing equipment, aerospace manufacturing, metal fabrication, retail, motorsports dealerships, and more. If you own a small to mid-sized business in Indiana, Michigan, or the broader Midwest, we are well-positioned to assist.

Not at all. Most of our clients come to us before they have any buyer interest. We manage the entire process — from preparing your business for sale and establishing a fair asking price, to marketing confidentially through our Buyer Registry and 2,000+ business network, screening and qualifying interested buyers, and navigating negotiations through to closing. You focus on running your business; we handle finding the right buyer.