Building on Our Success: The Next Chapter of IBBA

Dear IBBA Members,

There is a lot to be proud of at IBBA right now.

Membership is at an all-time high. We have a record number of Certified Business Intermediaries. Member satisfaction and engagement are at historic levels. Conference attendance over the past several years has been incredibly strong, and financially, IBBA is in the best position in its history.

None of that happened overnight. It is the result of years of work by our members, past Boards and Chairs, committees, instructors, volunteers, and our management team that supports IBBA every day.

We have built something special.

And when an organization is doing this well, it is the perfect time to look ahead and ask how we can build on that success and become even stronger.

That is why we launched the IBBA Next Chapter Initiative.

Why Now?

Our profession is changing, and it is changing quickly.

Artificial intelligence and technology are advancing at an incredible pace. Private equity continues to move downstream. New buyer groups, service providers, educational platforms, and competitors are entering our space. Buyers and sellers have access to more information than ever before, and their expectations continue to evolve.

We cannot know exactly what business brokerage will look like five, ten, or twenty years from now. But we can make sure IBBA is thinking about it today.

The Next Chapter Initiative is about taking a thoughtful look at where our profession is headed, how we may need to adapt, and what IBBA can do to remain relevant, continue to lead our industry, and become even stronger in the years ahead.

We are not looking to move away from what has made IBBA successful.

We want to build on it.

One of Our Most Significant Initiatives

The Next Chapter Initiative is one of the most significant strategic endeavors IBBA has undertaken in many years.

We have approximately 50 to 60 IBBA members participating across several different groups, bringing different backgrounds, levels of experience, markets, business models, and perspectives to the process.

We have also engaged Tecker International, a firm that specializes in helping associations with strategic thinking and planning, to help guide us through this work. Their process brings together different groups and perspectives, examines where we are today and what is happening around us, and ultimately helps turn those conversations into a longer-term vision and priorities.

We are putting a tremendous amount of time and thought into this because the opportunity deserves it.

There is no predetermined outcome. We want honest conversations and different opinions. We want people challenging each other’s thinking. We want to understand what we do exceptionally well, where our industry is going, and where opportunities may exist for IBBA and our members.

And hopefully, we uncover some great ideas none of us have thought about yet.

Building on What Makes IBBA Special

As we look toward the future, I think it is equally important to remember what got us here.

For me, one of the greatest strengths of IBBA has always been its people and their willingness to help one another.

We work in a competitive industry, yet IBBA members openly share their knowledge and experiences. I cannot tell you how many times throughout my career I have called another member about something happening in a deal and asked, “Have you ever dealt with this?”

Usually somebody has.

And usually they are willing to help.

That willingness to share, teach, mentor, and help another broker become better is a big part of what makes IBBA special. I have personally benefited from it throughout my career, and I know many of you have too.

Technology will change. Buyers will change. Deal structures will change. The way we do our jobs will undoubtedly change.

But the value of having a strong professional community around us will not.

Whatever comes from this initiative, that is something worth protecting and continuing to strengthen.

Looking Ahead

We are still in the middle of the Next Chapter Initiative, and there is a lot of work ahead.

I am extremely appreciative of the 50 to 60 members who have agreed to give their time, experience, and ideas to this effort. They have businesses to run and deals to close, yet they are making time for this because they care about IBBA and the future of our profession.

We will have much more to share with you as the process continues.

For now, I simply wanted you to know what we are working on and, more importantly, why we are doing it.

IBBA is stronger today because a lot of people before us cared enough to invest in its future.

Now we have that same opportunity.

My hope is that we take everything that has made IBBA successful, protect what makes it special, build on that foundation, and continue evolving as our profession changes around us.

If we do this right, the real measure of success will not be what IBBA looks like at the end of 2026. It will be whether the work we are doing today helps make IBBA even stronger five, ten, and twenty years from now.

That is what the Next Chapter Initiative is all about.

I am genuinely excited to see where it takes us, and I look forward to sharing that journey with all of you.

With appreciation,