IBBA Magazine
IN THIS ISSUE: “What Makes the IBBA Different” Letter from the 2026 IBBA Chair. Plus, Selling Businesses with Bad Financials, Navigating the Minefield of Restaurant Franchise M&A, and More!
Articles
Reflections on the 2026 Annual Conference and the Culture That Sets Our Profession Apart One of the privileges of serving as Chair is getting to see our conference from a different perspective. You see the energy in the room before the first session begins. You hear the feedback in the hallways. You meet first-time attendees […]
Articles
You have worked the deal for nine months. The seller is in Colorado, the buyer is a private equity group out of Chicago, and the deal is a stock purchase with a slice of rollover equity. Diligence is done, your success fee is papered, and your firm sits squarely inside the 2023 federal M&A broker […]
Articles
For more than 30 years, I spent my career helping entrepreneurs buy and sell businesses. I sat across the table from thousands of owners discussing valuation, growth, succession planning, and exits. Over time, after enough transactions and enough experience, you start believing you have seen every situation imaginable. Then I found myself on the other […]
Articles
Restaurant franchise transactions represent a distinct segment of the lower middle market. While they benefit from established brands, standardized systems, and consistent consumer demand, they introduce structural complexities not typically present in independent business sales. Franchisor oversight, lease dependencies, and nuanced financial reporting create multiple points of friction that can disrupt otherwise viable transactions. For […]
Articles
It is unfortunate but true that approximately 65% of small businesses do not have good financials that properly reflect gross income, operating expenses, and net profit. This creates many negative issues when it comes time to sell the business. The question is whether or not the business is salable. So when a business owner makes […]
Articles
The Business Intermediary Education Fund (BIEF), in collaboration with the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), M&A Source, Shane Hansen, and numerous industry supporters, is pleased to announce that three additional states have adopted specific mergers and acquisitions (M&A) relief measures. The newly adopted states include: Wisconsin — Administrative Code, M&A Broker Exemption effective March 1, 2026 Alabama […]
Articles
Former IBBA chairman Fred Zirkle’s new book has been winning five-star reviews on Amazon. In the book, “Creating a Purposeful Life: Awakening to Freedom Through Values, Emotional Mastery, and Spiritual Clarity” Fred challenges the conventional definition of success. His message is clear: achievement alone is not enough. “After building and selling businesses valued in the […]
Press Releases
Independence, OH – June 4, 2026 – The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), the world’s largest professional trade association for Business Brokers, proudly announced the recipients of its top individual performance awards during the 2026 IBBA Annual Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “These awards recognize the exceptional accomplishments of Business Brokers who helped business owners […]
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