Martin The Biz Broker

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Martin The Biz Broker Martin Navarro, CM&AP. I help business owners prepare, value and sell their businesses, and help buyers find the right opportunities. CA DRE #02372118

Certified M&A Professional, Kennesaw State University. Confidential and professional.

10/24/2026

A lot of business owners ask me the same question lately. Is anybody actually buying businesses right now?

The answer is yes. But buyers have gotten a lot more selective.

National numbers from Q3 2026 show fewer businesses sold compared to last year, yet the median sale price jumped 17%. Buyers are still out there with money. They are just waiting for the right fit.

Here in Los Angeles and Ventura County, the businesses getting the most attention are the essential ones. Think HVAC and plumbing companies, auto repair shops, dental and therapy practices, commercial cleaning, and B2B service companies with steady contracts.

Why those? Because people need them in good times and bad. Buyers and lenders both love that kind of stability.

The common thread is simple. Repeat customers, clean books, and an owner who is not doing every single job personally.

If you own one of these businesses, your timing may be better than you think.

What industry is your business in? Comment below and I will share what buyers are saying about it.

10/24/2026

Due diligence is the buyer verifying everything you told them: earnings, taxes, contracts, customers, and people. It often takes 45 to 90 days. Slow documents and numbers that do not tie stretch it out, and long diligence gives the buyer room to renegotiate. Diligence yourself first, and theirs becomes confirmation.

10/23/2026

A lot of people in LA tell me the same thing lately. I make good money, but I do not own anything.

If that sounds familiar, buying an existing business might be worth a look.

Here is the simple version of how the math works. You look at what the business pays its owner, called SDE. You subtract the loan payment. What is left is your income.

Example: a business producing $300,000 a year for its owner, bought with about 10 percent down and an SBA loan, could leave you around $165,000 a year after the loan payment. That is before taxes and any reinvestment, but it gives you a real starting point.

And the part people miss: when the loan is paid off, that payment turns into more income for you.

It is not passive. You will work. But you are building an asset instead of someone else's.

Have you ever thought about buying a business instead of starting one? Comment below and tell me what is holding you back.

10/23/2026

The LOI is not the finish line. Between LOI and closing, the buyer confirms your earnings, the lender underwrites, lawyers draft the purchase agreement, and landlords and key customers sign off. Your numbers have to hold the whole time. Prepare before the LOI and you protect your price after it.

10/23/2026

Martin Navarro is now a Certified M&A Professional (CM&AP).

The program from Kennesaw State University and M&A Source trains advisors to sell established companies the way larger buyers expect: clean financials, defended valuations, smart tax structure and a competitive process.

What that means for you as an owner:
- You know what your business is worth, and why, before you list it
- Surprises at closing (working capital, debt-like items) are handled up front
- More qualified buyers competing for your company
- Options beyond a straight sale, built around your goals

Thinking about selling in the next one to five years? Send me a message for a confidential conversation.

CA DRE #02372118

10/22/2026

Almost every owner I talk to about selling says some version of the same thing. I just do not want my employees to get hurt.

I get it. Your team shows up for you every day. Some of them have been there since the beginning.

Here is the good news. In most small business sales, the buyer wants to keep your employees. A trained team is one of the main reasons they are buying an existing business instead of starting from scratch.

A few things worth knowing:

In an asset sale, you pay out final wages and accrued vacation at closing, and the buyer rehires your staff.

In a stock sale, the company itself changes hands, so employment continues as is.

Most owners wait until closing is near to tell their team. That protects both the deal and the employees.

The best thing you can do is plan ahead. Document how things run, identify your key people, and talk with your broker about retention before you list.

If you are a business owner, what is your biggest concern about your team if you ever decide to sell? Comment below.

10/22/2026

Exclusivity in an LOI means you stop talking to every other buyer. It is usually binding even when the price is not. Before you sign, keep the window short, tie it to milestones, and make sure competition already pushed your price as high as it will go. Once you sign, your leverage leaves the room.

10/21/2026

If you own a business that leases its space, this one is for you.

When you sell, your buyer usually needs to take over your lease. That process is called a lease assignment, and it surprises a lot of owners.

Most commercial leases say the landlord has to approve the new tenant. That means your landlord will want to see the buyer's financials, credit, and experience. They will almost always ask the buyer for a personal guarantee.

Here is the part many sellers miss. Unless your landlord signs a release, you may still be responsible for the lease after you sell. That is worth negotiating up front.

Buyers, pay attention to how much time is left on the lease. If you are using an SBA loan, the lender will want enough lease term to match the loan.

The best move for both sides is to read the lease early and talk to the landlord before the deal gets too far along.

Have you ever had a landlord slow down a sale or a move? Comment below and share what happened.

10/20/2026

A lot of business owners I talk to have the same quiet worry.

Who is going to take care of my people when I step away?

One answer more owners should consider is a management buyout. That is when your own managers or key employees buy the business from you.

It works better than most people expect. Your team already knows the customers, the equipment, the vendors, and the way things get done. Customers stay. Employees stay. The business keeps running.

The challenge is usually money. Most managers do not have the full purchase price sitting around. So these deals are typically built with a mix of an SBA loan, some cash from the buyers, and a portion financed by the seller over a few years.

The key is treating it like a real sale. Get the business properly valued. Put the terms in writing. Do not discount the price just because you like the person buying it.

Done right, an MBO can be one of the cleanest exits out there.

Have you ever thought about selling to someone on your team? Comment below, I would like to hear what is holding owners back.

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Los Angeles, CA

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