Case Study: Finding the Buyer Before the Business Hit the Market

When business owners think about selling, they often assume the process starts when the business is officially listed.

Sometimes, however, the right buyer is already out there.

In fact, if you work with enough business owners and buyers, you may be able to identify that buyer before the business ever reaches the market.

That was exactly what happened with the sale of a commercial property maintenance and management business.

A Business Built Around Commercial Properties

The business provided ongoing maintenance and property management services to landlords and owners of commercial properties.

Its services included everything commercial property owners need to keep their properties looking clean, maintained, and operating properly, including sweeping, day porter services, trash removal, general upkeep, and other maintenance services.

The business had built a solid customer base by providing an important service to commercial property owners: keeping their properties maintained without requiring the landlords to manage all of the day-to-day details themselves.

As the owner began considering a sale, there was one thing that was particularly important.

The seller wanted to find a buyer who understood the industry.

They didn't necessarily need someone who did exactly the same thing, but having experience working with commercial property owners and understanding their needs would make the transition much easier.

The Right Buyer Was Already in Patrick's Network

Patrick Bombardiere of Transworld Business Advisors knew that the right buyer might not come from the traditional pool of competitors.

He also knew that Transworld's network was much larger than simply the buyers actively looking at businesses for sale.

Patrick was familiar with a business owner who already served commercial landlords—but in a very limited area.

That business specialized in services such as lighting and LED replacement.

The connection was immediately interesting.

The buyer already understood the commercial property market. He already had relationships with landlords. He understood what property owners needed and, more importantly, he was looking for ways to grow his business.

The opportunity wasn't simply to buy another company.

It was a chance to expand the services he could offer to his existing and future customers.

A Natural Fit

Patrick brought the two sides together.

For the seller, the potential buyer had something they had specifically been hoping to find: experience working with commercial property owners and an understanding of the industry.

For the buyer, the acquisition provided an opportunity to expand beyond his existing specialty and add a broader range of services for commercial landlords.

The two businesses complemented each other.

The buyer could expand his offerings.

The seller could transition the business to someone who already understood the customers and the environment in which the company operated.

It was a win-win.

The Power of a Large Buyer Network

This transaction is a great example of why having access to a large network of buyers and business owners can make such a difference in a business sale.

The ideal buyer isn't always someone who sees a listing and submits an offer.

Sometimes, the best buyer is someone Patrick already knows.

Sometimes, that buyer isn't even actively looking for a business.

And sometimes, the perfect match can be identified well before the business officially comes to market.

That's one of the advantages of working with Transworld.

Patrick Bombardiere and the Transworld team are involved in a tremendous volume of transactions every year. Transworld closes approximately 200–250 business sales annually and has roughly 250 businesses listed at any given time.

That volume creates relationships.

It creates a deep understanding of what buyers are looking for, what businesses are available, and—perhaps most importantly—where the connections between the two might exist.

Why This Deal Worked

The seller didn't simply want the highest bidder.

They wanted someone who understood the industry and could successfully take the business forward.

The buyer wasn't simply looking for another company to purchase.

He was looking for an opportunity to expand his existing business and provide more services to commercial property owners.

Patrick recognized that the two goals could fit together.

The result was a successful transition that benefited both parties.

The seller found a buyer with relevant industry experience and confidence in the market.

The buyer gained an established opportunity that allowed him to expand his service offerings.

And both sides walked away happy with the result.

Sometimes the Best Buyer Is Already in the Network

One of the biggest advantages a business broker can provide isn't simply putting a business on the market.

It's knowing the market well enough to recognize a match.

When you're involved in hundreds of transactions and constantly talking with business owners and buyers, you develop a network that can uncover opportunities that might otherwise never happen.

Sometimes the best buyer is found after a business is listed.

Sometimes they're found before.

And sometimes the perfect transaction happens because someone like Patrick Bombardiere already knew both sides of the equation.

For business owners considering a sale, that's a powerful reminder:

The right buyer may already be out there. The key is having someone who knows where to look.