Why Choose Arx Over Other Business Brokers

At Arx, we bring a level of sophistication, technology, and expertise to the $1M-$25M market that legacy firms simply can’t match. Here’s exactly how we’re different - and why it matters to your bottom line.

The Gap We Fill: Between Main Street Brokers and Investment Banks

If you’ve built a business doing $1M-$25M in revenue, you’ve created something exceptional. Only 9% of businesses ever reach $1M in annual sales - you’re already in rare company. You’ve overcome the challenges that cause 80% of businesses to fail in their first decade. You’ve built a team, developed systems, and created real value.

But when it comes time to sell, you face a frustrating reality. Main Street brokers don’t have the sophistication required to properly evaluate and market a business like yours - they’ll post your listing on BizBuySell and hope someone responds.

Real estate agents aren’t equipped to handle the complexity of selling an operating business. Investment banks won’t take your call unless you’re doing $50M+ in revenue.

You’re stuck in the middle. Your business deserves exceptional representation, but you can’t get it.

That’s the exact gap Arx was built to fill. We bring investment-bank processes and sophistication down to the lower middle market. Modern technology, proven methodology, and personal attention - without the bureaucracy and minimum deal sizes that make traditional investment banks inaccessible. You get white-glove service designed specifically for businesses in the $1M-$25M sweet spot.

See our proven process that delivers results for businesses just like yours.

The Broker Problem: Why Most Sellers Are Frustrated

Let’s be honest about what’s broken in this industry. Most of the horror stories you’ve heard about business brokers are true.

If you’ve talked to other business owners who’ve sold - or tried to sell - you’ve probably heard the complaints. Maybe you’ve experienced them yourself. The problems aren’t random bad luck. They’re structural. And understanding them helps you see why we built Arx the way we did.

“Buying the Listing” With Fantasy Valuations

Here’s how it usually works: A broker tells you your business is worth $2 million. You’re thrilled. You sign the engagement. Then your business sits on the market for 18 months while you turn down real offers at $1.2 million - because your broker said it was worth more.

This is called “buying the listing.” Brokers quote fantasy valuations to win your business, knowing the market will eventually force a price correction. Meanwhile, your listing goes stale, serious buyers move on, and your reputation suffers. When you finally sell at the real market value, you’ve wasted two years and probably left money on the table from frustrated negotiations.

We don’t do this. Our valuations are data-driven and defensible. If we can’t justify a price to sophisticated buyers and their lenders, we won’t quote it to you. We’d rather lose a listing than waste your time.

Dual Representation and Divided Loyalty

Many brokers represent both buyers and sellers. Think about that for a moment. When there’s a conflict - and there’s always a conflict - whose interests come first?

If a broker has a buyer client ready to close, are they pushing you toward that buyer to collect two commissions? When negotiating price, are they advocating for you or trying to keep their buyer happy? You’ll never know for sure.

At Arx, we represent sellers exclusively. No buyer clients. No dual agency. No wondering whose side we’re on.

Ghosting and Communication Breakdowns

Studies show roughly 40% of brokers never respond to initial buyer inquiries. Think about that - nearly half of potential buyers for your business never even get a callback.

Sellers fare little better. Months go by without meaningful updates. When you do reach your broker, you get vague reassurances instead of real information. Response times stretch to weeks, even for serious matters.

This isn’t laziness - it’s economics. Most brokers are juggling too many listings with too few resources. They’re overwhelmed, so they triage. Your deal might not make the cut.

We have clear communication standards. You’ll know what’s happening with your deal, and buyer inquiries get prompt attention. Because a missed buyer inquiry is a missed opportunity to create competition for your business.

Sloppy Documentation That Kills Deals

Buyers walk away from deals all the time. The most common reason? They can’t get straight answers about the financials.

Too many brokers list businesses without proper documentation. The P&L doesn’t reconcile. Add-backs don’t match the numbers. Questions go unanswered because the broker never collected the information. Sophisticated buyers see this and run - they assume if the broker is sloppy, the business might be too.

We won’t list your business until your financial story is clean and defensible. It takes more work upfront, but it means buyers trust what they see. And trust closes deals.

Hidden Fees and Surprise Charges

You signed up for a success fee. Then came the retainer. Then the marketing fee. Then the “document preparation” charge. By the time you’re done, you’ve paid thousands before your business even sells - and you’re locked into an agreement you can’t escape.

Our model is simple: success fee only. No upfront costs. No retainers. No monthly charges. No hidden fees that appear after you’ve signed. We share the risk with you.

Post-and-Pray Marketing

Most brokers’ “marketing strategy” is simple: post your business on BizBuySell, email their internal database, and hope. That’s it. They’re waiting for buyers to come to them.

This is passive, and passive doesn’t create competition. Competition drives higher offers. Without it, you’re negotiating with whatever single buyer happened to see your listing - and they know they’re the only option.

We actively reach out to hundreds of targeted buyers in the first four weeks. Competitors. Strategic acquirers. Private equity groups. Industry roll-ups. We create competition because competition drives up your price.

Inexperience Dressed Up as Expertise

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: there’s no meaningful licensing requirement to become a business broker in most states. Real estate agents “do business brokerage” on the side. People with no M&A training hang out a shingle after watching a few YouTube videos.

They’ll use generic industry multiples instead of real valuation analysis. They won’t understand deal structures, tax implications, or how to position your business to different buyer types. And you won’t know until it’s too late.

Our team has decades of actual deal experience. Our founder has built and sold his own business. We have in-house financial expertise including a CPA and Certified Financial Valuation Analyst. This isn’t theory for us - it’s what we do every day.

These problems aren’t universal. Good brokers exist. But they’re rare, and finding them requires knowing what to look for.

The sections below explain exactly how Arx addresses each of these issues - and what you should demand from any broker you consider.

What Makes Arx Different

Here are the specific advantages that set Arx apart - and deliver more value to your bottom line.

Your Interests Come First - Always

We represent sellers exclusively. No buyer clients. No conflicts. No divided loyalty.

This matters more than most owners realize. When a broker represents both buyers and sellers, whose interests come first when there’s a conflict? If they have a buyer client ready to close and your business fits their needs, are you getting the highest possible price - or are you getting matched to an existing client? You’ll never know.

At Arx, every decision we make is about maximizing YOUR outcome. We’re always negotiating for your highest price and best terms. There’s no wondering whose side we’re really on - we work for you alone. When it comes time to negotiate price, terms, or deal structure, you want someone in your corner with absolutely no divided interests.

Most brokers can’t say this. We can.

We’ve Walked This Path and Know Every Step

Our founder, Brecht Palombo, has built, grown, and successfully sold his own business. He understands what it means to put nearly a lifetime of work into a business - and what it takes to exit at full value.

This matters because selling a business isn’t just a financial transaction. It’s emotional. It’s personal. You’ve poured years into building something you’re proud of. The idea of handing it over to someone else - or worse, watching the deal fall apart - is stressful in ways most brokers will never understand.

Brecht has been in your shoes. He’s dealt with the anxiety of due diligence, the uncertainty of negotiations, and the weight of making the right choice for his company’s future. This lived experience - combined with our team’s collective expertise - creates both empathy and expertise that theoretical knowledge simply can’t match.

We bring nearly three decades of deal-making experience to business brokerage - hundreds of millions in complex commercial transactions. This isn’t our first rodeo. It’s what we do.

We Don’t Wait for Buyers - We Hunt Them Down

Here’s a test: Ask any broker to describe their exact outreach process for finding buyers. If they can’t give you specifics - if they talk about “marketing” or “leveraging our network” without details - they’re a post-and-pray broker.

Post-and-pray brokers post your business on listing websites, email their internal database (if they have one), and hope for responses. That’s it. They’re waiting for buyers to come to them.

We don’t wait. We hunt.

For every deal, we conduct direct outreach to hundreds of targeted buyers within the first 4 weeks. We use our proprietary database of tens of thousands of companies, AI-powered research tools, and a 40-person global research team to identify every potential buyer - competitors, strategic acquirers, private equity groups, and industry roll-ups.

This creates competition. And competition drives better offers.

Typical results? 50-150 signed NDAs. 10-20 qualified meetings. 5-15 formal letters of intent. When you have multiple buyers competing for your business, you’re negotiating from strength. When you have one buyer from a listing website, you’re negotiating from weakness.

Learn exactly how we find buyers for your business.

Financial Precision That Uncovers Hidden Value

Every evaluation is led by an experienced M&A professional and backed by a CPA and Certified Financial Valuation Analyst.

Main Street brokers don’t have this capability. They’ll use industry “rules of thumb” - maybe 2-3x EBITDA for your industry, call it a day. But your business isn’t average. There are nuances in your financial structure, hidden value in your customer relationships, strategic advantages that simple multiples miss entirely.

We use multiple valuation approaches to triangulate the most accurate value. More importantly, we look beyond the numbers to identify strategic value that financial-only valuations overlook.

This sophistication matters when it comes time to position your business to buyers. We know how to tell your value story in ways that resonate with different buyer types. That’s the difference between a commodity transaction and a strategic sale.

See what happens in our evaluation process.

Competition Drives Higher Offers - We Create It

We have deep experience running competitive bid processes and auctions - expertise typically reserved for deals 10 times the size of our market.

No other firm in the $1M-$25M segment has this capability. It’s a unique competitive advantage that can dramatically impact your sale price.

Here’s why it matters: Some businesses should be sold through a traditional priced listing. Others benefit from an unpriced auction where strategic buyers compete based on what they’re willing to pay, not an asking price you set upfront. Knowing which approach will maximize your value - and having the expertise to execute either one - is rare.

Real example: We represented a biotech company that had been built over 14 years. A simple financial valuation would have missed the strategic value entirely. We conducted a global competitive bid process, reaching out to over 350 strategic buyers and competitors worldwide. The result? Six formal offers. Competitive bidding drove the winning bid to 50% more than the next-best offer. We achieved double the original valuation - and found a buyer who truly honored their legacy.

That’s what competitive bidding expertise delivers. And it’s something you won’t find from traditional brokers in this market segment.

Understand our complete process from start to finish.

Modern Tools That Save Your Time and Maximize Results

We leverage cutting-edge technology to deliver investment-bank-level service without the wait or the bloat:

• AI-powered document creation
• Automated due diligence tracking
• Secure digital data rooms
• Global research teams operating around the clock

These tools allow us to move faster and more efficiently than old-school brokers stuck with outdated systems and manual processes.

The benefit to you?

• Faster transactions
• Less time burden on you and your team
• More sophisticated presentation to buyers
• Better results - because we dedicate our time to strategy, negotiation, and the human elements that actually move deals forward, rather than drowning in administrative tasks

We can complete a full business evaluation within 10 days of receiving your documents. Try getting that from a traditional investment bank.

We Only Win When You Win

We only get paid when you exit your business happily, at a price and terms you’re thrilled with.

No upfront fees. No retainers. No monthly charges. We share the risk with you. If you don’t succeed, we don’t get paid.

This creates perfect alignment. Your success is our success. We’re incentivized to maximize your sale price, find the right buyer, and structure terms that work for you - because that’s the only way we earn a commission.

Some brokers charge retainers. That might make sense for them - they get paid whether your business sells or not. But it doesn’t make sense for you. At Arx, our interests are completely aligned with yours.

See our transparent fee structure for full details.

We Only Choose Projects We’re Confident We Can Win

We turn down 85% of inquiries.

This isn’t bragging - it’s honesty. We only take projects where we’re confident we can achieve a win-win-win: for you, the buyer, and us. If we don’t think we’re the right fit, or if we don’t believe we can deliver more value than our fee costs, we’ll tell you exactly why and point you toward the best path forward.

If we accept your engagement, it means we believe in the outcome. We’ve evaluated your business, your goals, and the market - and we’re confident we can succeed. That should give you confidence too.

What Makes a Good M&A Advisor?

When evaluating brokers, here’s what you should look for. Ask these questions. If they can’t answer specifically, keep looking.

• Sell-side only representation - Do they represent sellers exclusively, with no conflicts of interest?
• Built and sold a business themselves - Have they personally done what you’re trying to do?
• Describe exact buyer outreach process - Can they explain specifically how they’ll find buyers (not vague “marketing”)?
• In-house financial expertise - Do they have a CPA or valuation analyst on staff?
• Technology leverage - Do they use modern tools for efficiency?
• Competitive bid capability - Can they run an auction process if needed?
• Success fee only - Are they only paid when you succeed?
• Selective about projects - Do they turn down businesses that aren’t a fit?

At Arx, the answer to every question is yes. Schedule your free evaluation to see if we’re the right fit for your business.

Arx Isn’t for Every Business Owner

We’re selective about who we work with. If you’ve built something exceptional, you deserve representation that matches - but not every business needs what we offer.

Only choose Arx if you meet these criteria:

You’ve Built a Great Business

You’re not a side hustle or a one-man-band. You’ve created an enterprise with systems, teams, and real market value. You’ve reached $1M+ in sales or $300k in cash flow - a level only 9% of businesses ever achieve.

You’re Stuck in the Middle - And You Know It

You expect a shark, not a post-and-pray broker who’ll list your business on BizBuySell and hope. But you’re not quite big enough for mega investment banks to take your call. This is exactly the gap Arx was built to fill.

You Want Your Interests to Come First - Always

You want sell-side only representation with zero conflicts of interest. No wondering if your broker is pushing you toward their buyer client instead of getting you the highest price. No divided loyalties.

If you’re comfortable with a broker who represents both buyers and sellers, Arx isn’t for you. We only represent sellers. Period.

You Demand the Best Buyer - Not Just Any Buyer

You expect your broker to find the RIGHT buyer for you - not just the highest bidder. Maybe that means maximum price. Maybe it means finding someone who’ll take care of your employees like family. Maybe it means preserving the legacy you’ve built or ensuring your company culture survives the transition. Most sellers care about both: getting paid what they deserve AND putting their business in the right hands.

This requires active outreach to hundreds of targeted buyers, not passive listing and hoping. It requires competitive bidding expertise to drive multiple offers. It requires knowing how to position your business to different buyer types.

If you’re fine with whoever responds to an online listing, traditional brokers can handle that. We hunt for the right buyer.

You Value Financial Precision and Strategic Positioning

You want your business evaluated by an experienced M&A professional backed by a CPA and Certified Financial Valuation Analyst using modern valuation models that savvy buyers respect - not a broker using industry “rules of thumb.”

You understand that strategic value often exceeds financial value. You want someone who can identify and articulate what makes your business worth more to the right buyer.

You Choose Modern Efficiency Over Dated Processes

You want a firm that uses cutting-edge technology - AI-powered research, secure data rooms, automated due diligence tracking, global teams operating around the clock.

Legacy firms are still operating like it’s 1997. Outdated systems. Manual processes. The fax machine is cutting-edge technology to them. They’re resting on their laurels, coasting on old relationships and outdated methods.

You want speed and sophistication. We can complete a full evaluation in 10 days. Try getting that from a traditional firm.

You Only Want to Pay for Results

You want success-based pricing with zero upfront costs. No retainers. No monthly fees. No paying a broker whether your business sells or not.

We share the risk with you. If you don’t succeed, we don’t get paid. Our interests are completely aligned with yours.

You Expect Selectivity and Honesty

You want a firm that turns down 85% of inquiries because they only take projects they’re confident will succeed. You want honesty - even if that means hearing we’re not the right fit or that you should explore other options.

If you checked every box above, Arx was built for you. Schedule your free evaluation to see if we agree.

If you didn’t check every box? That’s okay. We’re not the right fit for everyone - and that’s exactly why we deliver exceptional results for the right clients.

Bonus: If your business includes real estate…

Many $1M-$25M businesses own the property they operate from. Selling the business without addressing the real estate - or worse, handling them separately with different advisors - leaves money on the table.

We provide full-service representation including real estate advisory. We’ll guide you through all your options:

• Sell the property outright
• Structure a leaseback (often preferred)
• Include it in the business sale
• Keep it separately

Unlike legacy brokers who force you to work with separate commercial real estate agents - creating coordination nightmares and conflicting advice - we handle it all.

The Arx Difference in Action

Nabi and Kathleen had built something remarkable. Over 14 years, they’d grown their biotech company into a respected operation with valuable intellectual property and established customer relationships. But they’d reached a decision point - it was time to exit and move on to the next chapter.

A simple financial valuation would have missed what made their business truly valuable. The real value wasn’t just in the numbers - it was in the strategic opportunities their technology created for the right buyer.

We conducted a global competitive bid process, reaching out to over 350 strategic buyers and competitors worldwide. We didn’t just post their business online and hope. We actively marketed to every potential acquirer who might see strategic value.

The result? Six formal offers. Competitive bidding created urgency and drove up the price. The winning bid came in at 50% more than the next-best offer - and double what a traditional financial valuation would have suggested. More importantly, we found a buyer who truly understood and honored the legacy Nabi and Kathleen had built.

That’s what sophisticated M&A advisory delivers. And that’s what you get with Arx.

What Our Clients Say

“It was a pleasure to work with Brecht for the sale of our biotech company. We needed a bit of direction during our transition with all the paperwork and he was able to find answers to all our questions. Things went smoothly from the start of interviews to the end of closing. We could call him at any time and he always responded. He had extensive knowledge of the buying/selling process and was able to help us with finding the attorneys to represent us for closing review. Yes we would highly recommend him without hesitation.” - Kathleen Malekzadeh, Co-Founder, Setareh Biotech

“Taking the first steps of selling my retail business was a daunting task as it was my first time going through the process. Brecht did a great job of explaining the process and from the valuation through closing he was always patient and available to answer questions and to guide me through the process. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to sell a business. Thanks Brecht for helping me to finally take that big step to retirement!” - Ted Howe, Owner, Cascade Cottons

“Did an amazing job of selling my company for me. Brecht was very professional and fast to respond to any questions I had. Highly recommend if you need to sell or buy a business!” - Garry Aklin, Owner, Aklin Vegetation Management

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long has Arx been in business?

Arx launched in 2023, bringing fresh modern processes to an industry that desperately needed them. But new doesn’t mean inexperienced. Our founder has been closing complex commercial deals since 1997 - hundreds of millions in successful transactions. While the firm is new, the expertise and track record aren’t.

Q: What size businesses do you work with?

We specialize in businesses with $1M-$25M in revenue, or $300K+ in EBITDA. This is the sweet spot where sellers need sophisticated representation but can’t access traditional investment banks. If you’re outside this range, we’ll be honest about whether we’re the right fit.

Q: Do you work with buyers too?

No. We represent sellers exclusively. This eliminates any conflict of interest and ensures we’re always working to maximize your sale price and terms. Finding and vetting buyers is our job - but we do it on your behalf, not theirs.

Q: What if you don’t think you can sell my business?

We’re honest. If we don’t think we’re the right fit - or if we don’t believe we can deliver more value than our fee costs - we’ll tell you exactly why and point you toward the best path forward. We turn down 85% of inquiries because we only take projects we’re confident will succeed. It’s not personal. It’s our commitment to excellence.

Q: How are you different from other business brokers?

We represent sellers exclusively (no conflicts). We conduct active outreach to hundreds of buyers (not post-and-pray). We have in-house CPA and valuation expertise. We leverage modern technology for efficiency. We can run competitive bid processes when appropriate. And we only take projects we’re confident will succeed. Most importantly, our team includes someone who’s personally built and sold their own business - we’ve been where you are.

Q: What’s your fee structure?

Success fee only - we only get paid when you exit happily. No upfront costs, no retainers, no monthly fees. We share the risk with you. If you don’t succeed, we don’t get paid. See our transparent fee structure for complete details.

Q: How long does it take to sell a business?

Most sales take 6-9 months. Larger or more complex businesses can take up to a year - though we’ve closed deals in as few as 15 days when circumstances align. We’re transparent about timelines because unrealistic expectations create frustration. Learn about our process to understand what happens at each stage and why it takes the time it does.