36.2M
small businesses in the U.S.
SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025
46%
of the private workforce employed by small businesses
SBA, 2025
99.9%
of all U.S. businesses are small businesses
SBA, 2025
What is Data Suite?
Data Suite is building infrastructure for small business transactions by giving brokers and related stakeholders better tools, clearer workflows, and more standardized ways to manage lower-middle market and SMB deal activity.
The goal is to help partners improve productivity, take on more volume, and create better outcomes for business owners with revenues in the $500K to $25M range. That starts with education, and it grows into the tools and systems that support every stage of a transaction.
A generational wave of business transitions is already underway.
Over half of U.S. small business owners are now 55 or older, putting them within a decade of retirement. Yet only 54% have a formal succession plan in place.
Sources: U.S. Bank Small Business Survey, 2025; Gallup, 2024
of employer businesses are owned by people 55 or older
U.S. Census Bureau / Gallup
of owners have a succession plan
U.S. Bank, 2025
plan to sell within the next 12 months
U.S. Bank, 2025
As more owners look to retire, brokers and transaction partners need better systems to support smaller deals efficiently and keep more businesses operating through successful ownership transitions. When businesses close instead of transitioning, jobs disappear and communities lose.
Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy.
Understanding the scale of small business in America makes it clear why preparing for ownership transitions is so important.
62.3M
Americans employed by small businesses
SBA Office of Advocacy
9 in 10
net new jobs created by small businesses (2023-2024)
SBA Office of Advocacy
43.5%
of U.S. GDP generated by small businesses
SBA Office of Advocacy
5.5M
employer firms with 1 to 499 employees
U.S. Census Bureau, 2025
1.1M
new business establishments opened in one year
SBA, 2024
$588B
in exports by small firms (33% of all U.S. exports)
U.S. Census Bureau
Most sellers are not prepared. And it costs them.
Lack of preparation is the number one reason deals fail. Not price disagreements. Not bad market timing. Sellers enter the process without understanding the language, the documents, or the dynamics. The other side of the table does this for a living.
Undervalued by 20 to 30%
Sellers who don't understand add-backs and EBITDA adjustments routinely undervalue their own business before the first conversation.
Terms that reduce the real payout
Earn-outs, holdbacks, and working capital adjustments can deliver significantly less than the headline price if not understood upfront.
Deals that fall apart in diligence
Disorganized responses erode buyer confidence. A ready buyer can walk away in weeks if the seller cannot produce clean documents.
Even if you are not planning to sell for three years, preparation starts now.
A health crisis. A death in the family. A partner who wants out. An unsolicited offer that lands on your desk. These things happen to people who are not ready. Taking this course now means you are prepared for situations you cannot predict. It costs nothing. It takes 44 minutes. And it could prevent you from making permanent decisions under pressure without understanding the process.
Start the free course nowGood brokers are worth every penny. Picking the right one is what matters.
The right broker changes the outcome.
A strong broker finds better buyers, maintains confidentiality, manages the timeline, and negotiates terms that protect the seller. For most business owners, working with an experienced broker significantly improves the result.
But you need to know enough to choose wisely.
Not every broker is the right fit. Sellers who understand the process can evaluate experience, ask better questions, and spot red flags before signing an engagement. An educated seller makes a better client.
You probably only get one shot at this.
Selling a business is not something you practice and try again next quarter. The terms you agree to are the terms you live with. The preparation you do now determines the options you have later.
Do not cut corners on the most important transaction of your career. Come to the table prepared.
Start the free courseWhere this is going
Seller Education
A free crash course that helps business owners understand the sale process before they enter it.
Readiness Assessment
A personalized go-to-market survey that benchmarks preparation and highlights gaps.
Advisor Matching
Connecting sellers with vetted brokers, attorneys, and accountants in their area.
Transaction Infrastructure
Better tools and workflows for brokers to manage deal activity at scale.