Buy-side brokers

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November 16, 2022

by a searcher from Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA, USA

Anyone have experience with buy-side brokers? Anything you can share…positive/negative? How long did it take to find a target opportunity? Would you be willing to give a recommendation for a broker you have worked? Thanks in advance.

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commentor profile
Reply by a searcher
from Wayne State University in Linden, MI 48451, USA
I have done buy side engagements in the past with a retainer fully credited against the success fee. I stopped taking these as they were way more work than they were worth. Plus, I am busy running the businesses I sourced and closed on.

Perhaps searchers without the experience needed to source and close a deal, should try and get a job as a business broker while they are searching, most will provide on the job training. You will learn how to source, value, structure, finance and take a deal all the way to close. While you are learning how to do this, you will also have access to the firms deal flow and maybe you will find a business that you want to buy. If you actually close a deal or two, you will have a source of income while you are searching, and you will learn how to find deals for yourself. It is a win-win.

Who knows, with as bad as many searches think brokers are, maybe you find you are good at it, and that becomes your business seems like a lot of searchers would use you. A good broker can make a few hundred thousand dollars a year and has a flexible schedule and very low startup costs.
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Reply by an intermediary
from Harvard University in San Diego, CA, USA
If you decide to go this route, you will need clear metrics to dictate what a successful relationship looks like. I'm sure lots of buy side advisors would love to take your money, but most won't guarantee results.
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