There's enough proven baseline out there you can use targeted AI to develop all the SOPs, templates, etc that you need and end up with the same package + lawyer OKed docs under $5k. Then dump 65k into ads and outreach to build a significant pipeline.

As a business broker I will say a franchise can be a good way to start. When I first got into the business I worked with a broker that owned a business brokerage franchise and worked with him a year before buying him out as he retired. I gave up the franchise years ago and have been on my own ever since.