SellingAug 2026 · 7 min
How earnouts work in Main Street business sales
Revenue targets, profit metrics and milestone payments - why sellers collect less than expected and how to negotiate terms that protect you.
Read articlePractical guidance on valuations, selling, buying and exit planning - written for business owners in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.
SDE, EBITDA, multiples, add-backs - what buyers actually pay for Main Street businesses in Pennsylvania, and the three numbers that drive your valuation more than anything else.
Revenue targets, profit metrics and milestone payments - why sellers collect less than expected and how to negotiate terms that protect you.
Read article →When a single customer tops 15 to 25 percent of revenue, buyers discount hard. How to measure the risk and diversify over two to three years.
Read article →The target, the shortfall, and the dollar-for-dollar price reduction - what working capital means and how to avoid a surprise at the closing table.
Read article →Different numbers, different multiples, and a $700,000 gap if you mix them up - how to know which measure buyers will use for your sale.
Read article →Licensing, taxes, gross receipts, and cross-state due diligence - the state-specific wrinkles beyond the fundamentals of any acquisition.
Read article →Consulting agreements, customer introductions, and when to step back - how the handoff protects your seller note and your reputation.
Read article →Buy-sell agreements, independent valuations, minority discounts and payment terms - the process when one partner wants out.
Read article →Exclusivity, working capital adjustments, earnouts and the LOI clauses that quietly cost sellers money - what to push back on before you sign.
Read article →Confidentiality, buyer reach, competitive tension and first-time seller mistakes - how to decide if a broker earns the fee on your deal.
Read article →Service contracts, maintenance plans and subscription-like revenue - why buyers pay more for predictable income and how to build it by industry.
Read article →Inflated add-backs, declining revenue, owner dependence and pressure to skip due diligence - the warning signs experienced buyers watch for.
Read article →The data room, disclosure schedule and financial reconciliation that keep deals on track - and the mistakes that kill them in diligence.
Read article →Why buyers prefer asset sales, why sellers want stock sales, and how the tax allocation negotiation can shift your after-tax proceeds by six figures.
Read article →Your tax return says one thing. Your business earns another. How add-backs work and why SDE, not profit, sets your asking price.
Read article →From the first confidential conversation to closing day - what happens at each stage, how long it really takes, and where deals fall apart.
Read article →Blind listings, NDAs, buyer screening and the confidentiality playbook we use on every engagement.
Read article →Owner dependence, customer concentration, messy books - the value killers that take years to fix, and the order to tackle them in.
Read article →HVAC, landscaping, restaurants, machine shops, distribution - realistic multiple ranges and what pushes a business to the top of its range.
Read article →Down payments, seller notes, what lenders look for, and how buyers like Ben Foltz turned a $50,000 SBA loan into a multi-million dollar operation.
Read article →Management buyouts on Main Street: seller financing, earn-outs and how one client bought his employer with no money out of pocket.
Read article →Buyers pay for a business, not a job. A 10-question self-assessment to find out how much of your company's value walks out the door with you.
Read article →Most Main Street deals include seller financing. How notes are structured, how to protect yourself, and when to walk away instead.
Read article →The gap between owner expectations and market reality is the #1 deal killer. Where inflated numbers come from and how to close the gap before listing.
Read article →Thousands of PA baby-boomer owners will simply lock the doors and walk away from real value. When a sale beats liquidation, even for small shops.
Read article →Financials, leases, licenses, customer contracts, equipment condition - the full checklist we walk every buyer through before closing.
Read article →Every article here points to the same first step: a free, confidential consultation. Schedule one and receive your copy of The Ultimate Guide to Selling Your Business.
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