Essential Playbook | Selling Your Essential Service Business

Want to understand the full sale process? Start by reading Essential Playbook—our weekly newsletter breaking down every stage of selling an essential services business, from prep to close.

Off-market buyers hunt discounts. Skipping a real process can cost you 30–50% of your business’s value.

How to Increase the Valuation of Your Essential Service Business

How Essential Service Businesses Maximize Valuation: What Buyers Pay Top Dollar For

Maximize your business valuation with strong teams, recurring revenue, solid systems, and clean financials.

The Fundraising Freeze: Why Many PE Firms Have Quietly Raised Their Last Fund AND What This Means For Selling Your Essential Services Business?

Why Venture Capital Is Suddenly Obsessed with Roll-Ups—and What It Means for Real-World Operators

VCs are eyeing HVAC and trades—AI and roll-ups make Main Street the next big opportunity.

Why I Founded The Advisory?

Traditional banks miss Main Street. The Advisory is purpose-built for essential service founders—tech-driven, strategic, and focused on getting you the exit you deserve.

Deal slowdown? What does that mean for your valuation?

Middle-market M&A has slowed, but top businesses still draw strong valuations. With $2.6T in dry powder, sellers who adapt are set to lead the next wave of deals.

Why Private Equity Wants to Unclog Your Toilet

Private equity is targeting HVAC, plumbing, and electrical firms. Boomer retirements and strong cash flow mean big exits for essential service business owners.

Millionaire Tradespeople: The Rise of Blue-Collar Wealth

Tradespeople are becoming millionaires by selling to PE. Strong cash flow and high demand make HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses prime targets for big exits.

The Big Flush: PE-Backed Plumbing Paydays

Private equity is buying plumbing businesses for their margins, loyalty, and growth potential. Founders gain a big payday, better systems, and a partner to scale.

The Boomer Exit Wave Is Real—and So Is the Opportunity

Boomers are selling their businesses in record numbers. It’s a rare chance to buy or sell in a once-in-a-generation shift—don’t miss the opportunity to lead.

Private Equity Goes Small to Grow Big

Private equity is targeting small trades like HVAC and plumbing. With strong cash flow, $2M–$10M firms are now top acquisition targets in today’s shifting market.

Employee Ownership Gets a PE Makeover

Private equity is embracing employee ownership. Firms like KKR give workers equity—boosting performance, retention, and legacy. Founders win, teams win, and businesses grow stronger.

Gen Z Is Choosing Trades Over Desks

Gen Z is choosing trades over college. HVAC, plumbing & electrical programs are booming—bringing more talent, growth, and succession options to essential service business owners.

What Materials Do I Need To Provide?

To sell your business, prepare tax returns, bank statements, contracts, payroll, and customer data. Clear, organized records help defend your valuation and speed up the sale process.

What Are The Benefits Of Working With An Investment Bank?

The Advisory is a FINRA-registered investment bank, not a broker. We run a compliant, competitive sale to connect you with top PE buyers and maximize the value of your business.

What Will My Multiple Be?

Essential service businesses sell for 6–12× EBITDA. Recurring revenue, low churn, and strong ops all help drive higher valuations and attract serious private equity buyer interest.

How Is My Business Valued?

Your business is valued on a multiple of Adjusted EBITDA—true earnings minus one-time, owner, or non-core costs—giving buyers a clearer view of long-term profit potential.

Who Will Buy My Business?

We know 250+ PE-backed buyers in HVAC, plumbing, pest, landscaping & roofing. They’re well-funded and pay top multiples—don’t risk selling short by only talking to one or two.

What “Rolling Equity” Means for Sellers

Rolling equity lets you reinvest part of your sale, stay involved, and earn a second payday when the platform sells—turning one exit into two. It’s a smart strategy for long-term upside.

Who Do Private Equity Firms Sell To?

Private equity grows businesses, then sells to larger PE firms. Rolling equity lets you share in the upside and turn one exit into two—boosting your long-term payout.

How Do Private Equity Firms Make Money?

Private equity earns through fees, carried interest, and EBITDA arbitrage—buying smaller firms at lower multiples, scaling them, and creating instant value by integrating into larger platforms.

Why Private Equity Loves Essential Service Businesses

Private equity loves HVAC, plumbing & similar businesses for their steady cash flow, loyal customers & growth potential—making them anything but boring in the eyes of investors.

Add-On vs. Platform: What It Means for Selling Your Business

Are you an Add-On or a Platform? This key distinction shapes your valuation, buyer type, and future role. Knowing where your business fits can help you plan a smarter, more successful exit.

How the M&A Process Actually Works (In Plain English)

Selling your essential services business? Our 180-day plan gets you from idea to exit—fast. We handle the process so you can stay focused on running your business and maximizing value.

Meet an M&A Advisor

Expert Guidance

End-to-end support from dedicated and licensed investment bankers with experience in your industry

Licensed by FINRA

Our investment bankers are legally licensed by FINRA

Engaged Buyers

High-intent private equity owned platform buyers only, we do not sell to SBA buyers

Cash Offers

Because we only sell businesses to private equity groups, offers are mostly full cash

The Advisory Advantage

Our technology enabled process ensures you have white glove service every step of the way. Investment Banking, Rebuilt for the Real World.

Understand your market value

Our M&A advisors will walk you through what your business is worth, backed by real data.

Identify motivated buyers

We will identify and engage hundreds of buyers with relevant operating or investing experience.

Onboard in minutes

Skip endless e-mail chains and upload documents in minutes using our secure portal.

Track deal progress

Stay up-to-date on buyer activity in real-time through our centralized deal workspace.

FAQ’s

Answers to frequently asked questions.

What is The Advisory?

The Advisory Investment Bank is a FINRA-licensed M&A firm specializing in essential services industries—including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, accounting and other real world businesses. We run a full-service, white-glove sell-side process designed to deliver top-tier terms and maximum valuation for founders. Backed by proprietary AI tools and a curated network of strategic and private equity buyers, we uncover every serious acquirer—so you never leave money on the table. We work for you, the business owner.

How does The Advisory find buyers?

We maintain detailed profiles on over 4,500 private equity firms and strategic acquirers actively investing in essential services across the U.S. Our proprietary AI platform analyzes each firm’s strategy, portfolio, acquisition history, behavior, and geographic focus to surface the most relevant, best-fit buyers for your business. On average, our process identifies 1,000+ qualified buyers per deal—far exceeding the reach of traditional M&A firms.

What kinds of businesses does The Advisory work with?

We partner with profitable, founder-led businesses across the essential services landscape—HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire safety, landscaping, facility maintenance, accounting, and more. Our clients typically generate $2–100 million in annual revenue and have at least 5 years of operating history. If you’re an operator who’s built something in the real world, we’re built to help you sell it right.

How do The Advisory fees work?

We operate on a 100% success-based model—no retainers, no upfront fees, no surprises. You only pay us when your deal closes. It’s that simple. Our incentives are fully aligned with yours from day one.

How fast is the process?

Once materials are ready, our clients typically receive qualified offers within 30–45 days, thanks to our streamlined process and AI-driven buyer targeting. From accepted offer to closing, expect an additional 60–90 days for buyer diligence and quality of earnings review. In most cases, deals are completed in 90–120 days total.

Ready to unlock the full value of your business?

Speak with our M&A experts and take the first step toward a faster, more profitable exit.