M&A advisors for businesses worth $1M–$20M
Scale with an exit in mind.
Most owners wait until they’re ready to be done, not until the business is ready to sell. Bridge helps you value it, scale it, and exit it on your terms.
Results vary. Past outcomes don’t predict future results.
400+
Businesses Served
$ 1Billion
Capital Transactions
150+ years
Combined M&A Experience
Book your free diagnostic call.
30 minutes with a certified advisor. Not a bot, not a PDF.
SBA lender-accepted, ABV-credentialed advisor
Trusted by Utah’s small business community
Know your number
Three ways to find out what it’s worth.
Start free. Get a full picture with the Diagnostic Report. Get a certified number when a bank needs one.
Free
Valuation Estimate
$0
- AI-powered instant estimate
- No credit card required
- Takes about 7 minutes
Most owners start here
Business Diagnostic Report
$2,500flat fee · includes a live advisor review
- An estimated value range for your business, with the key drivers behind it
- Your Business Health Score across 5 readiness factors
- A clear picture of your strengths and opportunities
- A live 1:1 review with an advisor, walking through the report together
- Referrals to vetted partners when your gaps are outside our scope
For banks & SBA lending
Certified Business Valuation
From $1,9992–3 business days
- A certified, SBA lender-accepted number, not a range
- ABV-credentialed, signed by a credentialed valuator
- Built for financing, partner buyouts, and legal or tax filings
The Diagnostic Report gives a value range and a growth roadmap. The Certified Valuation gives a certified number banks and SBA lenders accept. Different tools for different needs.
One platform, four ways in
See it, don’t just read about it.
Sample screens, illustrative figures. Your actual numbers will differ.
01 · Value
Know what it’s worth.
An SBA lender-accepted, ABV-credentialed valuation, the qualified source required under SOP 50 10 8 when financing exceeds $250,000. Weighted 50/50 between market data and an income approach built for your business.
From $1,999 · 2–3 business days
02 · Scale
Make it worth more.
The SMB Playbook closes the gap between where your business scores today and where it needs to be. Your Business Health Score sets the roadmap.
12-month membership · 4 pillars
03 · Exit
Sell it on your terms.
A four-phase sell-side process, from Preparation to Closing. Backed by Bridge’s marketplace and real SBA lender relationships.
4–6 months, typical engagement
04 · Marketplace
Find your buyer, or your next deal.
Sellers list here once they’re ready. Buyers browse real, vetted listings, with an NDA required before any identifying details are shared.
Confidential by default · NDA-gated
Why now, not later
The biggest transfer of small business wealth is already underway.
Trillions of dollars in business value will change hands as Baby Boomer owners retire. Only 20 to 30% of businesses that go to market actually sell. Preparation is the difference.
“An owner decides in January they want to sell by year-end. The business is still dependent on them, the books aren’t clean, there are no documented systems. A buyer walks or discounts the price. Started 24 months earlier, they’d have sold faster and for more.” Jimmy Choi, CEO
24–36
months is the ideal runway before listing. You don’t get that time back once you decide to sell.
Why Bridge
Five things buyers actually score you on.
Sample scores, illustrative only. Your Business Diagnostic Report scores your real numbers.
Owner Dependency
Can the business run without you for 30 days? Buyers price this first.
Bridge fix: the SMB Playbook’s four pillars
Financial Readiness
Clean, recast financials at a 20%+ cash flow margin, the SBA-financeable floor.
Bridge fix: an SBA lender-accepted valuation
Operational Readiness
Documented SOPs and a real team, not tribal knowledge stuck in your head.
Bridge fix: a Business Health Score roadmap
Customer Concentration
Buyers discount hard when one customer is too much of your revenue.
Bridge fix: structured deal terms, diversification plan
Growth Potential
A believable path to keep growing after you’re gone, not just a good story today.
Bridge fix: a growth roadmap buyers can underwrite
The exit process
Four phases, one advisor, start to close.
A typical sell-side engagement runs 4 to 6 months from Preparation to Closing.
1
Preparation
SBA lender-accepted valuation, NDA and Confidential Information Package, diligence checklist, ideal buyer profile.
2
Marketing & Outreach
Marketplace listing, buyer identification, NDA distribution, management calls, LOI or term sheet received.
3
Buyer Selection
Buyer qualification, negotiation, LOI execution, operational alignment.
4
Due Diligence & Closing
Purchase agreement, SBA lender introduction, contingency planning, closing and funding.
SMB Playbook Membership
Transform your business in 12 months.
Not a one-time report. Ongoing advisor support through all four pillars, with your Business Health Score tracked quarter over quarter.
Illustrative pacing. Your advisor prioritizes the pillar that needs work first, based on your Business Health Score.
Months 1–3
1. Systemize
Document the SOPs and tools the business runs on, instead of running on you.
Months 4–6
2. Optimize
Put leaders, KPIs, and accountability in place so it runs without you in the room.
Months 7–9
3. Maximize
Grow revenue and profitability in ways that actually move your valuation.
Months 10–12
4. Position
Get prepared and positioned for an ideal exit, whenever you choose to sell.
Ongoing 1:1 advisor support, not a self-serve course
Quarterly Business Health Score re-assessment
Access to Bridge events: the M&A Series, Utah Small Business Summit, Utah ETA Meetup
Referrals to vetted partners for tax, legal, marketing, and more
Who’s behind the number
A credentialed team, not a rule of thumb.
The number that decides financeability
Know your cash flow margin before you go to market.
A margin around 20% or higher is the practical floor for financing with an SBA loan. The SMB Playbook works on this early, and it’s the first thing Bridge checks in Exit Preparation.
Revenue$1,000,000
Cash flow at 20% margin$200,000
Annual SBA debt service (~15% of loan)−$150,000
Left for the buyer to live on$50,000
Real methodology, real outcomes
Anonymized, and worked the same way every time.
Individual results vary. Past outcomes do not predict future results.
Scale · Chiropractic, prep-stage
4 months of Playbook prep
A chiropractic practice worked through the SMB Playbook’s prep priorities before going to market. Its valuation range moved from roughly $700,000 to $1.2 million in 4 months.
Methodology: SMB Playbook, four-pillar diagnostic
Value · Painting contractor, high growth
DCF + PTA, weighted 50/50
A painting contractor with triple-digit growth used a Discounted Cash Flow model weighted against Precedent Transactions Analysis, landing around $2.1 million.
Methodology: BVR DealStats, AICPA, IRS Rev Ruling 59-60
Exit · Four-phase engagement
Preparation through funded close
A prepared sell-side engagement moves from valuation and diligence prep, through buyer outreach and LOI, to a funded SBA close in 4 to 6 months.
Methodology: Four-Phase Exit Process
Banking & financing partners
MACU Cache Valley Bank Grasshopper Bank Central Bank Desert Financial Credit Union Arizona Capital Source First Bank New Jersey Hanover Bank
Owner stories
What it’s actually like to work with Bridge.
”
★★★★★
“After owning our business for 26 years, we had no idea where to begin. Working with Jimmy at Bridge completely changed that.”
T
Theron H.
Business owner
”
★★★★★
“Our business sold within 4 to 6 months at our asking price. The Bridge team made what felt overwhelming much easier to navigate.”
K
Kristin H.
Sold with Bridge
”
★★★★★
“They helped me get a clear, professional valuation so I could understand the value for my partner buying me out. Simple and fast.”
D
Daryl A.
Certified valuation
”
★★★★★
“After 11 years of ownership, I never had a clear understanding of what my business was worth. Now I have a roadmap and a real number.”
J
Jordan C.
Business owner
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common questions owners ask about valuing, scaling, and exiting a business.
Have more questions? Let’s talk.
I’m not ready to sell yet. Is this for me?
That’s exactly when to start. Most Bridge clients are 1 to 3 years out.
How much does a valuation cost, and how fast is it?
Starting at $1,999. 2 to 3 business days. Signed by an ABV-credentialed valuator.
How do you find buyers?
Bridge’s marketplace and SBA lender relationships. Buyers sign NDAs before seeing anything identifying.
What if it doesn’t sell?
Only 20 to 30% of businesses that go to market actually sell, per the Exit Planning Institute. Preparation is the difference.
Talk to a Bridge advisor
Where does your business stand today?
Free 30-minute call with a certified advisor. No commitment. Pick your own time.