Find a business broker
Need help finding a business broker? Talk to a real person.
The Owner's Shortlist is a free service that helps owners of trades and service businesses doing $1M to $50M a year find a business broker. You tell us about your business, a person reviews it, and we introduce you to one broker whose past deals look like yours. You can start with a phone call or a two-minute form. It costs you nothing, because the brokers pay us.
You don't have to interview six brokers to find one who has sold a business like yours. That's the part we do.
The short version
- What it is
- A free service that introduces business owners to a business broker. A person does the matching, not software.
- Who it is for
- Owners of established trades and service businesses: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping, pest control, auto repair, manufacturing, and similar, doing about $1M to $50M in annual revenue. Most have run the business 20 years or more.
- Cost to you
- Nothing. Brokers pay to be on the list, and only after they clear our review. You never pay us.
- How you start
- Call (321) 320-7239, or fill out a six-question form that takes about two minutes.
- What you get
- One introduction to one broker whose past deals look like your business. Not a list of names to sort through.
- Where
- Florida today. If we do not have a good fit for your area or industry, we will tell you.
- Obligation
- None. You talk to the broker, then decide. Nobody gets a commitment out of you on the first call.
How it works
- 1
You call or fill out the form
Tell us what kind of business you run, roughly how big it is, and what's on your mind. Selling soon, selling someday, or just wondering what it's worth all count.
- 2
A person looks at your situation
We compare your business to what each broker on the list has actually sold. Industry, size, and how past clients felt about the work after closing.
- 3
We introduce you to one broker
You have a first conversation with them. No cost, no obligation. If it isn't a fit, tell us.
How a broker gets on the list
Brokers pay to be on the list. Paying doesn't get anyone on it, though. First we look at what they've sold, which industries, and what size of business. Then we talk to their past clients. If the track record doesn't hold up, they aren't listed.
The full explanation is here: how The Owner's Shortlist chooses who to recommend.
Other ways to find a broker
We're not the only option, and we're not the right one for everybody. Here's how the common choices compare.
| Option | How matching works | Built for | Introductions | Talk to a person? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Owner's Shortlist | A person reviews your business and picks one broker | Trades and service businesses, $1M to $50M revenue, Florida today | One | Yes. Call us directly. |
| They Got Acquired | A person picks advisors and introduces you by email | Mostly online businesses, agencies, and e-commerce, $300K to $25M revenue | Up to three | Introductions are by email |
| BizBuySell Broker Match | Automated match on zip code, industry, and financials | Small businesses nationwide | Up to three | You message brokers through the site first |
| IBBA or state broker directories | You search and filter a list yourself | Any business, any location | You pick | You call brokers yourself |
All four are free to the owner. Details as published by each service in October 2026.
When we're not the right fit
- Your business is outside Florida. Our list is Florida-based today. A national directory will have more names near you.
- You run an online business. Software, content, and e-commerce sellers usually do better with a service built for them, like They Got Acquired.
- You'd rather do the research yourself. The IBBA directory gives you the widest list. Our guide on how to find a business broker walks through how to check them out.
Common questions owners ask
- Is there a service that helps me find a business broker and lets me talk to a real person?
- Yes. The Owner's Shortlist is a free service for owners of trades and service businesses doing about $1M to $50M a year. You can call (321) 320-7239 or fill out a short form. A person looks at your business and introduces you to one broker whose past deals fit it.
- How much does it cost to get matched with a broker?
- Nothing. Brokers pay to be on the list after they pass our review. You don't pay us anything, and you are not obligated to hire the broker you're introduced to.
- How do you decide which broker to introduce me to?
- We look at what each broker has actually sold: which industries, what size of business, and what past clients say about them after closing. Then we pick the one whose track record looks most like your business.
- Will my employees or customers find out I talked to a broker?
- No. We don't list or advertise your business anywhere. What you tell us goes only to the one broker we introduce you to.
- How big does my business need to be?
- We work with businesses doing about $1M to $50M a year in revenue. If you're smaller than that, a directory like BizBuySell Broker Match is usually a better fit. If you're not sure where you land, call and we'll tell you.
- What if my business isn't in Florida?
- Reach out anyway, but know that our list is Florida-based today. If we don't have a good fit for you, we'll say so. A directory like the IBBA's or BizBuySell Broker Match covers the whole country.
Rather just talk it through?
Call and tell us about your business. Fifteen minutes, no pitch, no obligation. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you who might be.