Why Serious Operators Choose Acquisition

A profitable small business in Utah typically sells for 2x to 4x its annual earnings. Acquired well, it pays for itself within a handful of years and produces cash flow from the first month of ownership. Few assets available to a private buyer combine that price, that yield, and that degree of control. Financing structures like SBA 7(a) loans let a buyer control a $2M business with a fraction of that in equity, and sellers often carry part of the note themselves.

For existing owners, the math is even stronger. Bolt a competitor onto your platform and you acquire revenue at a small-company multiple while building an asset the market will one day value at a larger-company multiple. That spread (known as multiple arbitrage) is how quiet, unglamorous businesses become significant family wealth.

The opportunity is real, and so is the risk. Most acquisitions that go wrong were lost before closing: a thesis that was never defined, diligence that missed what mattered, or a structure that left the buyer carrying risk the seller should have kept. Getting those three decisions right is the work XP does.

Built for Acquirers with Intent

XP M&A Advisory works with three kinds of buyers. All three bring capital, seriousness, and a long view.

A Typical Broker Sells You a Listing.
An Advisor Builds You a Position.

Most brokers represent the seller, and their work ends at the closing table. XP represents you, from the first definition of what you want to own through your first hundred days as the owner.

The XP Acquisition Process

Acquisition rewards discipline and punishes improvisation. We run every engagement through the same structured sequence.

An Engineer’s Rigor on Your Side of the Table

XP M&A Advisory is led by Adam McMurtrey: Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), MBA, Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional, and chemical engineer with 15+ years improving operations inside Fortune 50 companies. He has spent a career walking shop floors, reading equipment, and finding where the real value in a business lives. That is the lens he brings to every target you consider.

Because XP also represents sellers, we know exactly how businesses get positioned, which add-backs get stretched, and where the soft spots hide in a Confidential Information Memorandum. When that knowledge sits on the buyer’s side of the table, it changes outcomes.

We Are Selective, and You Should Be Too

A buy-side engagement works when the buyer is ready to transact. We work best with acquirers who have committed capital or clear access to it, a decision timeline measured in months rather than years, and the intent to own and operate (or professionally oversee) what they buy. Typical targets fall between $1M and $10M in revenue, with earnings strong enough to service debt and pay the owner well.

If you are earlier in the journey, start with our buying tutorial and the free valuation tool. Come talk to us when you are ready to move.

Frequently Asked Questions: Buy-Side M&A Advisory

What does a buy-side M&A advisor do?
A buy-side advisor represents the buyer in an acquisition. XP defines your acquisition criteria, sources on-market and off-market targets, values the business independently, coordinates due diligence, negotiates price and terms, arranges financing, and manages the transaction through closing. The seller’s broker works for the seller; we work for you.

How much money do I need to buy a business?
With SBA 7(a) financing, buyers typically bring 10–20% of the purchase price as equity, sometimes less when a seller note is part of the structure. Controlling a business with $500K in earnings often requires $150K–$350K in cash, depending on price and structure. We model affordability before you look at a single deal.

How do you find businesses that are not listed for sale?
Many owners who would sell for the right offer never formally list. We run confidential, direct outreach to owners who fit your thesis: a conversation between principals, opened by an intermediary both sides can trust. Off-market deals frequently offer better pricing and far less competition.

What does buy-side representation cost?
Engagements are typically structured as a modest retainer plus a success fee, so the bulk of our compensation arrives when your deal closes. We will walk you through the exact structure on a strategy call, before you commit to anything.

How long does an acquisition take?
From defined criteria to closing, most acquisitions take 6–12 months. A motivated buyer with financing arranged and a clear thesis can move faster; complex or off-market deals can take longer. Preparation on the front end is what shortens the back end.

You also represent sellers. Is that a conflict?
Never inside the same transaction. When XP represents a seller, we do not simultaneously represent a buyer on that deal, and we disclose relationships plainly. Working both sides of the market at different times is why our underwriting is sharp; we know how the other side prepares.