Similar businesses sell at 1.4x to 5.0x SDE. Compare live listings and connect with sellers.
daniel-mccullough-HtBlQdxfG9k-unsplash.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Established in 1993, this full-service architecture practice serves the Portland metropolitan area and clients throughout Oregon and Washington. The Firm provides residential, commercial, and historic preservation/adaptive-reuse services, with a reputation built primarily on repeat clients and referrals. Approximately 80% of new work comes from past clients or their referrals, while repeat clients account for roughly half of revenue. The practice maintains a steady pipeline of 40–60 active projects and typically issues approximately 20 proposals per month, with an overall proposal close rate of approximately 60%. The team includes two licensed architect principals and an experienced technical staff, with employee tenures ranging from 2 to 21 years. The Firm operates on a time-and-materials model across all projects and has historically maintained a balanced mix of residential and commercial work, with commercial projects representing the highest-margin practice area. The opportunity is particularly well suited to a licensed architect or existing architecture practice seeking an established client base, experienced staff, and a platform for continued growth. The sellers are planning for retirement and are willing to provide a transition period of up to one year to support client relationships, project continuity, and licensing/firm-registration transition.
Image.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
This established safety training business presents a rare opportunity to acquire a profitable and respected player in the industrial compliance sector. With over three decades of operation, the company has built an exceptional reputation for delivering high-quality OSHA-aligned training programs, including specialized rescue certification courses. The business generates approximately $900,000 in annual revenue with strong 48% gross margins, demonstrating its financial health and operational efficiency. Revenue streams are diversified across on-site training, open enrollment classes, equipment sales, and consulting services, with no single client representing more than 12% of income. The company benefits from recurring demand driven by regulatory compliance needs and industry workforce turnover. Owners have systematized operations for easy transition and are willing to provide 6-12 months of training and support. The asset-light business requires minimal capital expenditures, with most training conducted at client sites or rented facilities. This turnkey operation is ideal for a strategic buyer looking to enter the growing workplace safety market or an investor seeking a stable business with expansion potential through geographic reach or enhanced marketing.
National transaction benchmarks for service business businesses.
Under $500K
$500K to $2M
Over $2M
A variety of factors can cause businesses to trade outside this range, including earnings quality, operational transferability, key-person risk, growth trajectory, and geography, so a listing priced above or below the typical multiple usually reflects real differences in the underlying business.
Cofounder & CEO
Key diligence, valuation, financing, and transition considerations for buyers evaluating service business acquisitions.
A pest-control, cleaning, or landscaping firm with recurring agreements is worth far more than one living on one-off jobs; get the contracted share and the renewal rate.
A few large accounts can carry — and walk with — the business; review the top customers, contract lengths, and cancellation terms.
In many service businesses the owner is the salesperson and the trusted contact; understand who holds the customers and the transition plan.
These are labor-heavy; understand staffing, turnover, wage pressure, and whether key crews stay.
Pest control, security, legal, and waste businesses carry licenses and obligations that may be tied to the owner — and some, like dry cleaners, carry environmental exposure.
Low-capital service businesses are easy to dress up; scrutinize owner add-backs, vehicle and equipment condition, and whether the margins hold.
Answers to common buyer questions for this market.
