First Choice Business Brokers Review

FCBB is a business brokerage and mergers and acquisitions firm headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, at 851 South Rampart Boulevard. The company connects business buyers with business sellers, primarily in the "main street" and middle market segments.

Think restaurants, retail stores, service businesses, and small-to-mid-size companies rather than Fortune 500 transactions.

The firm describes itself as "The World's Authority in Business Sales," a bold claim, but one backed by 30-plus years in the industry. The franchise model means there is no single monolithic FCBB office.

Instead, buyers and sellers work with a locally owned franchise that operates under FCBB's systems, training, and brand.

This is important to understand before engaging with any FCBB office.

Because each office is independently owned, the experience a client has in Phoenix may differ from the experience in Miami. The quality of individual brokers, their local market knowledge, and their communication style will vary.

This is common across brokerage franchise systems and not unique to FCBB, but it does mean that reviewing "FCBB" as a single entity has limits. Vetting the specific local office and broker matters as much as the parent brand.

FCBB covers the full transaction cycle for both buyers and sellers. Their core service categories include:

• Business Sales — Confidential listing services for owners who want to sell, including market positioning and buyer outreach.
• Business Valuation — Professional valuations offered at all FCBB offices. The company advertises free business evaluations as an entry point.
• Buyer Representation — Brokers guide buyers through search, due diligence, offer structuring, and closing.
• Transactional Guidance — Support through the mechanics of the deal: contracts, financing, escrow.
• Merger and Acquisition Services — For larger transactions in the middle market segment.
• Immigration Through Business Ownership — A niche service for those pursuing U.S. immigration via business acquisition.

The buyer FAQ section on their website addresses financing options, including the use of retirement funds through ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) arrangements.

Yes. FCBB is a legitimate, established business brokerage firm with a 30-year operating history. Here's what supports that conclusion:

Membership in recognized industry organizations. FCBB holds active membership with the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), which has its own code of ethics and professional standards. The IFA and CFA memberships reflect adherence to franchise-specific business conduct standards.

Franchise 500 Recognition. Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 is one of the more scrutinized franchise rankings in the U.S. FCBB has received this recognition multiple times, which requires submitting verified financial performance data.

Documented transaction volume. The $15 billion in listed and managed business sales is the single most concrete credibility signal. That number represents thousands of completed transactions over three decades, not a startup's aspirational projection.

BBB Profile. The Better Business Bureau profile for FCBB shows no customer complaints on record, a neutral but notable data point.

The picture here is mixed, which is honest and worth understanding.

On Indeed, FCBB holds a 4.0 out of 5 from employee reviews. Common themes in positive reviews include the company's "sharing culture" and corporate support.

One employee described it as "FCBB offers a unique sharing culture. The corporate office is there for every office and agent."

Glassdoor tells a different story at 2.8 out of 5. Some former employees have noted inconsistency in franchisor support and training quality.

One former employee wrote that the franchisor "only cares about delivering leads to their star performer."

From a client perspective, a review on Business Brokers Rated highlighted FCBB's due diligence process and escrow protections as strengths, with some clients reporting offers within 24 hours due to FCBB's buyer database.

The FCBB Los Angeles office earned BusinessRate's #1 Business Brokerage in Los Angeles award for 2024, based on Google reviews from clients.

The takeaway: corporate infrastructure and brand standards are solid. Individual office and broker quality is the variable.

Good fit:

• Small business owners looking to sell a main street business (revenue under $5 million)
• Entrepreneurs seeking to buy an existing business with broker guidance
• Buyers interested in immigration-through-business pathways
• Anyone who wants a structured, professionally managed process rather than trying to navigate a private sale alone

Less ideal fit:

• Very large transactions (above $50 million) where specialized M&A boutiques with sector expertise may be more appropriate
• Clients who want a single, consistent national contact rather than working with a franchise operator
• Those in regions where FCBB does not yet have a local office with deep market coverage

FCBB states that its brokers come from backgrounds in accounting, legal, banking, real estate, and insurance. Initial training is required for all brokers, with ongoing education required as well. 

This multi-disciplinary background is relevant because business sales touch all of these disciplines simultaneously.

That said, broker licensing requirements for business brokers vary by state. In some states, a real estate license is required to broker a business sale; in others, it is not. Clients should confirm their local broker's licensing status and professional credentials directly.

FCBB competes directly with Transworld, Murphy, and Sunbelt in the franchise brokerage category. Each operates similarly.

The differentiator often comes down to who has the strongest local presence in a specific market, and which individual broker a client connects with.

How long does it typically take to sell a business through FCBB?

The timeline depends heavily on the type and size of the business, local market conditions, and how prepared the seller is financially. Some listings sell within weeks through FCBB's buyer network; others take six months to a year or longer. FCBB advisors recommend engaging a broker one to three years before a planned sale to allow adequate preparation.

Can I buy a business through FCBB without prior business ownership experience?

Yes. FCBB offers buyer representation services specifically designed to guide first-time business buyers through every stage of the process, from search to closing.

Does FCBB help with SBA loans or financing?

FCBB provides guidance on financing options including SBA loans and ROBS arrangements for retirement fund deployment. They work with buyers to identify appropriate financing paths, though the actual lending relationship is with a third-party lender.

First Choice Business Brokers is a legitimate, well-established business brokerage network with a 30-year history, over $15 billion in managed transactions, and active memberships in major industry associations.

The franchise structure means individual office quality varies, so due diligence on the specific local broker is just as important as confidence in the parent brand.