Bristol Group is a boutique business brokerage and M&A advisory firm that has been operating since 1996, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with offices spread across the United States.
The firm works with two distinct client segments: owners of small Main Street businesses and mid-market companies looking to sell, and buyers ranging from individual entrepreneurs to private equity groups seeking acquisitions.
After nearly three decades in the industry, the firm has built a national footprint without losing the specialized, client-focused approach that distinguishes it from larger brokerage houses.
Key Takeaways
- Bristol Group serves both small business owners and mid-market companies generating $1 million or more in EBITDA, covering a wide range of transaction sizes under one roof.
- The firm acts as an exclusive agent for sellers, limiting the number of clients it represents at any time to dedicate more resources to each transaction.
- Advisors on the team carry backgrounds from banking, fintech, M&A, and investment management, bringing hands-on deal experience rather than purely theoretical knowledge.
What Bristol Group Does
At its core, Bristol Group connects business owners who want to sell with qualified buyers who want to acquire. The firm divides its client base into two broad categories based on business size.
Main Street businesses are typically smaller, privately held companies valued under $1 million.
These are often owner-operated or family-run enterprises where the sale process is highly personal, and the seller may have little prior experience navigating a transaction.
Bristol Group handles these deals end to end, from initial valuation through closing.
The mid-market division handles more complex transactions. These are companies generating $1 million or more in EBITDA, often with established management teams and operations across multiple locations.
The firm's M&A advisors on this side work specifically to attract strategic buyers and financial sponsors, including private equity firms with committed capital actively looking to deploy.
Services Offered
Bristol Group's service list covers every stage of a business sale:
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Valuation | Provides a broker's opinion of value using current market data, financial multiples, and clean financials |
| Confidential Business Memorandum | Prepares a professional marketing package (also called a CIM or CBR) to present the business to qualified buyers |
| Buyer Identification & Qualification | Screens and qualifies buyers before releasing sensitive information, requiring confidentiality agreements |
| Deal Negotiation | Negotiates terms and conditions on behalf of the seller |
| Due Diligence Management | Coordinates the due diligence process between buyer, seller, attorneys, CPAs, and lenders |
| Closing Coordination | Manages the legal and administrative steps to transfer ownership |
| Business Acquisition Support | Helps buyers identify businesses that fit their criteria and navigate the purchase process |
For sellers, the firm emphasizes confidentiality throughout the process. Buyers must sign a non-disclosure agreement before accessing any detailed business information.
The firm coordinates with attorneys, CPAs, and lenders directly, so sellers are not left to manage those moving parts on their own.
The Team
Bristol Group's advisors come from varied professional backgrounds. Managing Partner Trevin Rasmussen runs the Boise headquarters.
Lead advisor Regina, who is cited frequently in client testimonials, spent over a decade in the fintech industry executing international strategic partnerships and M&A projects before joining the firm.
Tory Adair spent 18 years at companies including Microsoft, American Airlines, Wachovia, and Franklin Covey before transitioning to brokerage.
Bill, another team member, spent 40 years in investment management after starting as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch in Denver.
Andy brings 12 years of M&A and business consulting experience, and TJ has 25 years in financial services.
The collective background across the team skews toward people who have worked inside the industries they now advise on, which tends to make a difference in how they assess deal risk, valuation inputs, and buyer fit.
Who Bristol Group Works With
On the seller side, the firm serves:
- Owner-operated small businesses
- Family enterprises
- Mid-market companies with $1M+ EBITDA and multi-location operations
On the buyer side, the firm works with:
- Individual buyers looking to acquire a business for the first time
- Private equity groups with committed capital
- Family offices
- Partnerships and corporate acquirers
The national reach matters here.
Bristol Group maintains a database of buyers actively searching for businesses, and the firm's footprint across multiple states means it can surface buyers from outside a seller's immediate geography.
That can be particularly useful for smaller markets where the pool of local buyers is limited.
The Broker Affiliate Network
Beyond its direct brokerage operations, Bristol Group runs an affiliate network for brokers who want to operate under the firm's brand in their local markets.
Affiliates receive legal documentation, marketing materials, and administrative tools.
The firm trains affiliates on client acquisition, business valuations, buyer qualification, offer negotiation, due diligence management, and deal closing.
earn commissions on completed sales and may also earn fees for valuation and consulting work. This model extends Bristol Group's geographic reach without requiring the firm to staff every market with full-time employees.
What Clients Say
Client testimonials on the firm's website and third-party sources are generally positive, with recurring themes around deal speed, professionalism, and the smoothness of the closing process.
One buyer noted being treated fairly and receiving assistance with due diligence throughout. A repeat seller noted having worked with advisor Regina twice, describing the process as smooth and efficient both times.
A seller specifically credited the firm with finding a buyer who understood their industry.
Testimonials alone are a limited data source, but the pattern across them points toward competent transaction management rather than just deal origination.
Strengths Worth Noting
- National reach with local execution. Offices across the country, combined with local market knowledge, give the firm flexibility on both buyer sourcing and seller representation.
- Exclusive agency model. Bristol Group limits how many clients it takes on at once, which differentiates it from high-volume brokerages that may move faster but offer less individualized attention.
- Breadth of transaction types. Handling both sub-$1M Main Street deals and $1M+ EBITDA mid-market transactions under one roof is uncommon among boutique firms, and gives sellers more runway if their business grows before they decide to exit.
- Experienced team backgrounds. Advisors with real-world backgrounds in banking, fintech, and investment management bring practical credibility to conversations about deal structure and valuation.
Areas to Consider
The firm's website does not publicly disclose fees or commission structures, which is standard for business brokerage but means sellers need to have that conversation upfront.
The affiliate model also means that quality and experience can vary depending on which market and which broker a client ends up working with.
Prospective clients in markets covered by affiliates rather than direct employees would be wise to ask specifically about their broker's transaction history and background.
Conclusion
Bristol Group occupies a practical middle ground in the business brokerage space, with enough scale to reach national buyers and enough specialization to handle deals on both the Main Street and mid-market levels.
Business owners evaluating whether to use a broker should look at the firm's exclusive agency model, the team's professional backgrounds, and their track record with transactions similar in size and industry to their own.