When you've spent years sometimes decades building a business in one of the world's most competitive markets, the decision to sell isn't just financial.
It's personal.
At Earned Exits, we work with owners of privately held companies across New York City and the broader New York metro to help them navigate that transition with confidence.
As an experienced business broker and M&A advisory firm, we serve both buyers and sellers, and we understand the New York market in ways that national generalist firms simply don't.
Whether you're planning to retire, step back, or capitalize on what you've built, this page will show you exactly how we work, and why NYC business owners trust us to handle the most important deal of their careers.
Key Takeaways
- Earned Exits is a NYC-based business broker and M&A advisory firm that helps owner-operators of privately held companies typically generating $1M–$25M in annual revenue sell their businesses confidentially and on their own terms.
- The firm follows a structured six-step process, from a free confidential consultation and business valuation through to due diligence and closing, ensuring buyers sign NDAs before receiving any identifying information about the seller.
- Key value drivers the firm evaluates include revenue trends, EBITDA margins, customer concentration, and industry multiples, with most transactions taking between six and twelve months from initial consultation to closing.
Why Business Owners Trust Earned Exits
New York City isn't a single market it's five boroughs, dozens of submarkets, and thousands of micro-industries operating simultaneously. A business in the Garment District runs differently than one in Long Island City.
A Queens-based logistics company has a different buyer pool than a Manhattan professional services firm.
Our team understands those distinctions, and we factor them into every valuation, every buyer conversation, and every negotiation.
Confidentiality is foundational to everything we do. In a city where industries are tight-knit and word travels fast, a leaked sale can spook employees, alarm customers, and undermine the deal before it closes.
We run a structured, discreet process from day one.
We specialize in working with owner-operators: the people who built the thing themselves and now need the right partner to help them exit cleanly, at the right number, on the right timeline.
Exit planning isn't an afterthought for us — it's part of the first conversation.
Industries We Serve
Our NYC deal experience spans a wide range of business types. Most of our clients fall somewhere in the range of $1M to $25M in annual revenue, though we evaluate opportunities outside that range when the fit is right.
The industries we most actively work in:
- Manufacturing
- Distribution & Logistics
- Healthcare & Medical
- Technology & SaaS
- Business Services
- Construction & Contracting
- Transportation
- Consumer & Retail
If your business doesn't fit neatly into one of those categories, reach out anyway. We work across sectors, and the best deals are often the ones that don't fit a template.
Our Business Brokerage Process
Selling a business involves more moving parts than most owners anticipate. Here's how we structure it:
- Free Confidential Consultation — We start with a no-obligation conversation to understand your business, your goals, and your timeline. Nothing you share leaves the room.
- Business Valuation and Market Analysis — We conduct a thorough analysis of your financials, industry comps, and market conditions to arrive at a defensible, realistic valuation. This includes a close look at revenue, EBITDA (your business's operating profit), growth trajectory, customer concentration, and industry-specific factors.
- Preparing Your Business for Sale — Before we go to market, we work with you to organize financials, identify any value gaps, and position the business as attractively as possible for qualified buyers.
- Confidential Marketing to Qualified Buyers — We do not list your business publicly in ways that expose your identity. Every prospective buyer signs a Non-Disclosure Agreement before they receive any identifying information. Our buyer outreach is targeted, not broadcast.
- Offer Negotiation and Letter of Intent — When offers come in, we help you evaluate terms — not just price — and negotiate a Letter of Intent that sets the stage for a clean closing.
- Due Diligence and Closing — We coordinate with attorneys, accountants, and lenders to keep the transaction moving. Deals that fall apart in due diligence usually do so because of poor preparation earlier in the process. We work to prevent that.
Buying a Business in NY City
Most brokerage firms treat buyers as an afterthought. We don't.
Earned Exits maintains an active pipeline of NYC-area businesses for sale across the industries listed above.
If you're looking to buy a business in New York City whether you're a first-time buyer, a private equity group, or an operator looking to expand we can help you find the right opportunity, evaluate it properly, and navigate due diligence without making costly mistakes.
| What We Help Buyers With | Details |
|---|---|
| Deal sourcing | Access to off-market and listed opportunities |
| Business evaluation | Financials, operations, market position |
| Due diligence support | Coordination with legal and accounting teams |
| Offer strategy | Structuring competitive, protective LOIs |
Contact our team to see current listings or discuss what you're looking for.
What Is Your New York City Business Worth?
That's usually the first question and it's the right one to start with.
Valuation is the foundation of a successful sale. Price too high and you lose serious buyers. Price too low and you leave real money behind.
Earned Exits provides a free, confidential business value analysis to every seller we work with before any engagement.
The key factors that drive value in most transactions:
- Revenue and revenue trends — Is the business growing, flat, or declining?
- EBITDA margins — Profitability relative to revenue matters more than revenue alone
- Customer concentration — One customer making up 40% of revenue is a red flag for buyers
- Growth trajectory — A business that looks good on a three-year trend commands a premium
- Industry — Multiples vary significantly by sector; tech and healthcare often command higher valuations than retail or services
Request your free New York City business valuation today. There's no cost and no commitment.
Areas We Serve Around NYC
Our primary focus is the five boroughs and the surrounding metro, but our work extends across New York State and into neighboring states when the deal calls for it.
Our New York City team actively works with business owners across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County, Rockland County, and Bergen County (NJ) and beyond.
For the right transaction, we work nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to sell a business in New York City?
Most transactions in our experience take between six and twelve months from initial consultation to closing. Complex deals with larger revenue or regulatory considerations can take longer.
To learn more read our guide on how to sell a business in New York City.
Will my employees find out I'm selling?
Not from us. Confidentiality is a non-negotiable part of how we operate. Employees are typically informed only after a deal is signed, unless the seller decides otherwise.
Do I need to have my financials cleaned up before I call you?
No. We regularly work with owners whose books need organizing before a sale. Part of our preparation process is helping you get there.
What size businesses does Earned Exits work with?
We focus on privately held businesses generating $1M to $40M in annual revenue. Contact us if you're outside that range and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit.
Ready to Talk? Contact Our Business Brokers
The first conversation is free and completely confidential. No pitch, no pressure just an honest discussion about your business and what a sale might look like for you.
We work with businesses generating $1M to $25M in annual revenue across New York City and the surrounding region. Call us, fill out the form below, or email us today to schedule your confidential consultation.