Peterson Acquisitions is a Kansas City-based business brokerage firm that has operated since 2005, built by founder Chad Peterson after a career that included bootstrapping his way through commercial airline piloting school and building multiple businesses from scratch.
The firm operates nationally, connecting small business owners with qualified buyers, and has earned a reputation for a high-pressure, results-driven approach that separates it from more conventional M&A advisory firms.
Peterson Acquisitions has been featured in USA Today, Inc. Magazine, and the Kansas City Business Journal, and has been ranked the number-one business broker in the country by multiple sources.
Key Takeaways
- Peterson Acquisitions maintains a 90% closing rate, significantly above the industry average of 11–25%.
- The firm holds a pre-qualified buyer list of over 3,000 active buyers ready to purchase businesses.
- Founder Chad Peterson's background as a serial entrepreneur directly informs how the firm values and markets businesses for sale.
Who Is Chad Peterson?
Chad Peterson didn't come from money or an MBA program. He worked his way through commercial airline piloting school, then built and sold several businesses before turning his attention to helping other owners do the same.
That real-world background matters here because it shapes how the firm operates. Peterson isn't just a transaction coordinator. According to client Fred Rowland, "Chad is very hands on, he knew every single number in that business."
That owner-operator perspective is what the firm leads with. It's not a team of finance professionals managing a process from a distance. Peterson digs into the books, sets realistic valuations, and pushes hard on the buyer side to get deals closed.
What Peterson Acquisitions Actually Does
The firm offers a range of services for both sellers and buyers:
| Service | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Business Valuation | Market-based pricing using tax returns and financial analysis |
| Business Assessment | Pre-sale evaluation of operational and financial readiness |
| Business Analysis | Realistic review of financial performance for buyers or sellers |
| Sell My Business | Full-service brokerage from listing to closing |
| Buy a Business | Buyer representation through due diligence and transition |
| Coaching Session | One-on-one consultation for owners preparing to go to market |
The firm also runs a podcast, has published a book titled From Blue to White aimed at tradespeople considering self-employment, and operates Peterson Capital as a separate lending entity.
The 90% Closing Rate: What That Number Means
The national average closing rate for business brokers sits between 11% and 25%. Peterson Acquisitions claims a 90% closing rate.
That gap is meaningful. Most business listings fail not because buyers don't exist, but because sellers are overpriced relative to what banks will finance.
If a business is priced too high, the debt service on a buyer's acquisition loan becomes unworkable, and deals fall apart at financing. Peterson's approach prioritizes accurate pricing from the start, which keeps bank financing viable and deals moving.
Chad Peterson tells a story on his website about a couple who rejected his initial valuation, hired a different broker who priced the business higher, spent over a year on the market without selling, watched their business decline in value due to distraction, and eventually called Peterson back in a worse position than when they started.
The point is blunt: mispriced listings waste time, damage the business, and hurt the seller.
Industries and Deal Sizes
Peterson Acquisitions has handled transactions across a wide range of industries and deal sizes. A sample of completed sales includes:
- Geo Drilling & Exploration Co: $68,000,000
- Bridge & Tower Drilling/Anchoring: $15,600,000
- Restaurant Chain: $6,800,000
- Water Filtration Business: $5,400,000
- Online Retail Parts Distributor: $4,300,000
- Screen Print Manufacturer: $4,500,000
- HVAC Company: $420,000
- Foundation Repair Contractor: $225,000
The firm doesn't specialize in one vertical. Service businesses, manufacturers, contractors, and digital companies all appear in their transaction history.
Deal sizes range from small local service operations to multi-million-dollar industrial companies.
The Buyer Pool
One concrete advantage the firm offers sellers is an existing database of over 3,000 pre-qualified buyers. For a small business owner going to market, that list matters.
Most sellers don't have the network to find qualified buyers on their own, and cold-market exposure can attract tire-kickers who can't secure financing.
A curated buyer list shortens the sales cycle and reduces the risk of failed deals at the financing stage.
The firm also runs a dedicated "Buyer Deal Finder" service and a formal buyer intake process to keep that list current and screened.
Buyers who register go through an intake questionnaire so the firm understands their acquisition criteria, financial capacity, and industry preferences.
That pre-screening means sellers aren't wasting time on calls with buyers who can't actually close.
There's a practical reason this matters at scale: the longer a business sits on the market, the more it signals to other potential buyers that something is wrong. A quick, qualified match from an existing pool avoids that problem entirely.
Their Approach: Not a Fit for Everyone
Peterson Acquisitions is direct about the fact that they're not the right broker for every seller. Their website says it plainly: "We are not for everyone."
The firm describes its working style as high-intensity, persistent, and unapologetically aggressive on the buyer-sourcing side. Client Bob Krebs noted that Peterson was "relentless pursuing prospective buyers."
Business attorney Art Fillmore, who has worked alongside Peterson on deals, described him as having "a unique skillset in finding the right seller and the right buyer."
That's a meaningful observation from someone who sits across the table during closings and sees a lot of brokers in action.
The firm also participates in a Local Area Market Partner (LAMP) program, where they recruit regional partners who can extend their reach into local markets while maintaining the same deal standards.
For sellers outside the Kansas City metro, that structure means the firm has invested in keeping its national footprint operational rather than just listing it as a service area.
If you're a seller who wants a low-key process and doesn't need fast results, this probably isn't the right firm.
If you need to sell, need a realistic price, and want someone pushing hard until the deal closes, that's exactly who this firm markets itself to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Peterson Acquisitions determine what my business is worth?
They analyze three years of tax returns and apply market-based valuation methods. Their site also offers a one-click ballpark valuation tool for initial estimates.
Does Peterson Acquisitions work with businesses outside Kansas City?
Yes. The firm operates nationally and has a Locations page listing service areas beyond the Kansas City metro.
Can I use Peterson Acquisitions if I want to buy a business, not sell one?
Yes. The firm offers buyer representation services and maintains a buyer intake portal for those looking to acquire.
What does the process look like once I engage the firm?
It starts with a discovery call, followed by formal agreement execution, then full-service brokerage through to closing.
Is there a cost to the initial consultation?
The discovery call is confidential and listed as no-obligation. Coaching sessions are available as a separate paid service for deeper pre-sale preparation.
Conclusion
Peterson Acquisitions is a nationally operating business brokerage that competes on closing rate, buyer access, and a founder who has personally built and sold businesses.
For small business owners who want to sell without getting stuck in a prolonged, overpriced listing cycle, the firm offers a direct and data-grounded path to closing.