CT Acquisitions: M&A Advisory for Founder-Owned Businesses
The Smart Way to Sell Your Business in 2026

You Built Something Real.What Happens Next Should Reflect That.

CT Strategic Partners connects founders of established businesses with serious, well-capitalized buyers, privately, and on your terms. No public listings. No tire kickers. Just qualified conversations with people who understand what you’ve built. Sell side, buy side, or exit planning. We never push you in any direction.

Our Belief

Most founders don’t need a broker. They need the right partner.

Our Approach

We don’t push you toward a deal. We help you choose the right one.

Maybe you’ve thought about selling. Maybe you’d rather buy a competitor and grow. Or maybe you just know the business can’t get to the next level the way things are now, and you’re not sure which door to open first.

Most advisors only sell one answer. A broker gets paid when you list, so the answer is always “sell.” A fund wants to buy, so the answer is always a deal with them. That’s how founders get pushed into a decision before they’ve actually made one.

We don’t push you in any direction. We start with where the business is today and where you want to end up, then tell you honestly which path gets you there, even when the answer is “not yet.” Whichever way you go, we have it covered:

Sell side. When you’re ready for a full exit or a recapitalization where you take chips off the table and stay involved, we run a confidential process with the right buyers from our network of 500+ private equity firms, family offices, search funds, and strategic acquirers. Never a public listing.

Buy side. If growing through acquisition is the better move, we find, vet, and negotiate the companies you buy.

Exit planning. If there’s a gap between what the business is worth today and the number you need, we build the plan to close it before you ever go to market.

Whatever you choose, it stays confidential. Your employees, your customers, and your competitors won’t know you’re exploring options unless you decide to tell them. You’ll know exactly how we’re paid before any work starts, and you move when you’re ready, whether that’s three months or three years. We’ll be here either way.

Why This Works

This isn’t a listing service. We don’t shop your business around.

Your Business Stays Private

We never publicly list your business, blast your financials, or share your information without your knowledge. Every introduction is targeted, one to one, and with your approval.

Serious Buyers Only

Our capital partners are established private equity firms, family offices, and operators with verified track records and committed capital. We don’t waste your time with unqualified interest.

We Speak Your Language

Most intermediaries talk deal structures and multiples. We talk about what you built, what your team needs, what your customers expect, and what the right outcome looks like for you.

No Push in Any Direction

Sell, buy, or build value first. We tell you which path fits and how we’re paid before any work starts, and if the right answer is to wait, we’ll say so.

By the Numbers

What that looks like, in practice.

500+
Active U.S. lower middle market buyers in our network: PE, family offices, search funders, strategics.
3
Ways we work: sell side, buy side, and exit planning, so the advice follows your goals, not one product.
154
In-depth state & vertical guides on what businesses sell for and who’s buying in 2026.
0
Public listings. Your process stays confidential from the first call to the close.
Common Questions

Honest answers to what you’re probably thinking.

Is this a listing service?

No. We never list businesses publicly. Depending on what you need, we represent you on the sell side, find and negotiate acquisitions for you on the buy side, or build an exit plan first. When we bring a buyer to the table, it’s because your business genuinely fits what they’re looking for, not because we’re trying to generate a fee.

Will my business be publicly listed?

Not through us. Confidentiality is foundational to how we operate. We don’t publish business details, and we don’t share information without your explicit approval.

Can I just talk to you without committing to anything?

Absolutely. Many of the business owners we speak with are just exploring. Some end up selling. Some don’t. Either way, it’s a useful conversation to have, even if the timing isn’t right today. The first conversation carries no obligation, and nothing moves forward unless you decide it should.

What does this cost me?

It depends on the path that fits. If you’re already at your number, we can take you to market with no front-end fee and are paid at closing. Exit planning and buy-side work are scoped up front. Either way, you’ll see exactly how we’re paid, in writing, before any work starts.

Who are your buyers?

Typically private equity firms, family offices, search funders, or strategic acquirers in your industry. These are experienced operators who’ve done this before and understand how to work with founders through a transition. Many of our buyers offer rollover equity so you can keep upside as the business grows.

What happens to my team?

This is one of the first things we discuss with partners. Most of our capital partners want to retain the existing team, your people are part of what makes the business valuable. We make sure this is on the table from day one.

About Us

Built by people who respect what you’ve built.

We started CT Strategic Partners because too many good businesses get overlooked or get bad advice when the owner starts thinking about what’s next.

We grew up around tradespeople. We’ve worked with operating businesses and institutional capital. We know what it takes to build something from nothing, and we know what it looks like when the wrong buyer gets involved.

The firm was built to be the partner we wished existed for founders: someone who tells it straight, protects your privacy, and connects you with buyers who will treat your business and your people the right way.

Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people. We have that dynamic group.

Meet the Team →

Free Tools & Research

Get a real number before you call anyone.

How Much Is Your HVAC Business Worth? →

EBITDA multiples by tier, what PE consolidators pay for service vs install mix, and the diligence buyers run before LOI.

How Much Is Your Plumbing Business Worth? →

Multiple ranges for service + commercial + plumbing-and-drain. Recurring-revenue weighting and the working-capital peg buyers expect.

How Much Is Your Electrical Business Worth? →

Residential vs commercial vs industrial valuation gaps, license-transfer mechanics, and what a 24-month look-back actually shows.

How Much Is Your Roofing Business Worth? →

Storm-restoration vs retail re-roof multiples, insurance-receivables discount, and how labor concentration moves the number.

How Much Is Your Pest Control Business Worth? →

Why pest control trades at the highest home-services multiples, recurring-revenue mix that drives valuation up, and termite-bond liability discounts.

How Much Is Your Landscaping Business Worth? →

Maintenance contract vs design-build multiples, snow-revenue treatment, and what crew retention is worth at LOI.

How Much Is Your Tree Service Business Worth? →

TRAQ-cert crew premiums, equipment fleet add-backs, the recurring-removal vs storm-spike valuation gap.

How Much Is Your Garage Doors Business Worth? →

Service-and-install mix that justifies premium pricing, builder-channel concentration risk, and the recurring PM contract valuation lift.

How Much Is Your Pool Service Business Worth? →

Recurring-route density, chemical/repair mix, and why route concentration in Sun Belt MSAs pays a premium.

How Much Is Your Restoration Business Worth? →

Insurance-work vs retail valuation gap, IICRC certification premium, 24/7 dispatch infrastructure as a multiple driver.

How Much Is Your Locksmith Business Worth? →

Commercial vs residential mix valuation gap, recurring access-control RMR, and bonded-licensed crew premiums.

How Much Is Your Fire Protection Business Worth? →

NICET-cert premium, inspection-and-service recurring RMR, sprinkler vs alarm valuation gaps, and AHJ relationship value.

How Much Is Your Security Integration Business Worth? →

RMR multiple math, attrition-rate impact, residential vs commercial premium, and the integration-revenue valuation drag.

How Much Is Your Industrial Services Business Worth? →

Plant turnaround vs ongoing T&M mix, master service agreement (MSA) premiums, and customer concentration discounts.

How Much Is Your Janitorial Business Worth? →

Day porter vs night-crew margin gap, healthcare vs office building premium, and why route density beats square-footage scale.

How Much Is Your MSP / IT Services Business Worth? →

MRR vs project-revenue mix that buyers actually pay for, customer concentration thresholds, and the per-seat valuation math.

How Much Is Your SaaS Business Worth? →

ARR-multiple math by growth-rate band, net retention thresholds buyers require, and what vertical SaaS commands vs horizontal.

How Much Is Your CPA / Accounting Business Worth? →

Recurring vs non-recurring fee mix, partner-dependence discount, and what bookkeeping-plus-CAS practices fetch vs traditional comp & tax.

How Much Is Your Insurance Agency Business Worth? →

Commercial vs personal lines premium, contingent-commission treatment, and book-of-business retention assumptions.

How Much Is Your Auto Service Business Worth? →

Tire-and-mechanical mix, fleet-account RMR, real estate carve-out impact, and the technician-retention valuation premium.

How Much Is Your Commercial HVAC Business Worth? →

PMA/PSA contract premium, CSLB C-20 + TDLR licensing, BACnet/Niagara controls integration, and ESCo work valuation lift.

How Much Is Your Foundation Repair Business Worth? →

Helical pier vs push pier vs slab jacking mix, insurance vs retail, lifetime warranty exposure, Groundworks/Cerberus thesis.

How Much Is Your Septic Business Worth? →

State permit-transfer mechanics (MA Title 5, NC OWE, FL 64E-6), NAWT certification, route density, PFAS regulation tail.

How Much Is Your Snow Removal Business Worth? →

9-band multiples by region + contract structure, weather-derivative carriers, salt brine economics, NJ/PA premises liability.

How Much Is Your Window & Door Business Worth? →

Replacement install premium, RBA/Pella/Window World franchise vs independent, lead-gen cost, financing partner lift.

How Much Is Your Holiday Lighting Business Worth? →

Seasonal concentration discount, multi-year contract premium, landscape integration adjacency.

How Much Is Your Handyman Business Worth? →

Ticket-size economics, Neighborly/KKR portfolio, DOL 2024 W-2/1099 rule, recurring PM contracts.

How Much Is Your Pressure Washing Business Worth? →

Commercial HOA/retail contract premium, softwash vs hot-pressure, surface-cleaner productivity.

How Much Is Your Irrigation Business Worth? →

Hunter/Rain Bird/Toro dealer status, recurring spring-start + winterization, drought-state tailwind.

How Much Is Your Flooring Business Worth? →

Retail vs builder vs commercial channel premium, LVT/SPC mix, supplier rebates, installer classification risk.

How Much Is Your Environmental Services Business Worth? →

RCRA Part B premium, PFAS tailwind, Clean Harbors/WM/Heritage-Crystal Clean recent transactions.

How Much Is Your Waste Hauling Business Worth? →

Route density math, landfill access premium, WM/Republic/GFL acquisition multiples, Stericycle deal benchmark.

How Much Is Your Water / Wastewater Business Worth? →

Municipal O&M premium, certified-operator licensing, PFAS treatment buildout, Veolia/Inframark/AWK landscape.

How Much Is Your Generator Service Business Worth? →

Generac/Cummins/Kohler dealer status, PM contract attach rate, hurricane-state tailwind, MEP adjacency.

How Much Is Your Excavation Business Worth? →

Bid-bonding capacity, equipment fleet sale-leaseback, IIJA infrastructure tailwind, DBE/MBE premium.

How Much Is Your Paving Business Worth? →

Hot-mix plant economics, DOT prequalification, sealcoating vs paving mix, IIJA $1.2T infrastructure pipeline.

How Much Is Your Traffic Control Business Worth? →

DOT prequal premium, ATSSA certification, Roadsafe/AWP consolidation thesis, MUTCD compliance.

How Much Is Your Sports Surfacing Business Worth? →

FieldTurf/Hellas/AstroTurf landscape, NFHS/NCAA spec premium, multi-product (turf+track+tennis) lift.

How Much Is Your Sign Company Business Worth? →

LED retrofit margin, FastSigns/Signarama franchise economics, recurring service contract attach rate.

How Much Is Your Property Management Business Worth? →

HOA vs SFR vs multifamily vs CRE vs STR multiples, AUM × fee math, software lock-in premium.

How Much Is Your Wealth / RIA Business Worth? →

AUM × revenue × multiple math, advisor age demographic, custodian relationships, fee-only vs hybrid premium.

How Much Is Your Marketing Agency Business Worth? →

Retainer vs project mix, vertical specialty premium, SOW renewal rate, IPG/OMC/PUB/Stagwell landscape.

How Much Is Your Payment Processing Business Worth? →

Residual-portfolio multiple math, attrition rate impact, ISV/payfac premium, Worldpay/Shift4/Stax comps.

How Much Is Your Government Services Business Worth? →

TS/SCI clearance premium, DCAA accounting, GSA Schedule access, ManTech/Peraton/CACI/SAIC landscape.

How Much Is Your Energy Brokerage Business Worth? →

Mils-per-kWh commission math, deregulated state coverage, demand-response economics, ESG decarbonization tailwind.

How Much Is Your Home Health Business Worth? →

PDGM math, HHVBP +/-5%, hospice cap, CON state premium, Amedisys/Optum + Enhabit/Kinderhook anchors.

How Much Is Your Veterinary Business Worth? →

AAHA premium, single-doc vs multi-doc vs specialty/ER gap, Mars/JAB/AVG/MVP/PetVet consolidation thesis.

How Much Is Your Auto Body Shop Business Worth? →

DRP carrier relationships, OEM certifications (Tesla Approved, Honda ProFirst), ADAS calibration revenue.

How Much Is Your Oil Change Business Worth? →

Real-estate ownership premium, cars-per-bay productivity, Valvoline/Take 5/Strickland buyer pool.

How Much Is Your Transmission Shop Business Worth? →

AAMCO franchise economics, ATRA certification, fleet account mix, EV transition risk discount.

How Much Is Your Tire Shop Business Worth? →

Tire-and-mechanical integration economics, real-estate ownership premium, Mavis/Discount Tire/Monro landscape.

How Much Is Your Packaging Business Worth? →

EBITDA multiples for converters and contract packagers, what strategic and PE buyers pay by substrate mix, and 9 active buyer mandates in our network.

How Much Is Your Building Products Business Worth? →

Manufacturing and distribution multiples, channel-mix premiums, and 6 active buyer mandates hunting the space.

How Much Is Your Recycling Business Worth? →

Multiples by commodity exposure, route density economics, and the buyers consolidating scrap, C&D, and organics.

How Much Is Your Utility Contracting Business Worth? →

Backlog quality, master service agreements, and what infrastructure buyers underwrite before LOI.

How Much Is Your Aerospace or Defense Shop Worth? →

Multiples for precision manufacturers and MRO shops, certifications that move price, and 5 active buyer mandates.

How Much Is Your Behavioral Health Practice Worth? →

Multiples by payor mix and clinical model, what PE platforms pay, and the diligence they run.

How Much Is Your Water Treatment Business Worth? →

Recurring service premiums, rental-fleet economics, and 4 active buyer mandates in our network.

How Much Is Your Commercial Refrigeration Business Worth? →

Service-contract multiples, rack-system expertise premiums, and the mechanical consolidators buying now.

How Much Is Your Gutter Business Worth? →

Install vs guard-system recurring mix, what home-services platforms pay, and how routes get valued.

How Much Is Your Food Manufacturing Business Worth? →

Co-packing and branded multiples, certifications that gate buyers, and 3 active mandates.

How Much Is Your Trade School Worth? →

Enrollment economics, accreditation transfer, Title IV mechanics, and the buyers consolidating vocational training.

How Much Is Your Senior Care Business Worth? →

Multiples for in-home care, assisted living, and post-acute operators, with census and payor-mix math.

How Much Is Your Equipment Rental Business Worth? →

Dollar-utilization benchmarks, fleet-age math, and what national consolidators pay by category.

How Much Is Your A&E Firm Worth? →

Zweig Group benchmarks, backlog multiples, and how PE buys engineering and architecture firms.

How Much Is Your TPA or Claims Business Worth? →

Recurring-revenue multiples for TPAs, adjusters, and claims services, and who is consolidating the space.

How Much Is Your Vacation Rental Business Worth? →

Per-unit and revenue multiples, contract quality tiers, and the roll-ups active after the 2024 reset.

How Much Is Your Telecom Infrastructure Business Worth? →

Fiber, tower, and DAS contractor multiples, backlog quality, and infrastructure buyer mandates.

How Much Is Your Junk Removal Business Worth? →

Route economics, franchise vs independent multiples, and what waste consolidators pay.

How Much Is Your Glazing Business Worth? →

Commercial glass multiples, backlog and bonding capacity, and the specialty-trade buyers active now.

How Much Is Your Fencing Business Worth? →

Multiples by residential vs commercial mix, and the PE platforms consolidating fencing right now.

Begin the Conversation

Ready to explore your options?

No pitch. No pressure. Just a private conversation about your business and what a transition could look like, whenever you’re ready.

*Every engagement starts with a confidential conversation. You’ll know how we’re paid before any work begins.