SRM Journals – International Business Broker's Association

How I Sold My Service Business Without Paying a Dime in Broker Fees

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So, picture this…

It’s 2:17 AM. I’m sitting in my home office—shirtless, hair doing its own interpretive dance—and I’ve got a half-drunk energy drink in one hand and a legal pad in the other. My dog’s asleep on a pile of invoices, and I’m staring at a whiteboard that’s equal parts inspiration and insanity.

It hit me: Why am I about to hand over 10% of my life’s work to a broker when I could just sell this thing myself?

I mean, I built this business from scratch—scrappy, lean, and mean. If anyone’s gonna squeeze every last drop of value out of it, it’s gonna be me.

Let me walk you through how I sold my service business with zero broker fees, kept my sanity (mostly), and walked away with a grin and a fat check.

Why I Said “No Thanks” to Brokers

First off, let’s get one thing straight—I don’t hate business brokers. Some of them are sharp, no-nonsense folks who know how to play the game. But I wasn’t looking to play the game.

I was trying to cash out clean, not write a big thank-you check to someone for sending a couple emails and ghosting me during negotiations.

Here’s what rubbed me the wrong way:

  • The 8-12% commission felt like a slap in the face.

  • They wanted control—of my timeline, my pitch, even my buyer list.

  • And frankly, most of the ones I talked to didn’t know my industry like I did.

So I decided to roll up my sleeves and do what I’ve always done—figure it out myself.

Step 1: Getting My House in Order (Financially and Emotionally)

Before I even whispered the word “sell,” I had to clean up the mess. Running a service business is messy. Think:

  • Recurring contracts that were half handshake, half crossed fingers.

  • A QuickBooks file that looked like it had survived a hurricane.

  • Random Google Docs that passed as “SOPs.”

So, I:

  • Streamlined my books (shoutout to my caffeine-fueled accountant).

  • Documented key processes—nothing fancy, just screen-recordings and bullet points.

  • Created a one-pager with core metrics, growth potential, and revenue breakdowns.

Oh, and I also had to emotionally detach—this was my baby, but I had to start seeing it like an asset. Cold. Hard. Sellable.

Step 2: Finding Buyers Without Looking Desperate

Here’s where things got… interesting.

I didn’t want to shout from the rooftops that I was selling—word gets around fast in a service biz, and I didn’t need employees or clients freaking out.

So I took the backdoor route:

  • I quietly told a couple friendly competitors I trusted (emphasis on “quietly”).

  • Reached out to a few angel investor types who had sniffed around before.

  • And yeah, I made a simple, no-fluff listing on one of those biz-for-sale marketplaces under an alias (ninja status).

No sleazy pitch decks. No hard sell. Just “Here’s what it is. Here’s what it makes. You interested?”

The result? I had three legit buyers in less than a month.

Step 3: Negotiating Like a Maniac (But With a Smile)

Now, this part? This is where the broker would’ve earned their cut… if I had one.

Each buyer came in with different offers:

  • One guy wanted to pay less but promised to “grow it together” (yeah, no).

  • Another offered all cash but wanted a 90-day transition AND a non-compete tighter than my grandma’s Tupperware lid.

  • Third one was a wildcard—young, hungry, and flush with cash from a recent exit.

I leaned into that last one. Not just because the money was right—but because he vibed with the business, the clients, the hustle. It felt… right.

We did the whole back-and-forth, pulled in my lawyer to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, and boom—

Deal closed. No broker. No nonsense. No regrets.

The Aftermath: What I Learned (and What I’d Do Differently)

Looking back, a few things really made this work:

  • I knew my numbers. Like, could-quote-them-in-my-sleep knew them.

  • I didn’t get greedy—but I didn’t lowball myself either.

  • I treated buyers like equals, not leads. That made everything smoother.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I recommend it for everyone? Not necessarily.

If you’re not comfortable negotiating, or if your biz is a tangled mess, a good broker might be worth the fee. But if you’ve got grit, a decent network, and a clear head?

Man… cutting out the middleman never felt so sweet 😎

Key Takeaways: Sell Smart, Stay Sharp

  • 💸 You don’t need a broker—especially if you’ve built strong relationships and know your numbers.

  • 🧹 Clean your house first—financials, processes, and mindset all need to be sharp before selling.

  • 🤝 Pitch like a human—buyers are people. Treat them that way.

  • 🧠 Be ready to walk away—not every offer is the right offer.

  • 🧾 Lawyer up when it counts. Don’t skip the legal stuff, even if you’re doing it solo.

If you’re thinking about selling your service biz without giving away a chunk to a broker, trust your gut—but don’t skip the prep.

It’s not just about cashing out—it’s about doing it on your own terms.

And if you ever find yourself staring at a whiteboard at 2:17 AM with a weird grin and a warm energy drink… you’re probably doing it right.

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