How To Build Better Broker Relations [Acquisition Entrepreneur Interview]

Broker relations are a crucial aspect of any business acquisition journey. A crucial aspect of Acquira's training is that everyone going through the Program analyzes a few on-market deals. That means getting in touch with brokers.

We sat down with Acquisition Entrepreneur and Acquira Partner Ken Lavertu to discuss his own successes with business brokers, how he positioned himself and Acquira to help find great deals, and what advice he has to share with his fellow business buyers.

Ken’s Journey

When Ken came to Acquira, he had just sold the real estate appraisal business he’d been running for the past eight years. As he began looking for ways to use his capital, he came across Acquisition Entrepreneurship and reached out to Acquira. After flying from his home in South Carolina to Canada to talk with the company’s CEO, Hayden Miyamoto, he quickly signed on for Acquira’s training and as a partner within the company.

As part of the training, Ken signed up for the Accelerator Program where his Success Coach, Daniel, began helping him work through the acquisition process. As Ken explains in the interview, that eventually led him to deal with brokers in Florida. But it wasn’t so simple as to type “business for sale Orlando” into a search engine, Ken had to pitch himself to local brokers.

“I thought with talking to brokers that everyone was doing that and that it was maybe an overused tactic,” Ken said. “I was encouraged by my coaches, Daniel and Hayden, to focus on developing those relationships and getting used to talking to people who were players in the market, starting with local brokers. Because that would be a really good exercise. I kind of yawned at the prospect of doing that, but I did it anyway because I trusted them, that they've been here, and they've done this before and all of that. So that's what I did.”

In doing this, Ken was able to create a rapport with these brokers and ensure that he was one of the first to see some of the best deals available. It’s also important to note that there are more resources than just BizBuySell available, but it requires doing some research to find a good business for sale. Google local brokers first and expand your search from there. 

Refining his pitch over time to various brokers led Ken to an ideal situation for any business buyer: he could see two businesses that hadn’t even hit the market yet and have two businesses under APA.

Evolving Your Pitch

We’ve talked at length in the past about how connecting with brokers can help you find more businesses, but it’s also worth noting how this process can help you improve your overall acquisition approach. 

As Ken lays out, speaking with brokers encouraged him to iterate and evolve his acquisition pitch. It also taught him how to position himself as a capable caretaker of these businesses, especially given his relationship with Acquira.

“I started locally and called some brokers here locally, had some great conversations, really polished up my elevator pitch about what I was trying to do,” explained Ken. “It actually revealed some gaps in my investment thesis and what I wanted because they asked a lot of great questions. So I kind of went back to my training with my investment thesis and what I was looking for. So I went back to some of the Acquira model training to develop out exactly what I was looking for and why, and what qualified me as a buyer.”

It All Starts With The Accelerator

Buying a business takes a lot of work, but we insist that every member of the program reach out to brokers. It’s a way to refine your search, learn how to disqualify deals and learn how to position yourself. After all, the best teacher in life is experience. 

By rolling up his sleeves and doing the work, Ken was able to find a number of deals relatively quickly.

By rolling up his sleeves and doing the work, Ken was able to find several deals relatively quickly. After all, it doesn’t matter if you find a business on-market or off-market. What matters is that you believe in the business you finally buy.

Have you had any interesting experiences with brokers during your own business buying journey? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

Like all of our Acquisition Entrepreneurs, Ken’s journey began with the Acceleration Program. To get involved yourself, schedule a call with one of our representatives today.

Key Takeaways

• Reaching out to brokers will allow you to refine your investment thesis.
• Avoid appearing like a “tire-kicker” to business brokers.
• There are a lot of business buyers talking to brokers, so figure out how to stand out.
• Building a rapport with brokers helps you see the best deals before other buyers.

Team Acquira

Acquira specializes in seamless business succession and acquisition. We guide entrepreneurs in acquiring businesses and investing in their growth and success. Our focus is on creating a lasting, positive impact for owners, employees, and the community through each transition.