For business owners

Thinking about selling your business?

ETATL is a community of people in Atlanta who buy and run small businesses. Some of them are looking for a business to buy right now. If you are starting to think about selling, we can share a short anonymous summary of your business with members whose stated interests fit, and only with your OK.

Think of it as a quiet way to have a few conversations with buyers directly. We are not a broker, and we don't run a sale.

Tell us about your business
How it works

Four steps, each one your call.

  1. Send a few details

    Fill in a short form: your industry, general area, rough profit, the price you have in mind, and a few sentences about the business. Nothing is shared at this point.

  2. Write a short anonymous summary

    A few sentences about the business, leaving out your name, your company's name and anything else that would identify you. Daniel may trim it for length before sharing. Tell him anyone it should never go to.

  3. It goes to members whose interests fit

    Members tell ETATL what kinds of businesses they want to buy. Your summary goes privately to members whose stated interests appear to fit, and to members who asked to see every business. It is never posted publicly or presented at a meetup.

  4. Conversations start directly

    If a member wants to talk, Daniel connects you. He may also send you profiles of members who appear to fit, so you can reach out yourself. You decide who you talk to, and any NDA, financials and documents go straight between you and the buyer.

What to expect

What ETATL does, and what it doesn't.

What we do

  • Share a short anonymous summary you write, privately
  • Send it to members whose stated interests fit
  • Send you profiles of members who appear to fit
  • Connect you directly when a member wants to talk

What we don't do

  • List, market or advertise your business
  • Value your business or advise you on price or terms
  • Run a sale process or take part in negotiations
  • Check buyers or the information either side shares

An honest expectation

ETATL is a local community, not a marketplace. Sharing a summary may lead to a few conversations, or to none. Whether anything comes of it depends on who is looking at the time and on what you and a buyer work out between you.

If you want a full process

A sell-side business broker can value your business, prepare materials, reach a wide pool of buyers and run the sale from start to finish. If that is what you want, a broker is the right call. If you already work with one, they are welcome here too, and they can be the contact for your summary.

Meet people in person, too

Owners are welcome at our monthly meetups. Come to one, meet people face to face and get a sense of who is looking. It works alongside the summary: the summary reaches members across the whole community whose interests fit, and a meetup lets you meet people yourself. See the next meetup.

FAQ

Questions owners ask.

Is ETATL a business broker?
No. ETATL is a community of people who buy and run small businesses in Atlanta. It does not list, value, market or represent businesses, and it does not run a sale process or take part in negotiations. What it can do is share a short anonymous summary with members whose stated interests fit, with your OK, and connect you with anyone who wants to talk.
Will my employees, customers or competitors find out?
The summary leaves out your name, your company's name and other details that would identify you. It goes privately to members whose stated interests fit, or who asked to see every business, and it is never posted publicly or presented at a meetup. You can name people or companies it should never go to. Daniel does his best to keep it from them, but that filtering is imperfect and cannot be guaranteed. In a small or specialized industry, no summary can rule out being recognized, so tell Daniel anything you want left out.
Who are the buyers?
Mostly individuals who want to buy one business and run it themselves, often called searchers, plus owners who want to add a related business to one they already run. Some searchers use their own money and a bank loan. Others are backed by a small group of investors, which is called a search fund. Each person is different, so ask them directly about their background, how they plan to pay and what they would do with the business.
What is a searcher?
Someone who sets out to buy an existing small business and step in as its full-time owner and manager, instead of starting a company from scratch. Many come from corporate, consulting, finance or operating roles. Because they plan to run the business themselves, many care about keeping the team, customers and name in place, but that is worth asking each buyer about.
How do buyers usually pay for a small business?
Many buyers of small businesses use an SBA 7(a) loan together with their own money, and sometimes ask the seller to carry a note for part of the price. An SBA loan means a lender will review the business's financials and the buyer's plans, which takes time. Lenders often expect the seller to help with a transition after the sale. The rules change and every deal is different, so the buyer's lender and your own attorney and accountant are the right people to ask.
Should I use a business broker instead?
It depends on what you want. A sell-side business broker can value the business, prepare materials, reach a wide pool of buyers and run a full process, and ETATL does none of those things. If you want that, a broker is the right call. If you already have a broker, they are welcome, and they can be the contact for your summary. Some owners prefer to have a few direct conversations first and decide from there.
What should I send first?
Start with the short form on this page: your industry, the general area, rough profit, the price you have in mind, and a few sentences about the business. Please don't send financial statements, tax returns or pitch decks at this stage. Those belong in a conversation with a buyer, under an NDA you are comfortable with.
Does ETATL check the buyers or the information shared?
No. ETATL does not check buyers' finances, backgrounds or intentions, and it does not check the figures a seller shares. Members tell ETATL what kinds of businesses they want to buy, and that is what decides who sees a summary. Both sides do their own diligence, with their own advisors.
Get in touch

Start with a short form.

About 10 minutes: your industry, general area, rough profit, the price you have in mind, and a few sentences about the business. Rough answers are fine.

Tell us about your business

Or write to daniel@etatl.com

Please note: ETATL is a community, not a business broker or advisor. It does not verify information shared by sellers or buyers, value businesses, or take part in negotiations, and nothing on this page is legal, tax or financial advice. Buyers and sellers do their own diligence and should rely on their own attorney, accountant and other advisors.