Guidance for owners of privately held companies on valuation, preparation, buyers, and running a confidential sale process.https://iconic.co/en-ushttps://iconic.co/blog/selling-a-business-timeline-and-stages/https://iconic.co/blog/selling-a-business-timeline-and-stages/Most businesses take 6 to 12 months to sell, depending on deal size, with 3 to 4 months in due diligence after the LOI. Here's the stage-by-stage timeline.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 19:05:53 GMTprocessErik Salazarhttps://iconic.co/blog/how-much-is-my-company-worth-calculator/https://iconic.co/blog/how-much-is-my-company-worth-calculator/Most small businesses sell for 2x-6x earnings. See how a how much is my company worth calculator turns SDE or EBITDA into a defensible range.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 18:21:51 GMTvaluationAdvisory Teamhttps://iconic.co/blog/reps-and-warranties/https://iconic.co/blog/reps-and-warranties/Reps and warranties decide who pays when a deal's promises prove false. See survival periods, RWI cost (2.5%-3.5%), and why 63% of deals now use it.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 18:06:57 GMTprocess_eduRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/how-to-value-a-software-company/https://iconic.co/blog/how-to-value-a-software-company/Private software companies sell for about 3x-6x revenue, not the 10x headlines. See how SDE, EBITDA, and ARR multiples set your 2026 sale price.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 17:48:21 GMTvertical_sellNaveen Selvaduraihttps://iconic.co/blog/due-diligence-process/https://iconic.co/blog/due-diligence-process/Due diligence findings routinely trim the final sale price 5-15%. Here's what buyers verify, how long each stage takes, and the red flags that kill deals.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 17:32:56 GMTprocess_eduErik Salazarhttps://iconic.co/blog/how-to-find-a-business-broker/https://iconic.co/blog/how-to-find-a-business-broker/Business brokers close only about 20% of business sales and run 8-15% commissions - here are 9 signs you've found one worth hiring.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 17:15:20 GMTbroker_discoveryAaron Webbhttps://iconic.co/blog/medical-practice-brokers/https://iconic.co/blog/medical-practice-brokers/Medical practices sell at a median $485,000 and 2.37x SDE on BizBuySell; here's how medical practice brokers price, market, and close your sale.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 16:50:12 GMTvertical_sellAdvisory Teamhttps://iconic.co/blog/sell-my-insurance-agency/https://iconic.co/blog/sell-my-insurance-agency/Small insurance agencies sold at a $650K median in 2025; agencies with $1M+ EBITDA hit 11.8x. Here's how to value, structure, and time your sale.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 16:28:56 GMTvertical_sellRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/discretionary-earnings/https://iconic.co/blog/discretionary-earnings/Seller's discretionary earnings adds back one owner's full pay; small businesses sell near 2.61x SDE, and here's how buyers verify every add-back.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:49:36 GMTebitda_sdeNaveen Selvaduraihttps://iconic.co/blog/tax-implications-of-selling-a-business/https://iconic.co/blog/tax-implications-of-selling-a-business/Federal tax on a business sale gain runs 15% to 23.8% in 2026; here's how asset vs. stock structure, QSBS, and timing change what you keep.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:27:02 GMTexit-planningErik Salazarhttps://iconic.co/blog/how-to-value-a-hotel/https://iconic.co/blog/how-to-value-a-hotel/Hotel EBITDA multiples run 4x for economy to 20x for trophy luxury; here's how to value a hotel using income, multiple, and cost methods.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:06:21 GMTvaluationAaron Webbhttps://iconic.co/blog/m-a-advisor-new-york-metro-area/https://iconic.co/blog/m-a-advisor-new-york-metro-area/New York imposes a 31.5% top capital gains rate and ranks 50th on tax competitiveness. Here's what sellers need to know about M&A advisors in NY.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:30:37 GMTgeographicRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/online-business-valuation-tool/https://iconic.co/blog/online-business-valuation-tool/Online business valuation tools estimate value at roughly 2.5x-3x SDE, but real deals hinge on factors calculators miss. Here's when to trust one.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:24:48 GMTvaluationAdvisory Teamhttps://iconic.co/blog/quality-of-earnings/https://iconic.co/blog/quality-of-earnings/A quality of earnings report tests whether your profit is real: sellers with one closed at 7.4x EBITDA vs 7.0x without, per GF Data's 360-deal study.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:07:29 GMTprocess_eduRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/franchise-brokers-association/https://iconic.co/blog/franchise-brokers-association/A franchise brokers association trains brokers who sell new units for 40-50% of the franchise fee - here's why sellers of existing franchises need more.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:42:24 GMTvertical_sellNaveen Selvaduraihttps://iconic.co/blog/change-in-net-working-capital/https://iconic.co/blog/change-in-net-working-capital/Change in net working capital sets a dollar-for-dollar purchase price adjustment; working capital appears in 89% of private-target M&A deals.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:12:29 GMTprocess_eduErik Salazarhttps://iconic.co/blog/how-to-be-a-successful-business-broker/https://iconic.co/blog/how-to-be-a-successful-business-broker/Becoming a successful business broker takes 2-3 years of apprenticeship, valuation and negotiation skills, and often a CBI credential. Here's the path.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:50:45 GMTbroker_discoveryAaron Webbhttps://iconic.co/blog/manufacturing-ebitda-multiples/https://iconic.co/blog/manufacturing-ebitda-multiples/Manufacturing EBITDA multiples run about 5.9x to 8.8x by deal size in 2026; here's what GF Data shows and how preparation moves your number.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:05:18 GMTvertical_sellAdvisory Teamhttps://iconic.co/blog/ebitda-investopedia/https://iconic.co/blog/ebitda-investopedia/EBITDA multiples ran 7.2x for PE-sponsored deals in 2025 while Main Street sold near 2.7x SDE. What the standard Investopedia definition leaves out.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:08:40 GMTebitda_sdeRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/exit-strategy-business/https://iconic.co/blog/exit-strategy-business/Only 20-30% of businesses taken to market actually sell. Here's how to build an exit strategy for your business: 7 exit routes, multiples, and timing.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 22:42:09 GMTexit-planningNaveen Selvaduraihttps://iconic.co/blog/revenue-multiple/https://iconic.co/blog/revenue-multiple/Small businesses sell near 0.67x revenue while SaaS runs 4x-5x; here's what a good revenue multiple looks like by industry, size, and buyer in 2026.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:05:56 GMTvaluationErik Salazarhttps://iconic.co/blog/should-i-sell-my-business/https://iconic.co/blog/should-i-sell-my-business/Between 70% and 80% of listed businesses never sell. Here are 9 signs it's time to exit - and how to tell strength from a forced sale.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:10:03 GMTsell_intentAaron Webbhttps://iconic.co/blog/valuation-methods/https://iconic.co/blog/valuation-methods/Valuation methods run from DCF to EBITDA multiples, with multiples rising from 2.7x on Main Street to 12.5x on large buyouts. Here's how to choose.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:42:39 GMTvaluationAdvisory Teamhttps://iconic.co/blog/loi-stands-for/https://iconic.co/blog/loi-stands-for/LOI stands for letter of intent, the preliminary M&A document that sets price and a 30-90 day exclusivity window before a binding purchase agreement.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:10:15 GMTprocess_eduRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/franchise-for-resale/https://iconic.co/blog/franchise-for-resale/Franchise resales close in 90-180 days and sell near 2.6x SDE, but FDD Item 17 lets the franchisor approve your buyer. Here's what to check first.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:48:56 GMTvertical_sellNaveen Selvaduraihttps://iconic.co/blog/loi-meaning/https://iconic.co/blog/loi-meaning/LOI meaning in M&A: a letter of intent sets price and terms but is mostly non-binding, with a 30-90 day exclusivity clause that locks the seller out.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:07:39 GMTprocess_eduAaron Webbhttps://iconic.co/blog/accounting-practice-sales/https://iconic.co/blog/accounting-practice-sales/Accounting practice sales in 2026: small practices sell near 1x revenue, larger firms at 4x-7x EBITDA, with PE-backed deals up from 22 to 104 since 2023.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:31:17 GMTvertical_sellAdvisory Teamhttps://iconic.co/blog/valuation-multiples/https://iconic.co/blog/valuation-multiples/Valuation multiples run 2.0x SDE for the smallest businesses to 5.3x EBITDA in the lower middle market. Here's what actually moves your number in 2026.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:17:39 GMTvaluationRoberto Sanabriahttps://iconic.co/blog/how-to-sell-my-business-without-a-broker/https://iconic.co/blog/how-to-sell-my-business-without-a-broker/Broker commissions run 10-15% of your sale price. Here's how to sell your business without a broker in 2026, who it fits, and where DIY sellers get burned.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:30:23 GMTsell_intentNaveen Selvaduraihttps://iconic.co/blog/sde-meaning/https://iconic.co/blog/sde-meaning/SDE, or Seller's Discretionary Earnings, is the metric buyers use to price most sub-$5M businesses, at an average 2.57x multiple. Here's what it means.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:04:08 GMTebitda_sdeErik Salazar