Ownership Pathway Guides
Every path to business ownership explained clearly with real-world examples — what each structure is, the benefits and risks, typical terms, real example deals, and the questions buyers and sellers actually ask.
Thousands of business owners transition businesses every year. Business Partner Match™ helps you understand every legitimate path to ownership before you make a decision.
Financing Structures
How acquisitions get funded — debt, seller notes, hybrids, and creative stacks.
Seller Financing
Seller financing lets the owner act as the bank, accepting payments over time instead of a full cash payout at close. Here is how it works.
SBA Financing
SBA 7(a) and 504 loans are the most common way Americans buy small businesses. Learn what banks look for, terms, and how to qualify.
SBA + Seller Financing
Combining an SBA 7(a) loan with a seller note is the most common acquisition stack in main-street and lower-middle-market deals. Here is how it works.
Creative Financing
Creative financing combines unconventional structures — earnouts, equity rolls, vendor financing, and more — to close deals that wouldn't work with conventional capital alone.
Ownership Pathways
Different ways to become an owner beyond a straight cash purchase.
Sweat Equity
Sweat equity arrangements let operators earn ownership over time through performance, not by writing a check. Common in succession and partnership deals.
Earn-In Ownership
Earn-in ownership is a phased acquisition where the buyer purchases incremental equity over time, often funded by the business's own cash flow.
Partnership Opportunities
Partnership structures pair complementary skills, capital, and experience to share ownership and operating responsibility in a business.
Management Buy-In
A management buy-in is when an outside executive acquires and runs an existing business, often backed by SBA financing, seller notes, and investor capital.
Succession
Transferring an existing business to the next owner — family, employee, or outside.
Investor Partnerships
Pairing passive capital with active operators.
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Browse current businesses for sale and connect with owners on these pathways.
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