What It Costs to Sell With Us
Most brokerages will not put this on a web page. We think the fee, the engagement term, and the way out should be the first things an owner reads, not the last things in the engagement letter.
Get a Written Opinion of ValueOne success fee, tiered by deal size
One success fee, calculated as a percentage of the final sale price and paid at closing. The exact percentage is quoted in writing before you sign anything, and it does not change after.
The percentage steps down as the sale price steps up, so a larger company is not paying a small company's rate. The market ranges shown are what published industry sources report for each size of deal. Our quote sits inside them, and it is fixed in writing before you sign.
| Sale price | How the fee works | Market range |
|---|---|---|
| Under $1M | A single percentage of the sale price. | 8–12% |
| $1M – $5M | A blended rate: the percentage steps down as the price steps up. | 6–10% |
| $5M and above | A declining-scale rate set per engagement, with the lowest percentage on the largest tier. | 2–6% |
Market ranges reflect commonly published business brokerage and M&A advisory fee scales for each deal size. Your exact percentage is in the written opinion of value.
Five things that are never on the invoice
None. We are paid when you are.
None. The written opinion of value is free.
None. Preparing and marketing your business is our job, not a line item.
None.
None. If it does not close, we are not paid.
How long, how you leave, and what you owe after
The fee is only half of what an owner should ask. These are the terms that decide whether you are a client or a captive.
Engagement term
Twelve months. Long enough to run a real process, short enough that you are never locked into a broker who has stopped working.
How you end it
Thirty days written notice, for any reason, at any time. No cancellation fee.
After the engagement
Our fee applies only if you sell to a buyer we introduced during the engagement, and only within twelve months of ending it. A buyer you find on your own afterward is yours.
What is in writing
The percentage, the term, the exit clause, and the tail period are all in the engagement letter. Nothing lives in a side conversation.
Five questions to ask any broker, including us
Sellers are routinely warned about retainers, flat commissions, multi-year lock-ins, and open-ended tails. Ask these before you sign a listing agreement anywhere.
Is there a retainer or an upfront "valuation package"?
Why it matters
Sellers are routinely charged $30,000 or more for a valuation that overstates the business to win the listing.
Our answer
No retainer. The written opinion of value is free and shows its work.
Is the fee a flat percentage regardless of deal size?
Why it matters
A flat rate on a larger deal overpays the broker for the same work.
Our answer
Tiered. The percentage declines as the price rises.
How long am I locked in, and how do I leave?
Why it matters
Multi-year exclusives with no exit keep an owner tied to a broker who has moved on.
Our answer
Twelve months, thirty days notice to end, no cancellation fee.
What is the tail?
Why it matters
Some agreements claim a fee on any sale for years after the engagement ends, to any buyer.
Our answer
Only buyers we introduced, only for twelve months after.
Will you tell me if my business is not ready to sell?
Why it matters
A broker paid to list has no reason to say no.
Our answer
Yes. If the business is not ready, you get a written list of what to fix and when to come back, and no listing agreement.
Why we publish this
Before founding Gainz Growth Partners, our partners sold their own companies and learned the fee terms the hard way. An owner should be able to read the cost of selling, take it to their CPA, and decide with no one in the room. If you have questions this page does not answer, ask us directly.
See What the Next Nine Months Look LikeGET THE EXACT NUMBER IN WRITING
Tell us about your business and you will have a written opinion of value within 5 business days, with the exact fee percentage for a deal of that size. Neither one costs anything.