Sell a business
Planning your exit? Sell, take cash out, or hand it to the next owner.
An exit doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. BizyFi helps owners finance a recapitalization or partner buyout, and helps your buyer get the loan that closes the sale.
BizyFi is not a business broker and does not list businesses for sale.
Your options
Sell to a buyer
Most small-business sales are financed: the buyer's lender has to approve the deal. A business that is ready for that review sells faster and closer to the asking price.
Get finance-ready →Recapitalize
Borrow against the business's cash flow to pay yourself a distribution, keep control, and sell later from a stronger position.
Explore a recap →Partner buyout
Finance one owner buying out another, so a retiring partner gets paid and the business stays with the people running it.
Finance a buyout →Refinance first
Clearing expensive or short-term debt, or a blanket lien, before going to market makes the business easier for a buyer's lender to approve.
What a UCC-1 lien means →Passing the business to the next generation of owners
A wave of founders is retiring, many without a family successor. Some of the most motivated buyers are younger operators who plan to modernize the business with software, data and AI. They value what you built (customers, staff, reputation and steady cash flow) and they need financing to buy it.
Your track record sets the loan
The buyer's lender sizes the loan on your historical cash flow. Clean, documented financials are worth more than any projection.
Write down what lives in your head
Processes, supplier terms, pricing rules and key customer relationships. A documented business is easier to transfer, to automate, and to finance.
Plan the handover
A paid transition period and, often, a seller note show the buyer's lender that you stand behind the business.
How seller financing works
With seller financing, you let the buyer pay part of the price over time through a promissory note. It widens the pool of buyers who can afford the business and often supports a better price.
It sits behind the bank
The buyer's senior lender is paid first; your note is subordinate and usually unsecured or second-lien.
SBA deals have extra rules
When the buyer uses an SBA loan, a seller note can face standby requirements that pause or limit payments for a period, and may count toward the buyer's equity. The lender confirms the current rules for each deal.
Terms to agree
Amount, interest rate, term, any standby period, and what happens if the business underperforms. Get your own legal and tax advice.
Get your business ready for a buyer (and their lender)
Adapted from the California Association of Business Brokers' seven key points, from the seller's side.
- Define what's for saleList the assets, real estate, equipment and contracts that are included, and those that are not.
- Show your proprietary assetsSoftware, data, formulas, patents, licenses and the customer list, documented and transferable.
- Prune what doesn't paySell or retire assets that cost more than they earn before you go to market.
- Spell out your edgeWhy customers choose you, and how that holds up after you leave.
- Hand over a growth planIdeas you never had time for, including the systems and automation a new owner could add.
- Know your working capitalHow much cash the business needs to run day to day; buyers and lenders will ask.
- Build management depthThe less the business depends on you personally, the more it is worth and the easier it is to finance.
Common questions
Does BizyFi list my business for sale?
No. BizyFi is a financing platform, not a listing marketplace or a business broker. We help owners take cash out through a recapitalization or partner buyout, and help the buyers of their business get financed.
What is seller financing?
The seller lets the buyer pay part of the price over time through a promissory note. It usually sits behind the buyer's bank loan, and with SBA loans it can face standby rules that limit payments for a period.
Can I get cash out without selling?
Often, yes. A dividend recapitalization borrows against the business's cash flow to pay the owners a distribution, and a partner buyout loan finances one owner buying out another.
How much is my business worth?
Start with the free BizyFi estimate, a range from your cash flow and industry multiples. For a sale or an SBA loan, expect an independent valuation.
Resources
Guide: how a seller note works
Where the note sits behind the bank, SBA standby rules, and the terms to negotiate.
Read the guide →SBA: close or sell your business
The SBA's guide to transferring ownership, selling or closing, plus finances, compliance and AI for small business.
sba.gov →Business brokers
Brokers can partner with BizyFi to get their buyers pre-qualified and financed, so listings close faster.
Partner with BizyFi →Free business counseling
SCORE mentors and Small Business Development Centers help owners plan a sale or succession at no cost.
Find a counselor →Talk to a Fusion Network advisor
Exploring a sale, a recap or a partner buyout? We'll walk through what lenders will look at and which path fits. No cost, no obligation.