Before getting into business brokering, I spent 10 years in investment real estate. During that time, I was also an entrepreneur myself owning a tree service company which I ended up exiting after running it for several years. This firsthand experience of building, managing, and exiting my own business, sparked my passion for business brokering. Now I help business owners navigate the sale of their business with confidence and for top dollar.
Your business sale remains private. We protect your employees, customers, and competitive position throughout the entire process.
Access our extensive network of qualified buyers actively seeking business opportunities across the country.
Get a true market value assessment based on industry standards, comparable sales, and current market conditions.
From initial valuation to closing, we guide you through every step of the sale with expert negotiation and due diligence support.
We assess your business's true market value with a comprehensive, confidential analysis.
Your business is marketed to qualified buyers while protecting your identity and operations.
We screen buyers for qualifications and negotiate terms that maximize your value.
Our team guides you through due diligence, contracts, and a successful closing.
Selling a business in Maryland puts you in one of the wealthiest and most economically resilient markets in the country. Experienced business brokers in Maryland help owners navigate that market, which combines a highly educated workforce, one of the highest median household incomes in the nation, and direct proximity to Washington DC, all of which create steady, sophisticated buyer demand across a wide range of industries.
Reaching the right buyers and positioning your business correctly still requires a structured, confidential process built around an accurate valuation from the start.
Sell With Millsaps helps Maryland business owners navigate the sale process with full confidentiality, no upfront fees, and a process built entirely around achieving the best possible outcome.
The right business brokers in Maryland understand that the state has one of the most distinctive economies in the United States. Maryland’s proximity to Washington DC means a large share of its economy is tied to federal agencies, government contracting, defense, and the professional services that support them. This creates a distinctive buyer pool that includes government-adjacent strategic acquirers, private equity groups with government services portfolios, and individual buyers with federal or contracting backgrounds.
The Baltimore metro area has a diverse economy anchored by healthcare, led by Johns Hopkins, one of the largest employers in the state, alongside logistics driven by the Port of Baltimore, financial services, and a growing technology sector. Buyers looking at Baltimore-area businesses include healthcare investors, logistics and distribution acquirers, and individual owner-operators drawn by the region’s economic diversity.
The Maryland suburbs of Washington DC, including Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, have one of the highest concentrations of biotech, life sciences, and technology businesses on the East Coast. Montgomery County in particular is home to a dense cluster of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies supported by the National Institutes of Health and the FDA. Businesses that serve this ecosystem attract buyers who understand the durability and long-term growth of the life sciences sector.
Buyer activity across Maryland includes individual owner-operators with professional and corporate backgrounds looking for established businesses in the $300,000 to $2 million range, private equity groups and search fund operators targeting businesses with $500,000 or more in annual earnings, and strategic acquirers from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the broader Mid-Atlantic expanding their regional presence through Maryland acquisitions.
Healthcare and life sciences businesses are among the most sought-after acquisition targets in Maryland. The state’s concentration of hospitals, research institutions, and biotech companies, particularly in the Baltimore and Montgomery County corridors, drives consistent demand for healthcare services, medical practices, lab-adjacent services, and life sciences support businesses. Buyers with healthcare and life sciences experience actively target this market.
Government services and contracting businesses including IT services, professional services, and specialized consulting firms that hold federal contracts or serve government agencies attract a distinctive and motivated buyer pool. The barriers to entry in government contracting, including clearances, past performance records, and contract vehicles, make established businesses in this space particularly valuable to strategic acquirers.
Professional and business services including accounting firms, staffing agencies, marketing firms, and consulting businesses with recurring client relationships sell well because Maryland’s affluent, educated market creates a durable base of corporate and institutional clients.
Construction and specialty trades businesses including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, roofing, and general contracting are in consistent demand across the state, supported by Maryland’s high property values and ongoing residential and commercial development activity in the Baltimore and DC suburban corridors.
Logistics and distribution businesses benefit from the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest ports on the East Coast, and Maryland’s position within the dense Mid-Atlantic distribution network. Established freight, logistics, and distribution operations attract buyers who value the strategic positioning.
Food and beverage businesses including restaurants, catering operations, and specialty food companies attract buyers looking for established concepts with proven revenue in Maryland’s affluent consumer markets.
Baltimore and the surrounding metro area anchor Maryland’s largest regional economy. Healthcare, led by the Johns Hopkins system, is a dominant force that creates consistent demand for healthcare-adjacent businesses. The Port of Baltimore drives a strong logistics and distribution sector. Buyers looking at Baltimore-area businesses range from healthcare investors to logistics acquirers to individual owner-operators drawn by the region’s affordability relative to the DC suburbs and its economic diversity.
Montgomery County and the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC form one of the wealthiest and most highly educated markets in the country. The area is a major biotech and life sciences hub, anchored by the National Institutes of Health and a dense cluster of pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Businesses in this corridor, particularly in healthcare, technology, professional services, and government services, attract sophisticated buyers with capital and industry knowledge who understand the durability of the region’s core industries.
Annapolis, the state capital, and the surrounding central Maryland region have a professional services, hospitality, and marine-related economy supported by a high-income population and steady tourism. Businesses serving this affluent market, including professional services, hospitality, and home services, attract buyers who value the region’s stability and the purchasing power of its resident base.
The process begins with a professional valuation based on your actual financials, Maryland market conditions, and recent comparable transactions. Most Maryland small businesses are valued at 2.5 to 4 times seller’s discretionary earnings. Businesses with strong recurring revenue, established client relationships, and limited owner dependency can push toward the higher end of that range or beyond.
Your business goes to market through a confidential listing with no identifying information released until a buyer signs a non-disclosure agreement. Buyers are screened for financial capacity and relevant experience before accessing your financials. Once a qualified buyer submits a letter of intent, negotiation covers price, deal structure, and transition terms. Due diligence and closing follow with legal and financial coordination on both sides.
Most Maryland business sales close within 6 to 12 months from the time of listing. For a full breakdown of what affects that timeline, see our guide on how long it takes to sell a business.
Experienced business brokers in Maryland value most businesses using a multiple of seller’s discretionary earnings for transactions under $5 million in sale price. SDE is calculated by taking net profit and adding back the owner’s salary, personal expenses, depreciation, one-time costs, and amortization. The result reflects what a new owner would actually earn each year. Our guide on seller’s discretionary earnings walks through the full calculation with a worked example.
Maryland small businesses typically sell at 2.5 to 4 times SDE. Businesses in the life sciences, healthcare, and government services sectors often achieve stronger multiples reflecting the durability and sophistication of their buyer pools. Larger businesses with $500,000 or more in annual earnings are valued using EBITDA multiples typically ranging from 3.5 to 6 times depending on sector and growth profile.
The best business brokers in Maryland recommend preparing 12 to 18 months before going to market, because sellers who prepare that far in advance consistently achieve better outcomes. The key preparation steps are cleaning up financials, reducing owner dependency, diversifying the customer base if concentration is high, and addressing any outstanding legal or compliance issues before buyers find them during due diligence.
For government services businesses specifically, understanding which contracts are transferable and how clearances and past performance records carry over to a new owner is an important preparation step that should be addressed before going to market.
If you are weighing whether to sell your business without a broker, that guide covers what that process involves and where it typically falls short for Maryland sellers.
Most experienced business brokers in Maryland work on a success-based commission with no upfront fees. Typical rates range from 8 to 12 percent of the final sale price. No fee is charged until the deal closes. For a full breakdown of how fees work, see our guide on how much does a business broker charge. If you want to understand how brokers structure their business and what drives their compensation, you can learn how business brokers are compensated before your first conversation.
Maryland’s business market is affluent, diverse, and resilient, from Baltimore’s healthcare and logistics economy to the life sciences corridor in the DC suburbs. Whether you are thinking about selling in the near term or further out, the right first step is a confidential conversation with experienced business brokers in Maryland about what your business is actually worth.
No upfront fees. No obligation. Your information stays completely private.
Sell With Millsaps is a trusted business brokerage firm dedicated to helping business owners navigate the complex process of selling their companies. With a proven track record and a commitment to confidentiality, we guide owners from valuation to closing.
Our team understands that your business represents years of hard work and dedication. That’s why we take a personalized approach to every engagement, ensuring that your unique needs and goals are at the center of everything we do.
Seller-First Approach Your interests always come first. We work exclusively for you to maximize your outcome.
Our network spans the entire country, connecting you with qualified buyers wherever they are.
Years of successful transactions have given us the expertise to handle any business sale.
The process starts with a professional valuation based on your actual financials and current Maryland market conditions. From there, your business is prepared for confidential marketing, presented to qualified buyers under a non-disclosure agreement, and taken through negotiation, due diligence, and closing. Working with an experienced Maryland business broker handles all of this while keeping the sale completely confidential.
Most Maryland business sales close within 6 to 12 months from the time of listing. Businesses with clean financials and strong recurring revenue tend to move faster. Deals involving SBA financing typically add 60 to 90 days to the closing timeline once a buyer’s loan is approved.
Most Maryland business brokers work on a success-based commission of 8 to 12 percent of the final sale price with no upfront fees. No payment is due until the deal closes.
Most Maryland businesses are valued at 2.5 to 4 times seller’s discretionary earnings depending on industry, growth trend, customer concentration, and how transferable the business is to a new owner. Businesses in life sciences, healthcare, and government services often achieve stronger multiples. Larger businesses are valued using EBITDA multiples typically between 3.5 and 6 times.
Yes. Your business is marketed under a blind profile with no identifying information until a buyer signs a non-disclosure agreement and is qualified financially. Your employees, customers, and competitors have no reason to know anything is happening until you choose to disclose it.
They can. If your business holds federal contracts, the transferability of those contracts, the retention of cleared personnel, and your past performance record all become important factors in the sale. These require specific handling and are best addressed during preparation before going to market.
Yes, and it is strongly encouraged. A business that continues to perform well during the sale process is significantly more attractive to buyers and supports the valuation you are asking for. We manage the sale process to minimize disruption to your daily operations.
Also serving business owners in nearby states: Washington DC business brokers | business brokers Virginia | business broker Pennsylvania | business brokers New Jersey
