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- Broker Alchemy - March 2026
Broker Alchemy - March 2026
AI tools, Tips, and Industry Insights packed into this month's alchemy.
George Wellmer
March 23, 2026
The McKinsey Edition
When MBB consulting firms are talking about SMB M&A you know something is happening. February McKinsey published an article on The Great Ownership Transfer - their research shows “By 2035, about six million small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) will face ownership transitions as baby boomers retire. More than one million firms are viable candidates for sale, representing up to $5 trillion in enterprise value.”
What does this mean for you?
There are roughly 10,000 business brokers in the United States (4,000 have more than 3 listings). That means each full-time business broker has 250 companies to sell in the next 9 years.
There has never been a better time to sell businesses.
— Tupelo
Interested in sharing your insights?
In this episode of How I Bought This, we sits down with Dan Altom, to discuss how to buy and grow daycares. We discus the mechanics of the childcare industry, discussing how to vet potential acquisitions and the strategic moves owners can make to optimize their operations and accelerate growth.
McKinsey’s Industry Insights
McKinsey recently released a report titled The Great Ownership Transfer, and it’s a wake-up call for the M&A world. We are looking at a massive "stewardship" hand-off… no surprise here.
The Reality:
The Age Flip: A decade ago, only 12% of SMB owners were at retirement age while today that number has skyrocketed to over 50%.
The Volume: Over 1 million small and medium-sized businesses are expected to change hands in the next 10 years.
Problem: You’d think these owners would just hire a pro and sail into the sunset. But McKinsey warns that hundreds of thousands of businesses, many with solid enterprise value, will likely just shut their doors.
Why: Apparently, the infrastructure of selling is still too clunky or intimidating for most. Translation: There’s a massive gap between a retiring owner and a successful exit.
Go Deeper: If you want the full breakdown, the authors of the report sat down for an interview to discuss their findings.
AI Tools
 | Spirts: is an AI-powered marketing platform that replaces the need for traditional agencies by autonomously managing Google and Meta ads, performing SEO audits, and building high-converting landing pages. Brokers can leverage Sprites.ai to target prospective sellers on search and social platforms, driving high-intent traffic to their listings and valuation tools to build a robust deal pipeline. |
 | Meticulate: is an AI prospecting and business research engine that replaces manual data mining. Instead of static lists, Meticulate uses "signal listeners" to track real-time events. A business broker would use Meticulate to automate the identification of "high-probability" sellers, setting up agents to monitor local market signals. |
Sales Tips
Not everyone wants to sell right now—and that’s okay. Your job isn’t to force a deal; it’s to identify what actually triggers a founder to take action. Instead of spamming every HVAC owner in a three-state radius, start looking for quiet friction.
Examples:
Short Term Ready to Sell
The Golden Handcuffs Fatigue: “Your net worth is $3M on paper, but all your money is tied up in your business. Have you thought of taking chips off of the table?”
The Innovation Hangover: “You’ve gone through three recessions, a pandemic and now AI is trying to displace everything. Tired of today’s technology headache, lets see if there’s an alternative path and evaluate exit strategies.”
The Sole Spigot Trap: “Your summer plans get turned on their head because the business needs you? Explore an exit to break out of your high-paying prison.”
Succession: “Did your kids moving to NYC to become DJs throw a wrench in your succession plan? Let’s see what your other options look like.”
Long term ready to sell
Google Reviews: “Cleaning companies with google reviews above 4.3 stars tend to sell for 25% more and generate more buyer interest. Here’s the playbook on how to increase your google reviews.”
AI Disruption meets industry expertise: “Tired of hearing about AI disruption from people who don’t know the difference between a hammer and a screwdriver? This 30 minute webinar walks you through how to use AI and increase your revenue.”
We just exited!: “We just helped {Name} sell {Company}. Now, we’re hosting a live Q&A to talk about the build-up and the process. Come hear the truth directly from an owner who just crossed the finish line.”
Intent is the signal: Once you find an owner, you win with industry acumen and the fact that you’ve been planting seeds (via helpful content or check-ins) long before they were ready to pack their desk.