The Pacific Northwest business brokerage world for middle market and main street transactions in 2026 has had a unique market dynamic, one that is likely to continue to exist in 2027 and into the foreseeable future.

On the supply side of the equation in the business brokerage world, established firms of scale like IBA  with its ten offices in Washington & Oregon are seeing an inflow of quality privately held companies and family businesses available for acquisition that have never been on the market or who have not transitioned ownership in decades in what is commonly considered the largest wealth transfer in the history of America (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/24/global-wealth-transfer-heirs-investment-strategies-inheritance.html).  This abundance of potential projects has necessitated continued growth in staff infrastructure at IBA in an effort to enhance bandwidth at the firm while maintaining our market leading level of quality, knowledge, experience, and skill.  In 2026, IBA has added Amanda Kennedy as a M&A intermediary in our Bellingham office, Enrique Cordero as a M&A intermediary in our Bellevue office enhancing our ability to serve the Spanish speaking entrepreneurial community as a native speaker of the language, and Joe Sandbank in our Portland office as a M&A intermediary.  Mr. Sandbank is transitioning from the legal profession to that of a dealmaker, joining Bill Southwell on the IBA team as a 2^nd attorney who desired to use their persuasive skills to mitigate confrontation and build an environment of collaboration where goals are achieved and everyone walks away from the conference table smiling and celebrating achievement.  These three high-quality professionals were joined as additions to the IBA team by Aleksandr Yeremeyev, who became part of the firm’s executive leadership as a Vice-President of Business Development.

An abundance of potential representation projects has not resulted in a deviation from IBA’s fifty-one-year posture in the regional industry of being one the most selective, sell-side, business brokerage firms in the marketplace in terms of taking on new clients.  IBA continues to only desire to represent high-quality companies, that are priced intelligently given all available information from local market dynamics to industry trends to financing accessibility, being sold by ownership that is willing to negotiate in good faith with integrity.  2026 has not witnessed a significant change from our rejection rate of 2 out of 3 potential projects or success rate for engagements exceeding 80%.  Plain & simple, IBA’s business model does not work if we do not complete sales as a 100% paid on performance firm (https://ibainc.com/blog/gregory-kovsky/why-a-business-owner-should-select-a-business-sale-intermediary-who-is-only-paid-a-success-fee/) only seeking compensation from our clients upon successful completion of a project.  It continues to break our hearts, as it has for decades, when we hear stories about other firms over promising and underdelivering for their clients while frontloading their financial renumeration and mitigating their risk to the tune of five to six figures with nothing substantive to show in terms of deliverables.  Every year IBA completes projects for clients who wasted their time & dollars with a tenure of representation at another firm

The good news for business sellers is that buyer demand for quality companies represented for sale by IBA is at an all-time high.  It is common for our clients to be able to select their successor in business ownership from a group of financially qualified parties with the necessary relevant experience to successfully lead the businesses into the future.  The buyers in the marketplace seeking acquisitions presently can be divided into the following six groups. Each requires knowledge, experience, and skill to vet, facilitate negotiations with, and successfully get to the closing table.  IBA with its over 4400 successfully completed transactions has worked with most of these demographic groups 100’s, if not 1000’s of times.

1. Strategic Acquisitions – Both publicly traded and privately held companies are seeking acquisitions.    Mergers are happening and activity is enhanced in 2026 versus 2025 (https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/banking/mergers-and-acquisitions/four-forces-shaping-m-and-a)
2. Family Offices & Private Equity – Family offices and private equity remain active in the market in their pursuit of acquisition opportunities (https://www.acg.org/events/2026-ma-outlook-tailwinds-drive-confidence-ma-upswing-broaden).
3. Traditional Entrepreneurs – Since 1975, IBA has sold businesses to high-net-worth individuals seeking acquisitions. Entrepreneurship continues to offer an elite level of compensation and professional fulfillment as a career path.
4. Laid-Off-Employees – A sister group to #3 is people who may have thought or dreamed about owning a business but were comfortable working in the corporate world and never moved forward with executing on the idea. Unfortunately, corporate layoffs and voluntary early retirement offers are common fare in 2026 (https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-makes-new-voluntary-exit-offer-to-more-than-a-quarter-of-its-workforce-including-some-execs/).  Many of these individuals are not ready for retirement or do not have the financial ability to embrace that option.  They also do not wish to relocate if their spouse is employed and happy, their kids are in school, and/or they are part of a community.  Sometimes a date with destiny can require an external push.
5. Buyer Groups – A new phenomenon is organizations created to support buyers with acquisitions. Organizations like the Acquisition Lab (https://acquisitionlab.com/) prepare, educate, and help buyers execute business acquisitions.  IBA has sold multiple businesses to people supported by the Acquisition Lab and other quality organizations.  We welcome their participation and have found they seek “win-win” transactions facilitated with best practices.  We also recommend caution when working with some of the groups.  IBA has identified other groups that sign confidentiality agreements overseas after being granted a power of attorney by their clients and that have presented fraudulent personal financial statements to get their clients’ foot in the door for a potential acquisition.  No seller wants to have the information they are thinking a business is for sale enter into the public domain without their input.  Good luck enforcing a confidentiality agreement against a party who signed it in India.  Similarly, no seller wants to enter into a letter of intent in good faith and have a buyer seek to retrade because they have less liquid capital or financing capability than they conveyed.
6. Non Profit Organizations – A feel good story for IBA and our clients occurs when a company is sold to a non profit organization. Non profit organizations commonly buy businesses to serve their purpose.  For example, a non profit organization, Northwest Center, focused on serving the special needs community acquired a business through IBA to train people for community jobs while at the same time funding the training program through business activities.

Parties from all the above groups regularly contact IBA to participate in our Buyer Database Program (https://ibainc.com/buy-a-business/).  Parties that take the time to complete the documentation necessary to be part of the program get the first opportunity to review new acquisition opportunities IBA brings to market.  Annually, 20 – 25% of IBA’s representation projects sell to buyers in IBA’s Buyer Database Program.  Personally, I sold three companies in 2026.  All three sold to participants in IBA’s Buyer Database Program.  2 of the 3 were never publicly advertised.

Speaking of business sales, it is my pleasure to share information on some of IBA’s recently completed transactions by industry.

Marine

Harbor Marine (https://www.harbormarine.net/)

Automotive & Transportation

Longview Auto & Tire (https://longviewautotire.com/

Northwest Auto Specialist (https://northwestautospecialist.com/)

Greater Oregon Secure Transport – Transportation Provider for Incarcerated & Mental Health Individuals

Blu-Line Towing (https://blulinetowing.com/)

Sparky’s Express Delivery (https://sparkysdelivery.com/)

Construction

McClure Customer Homes (https://www.mcclurecustomhomes.com/)

Potter Construction (https://potterconstruction.com/)

Estimates Northwest – Construction Cost Estimating Firm

Services

Blue Ribbon Tree Service (https://blueribbontree.com/)

DuraTreat – Hard Surface Cleaning & Sealing

Davis Glass (https://www.davisglass.net/)

Manufacturing

Integra Clear (https://www.integraclear.com/)

CJ Aquatics (https://www.watersafety.com/Brand/CJ-Aquatics/)

Gorham Printing (https://gorhamprinting.com/)

Splinter & Slag (https://www.splinterandslag.com/)

Distribution

Hi Tex (https://www.hitexcorp.com/)

Retail

Orcas Village Store (https://orcasvillagestore.com/)

Dueber’s – (https://ibainc.com/blog/nesha-ruther/the-story-of-jay-shepard-of-duebers-of-cannon-beach/)

Shorelines Northwest – Seaside, Oregon Apparel & Souvenir Retail

Bothell Bike & Ski (https://www.bikesale.com/)

Bear Creek Florist (https://www.bearcreekflorist.com/)

Education

Singapore Maths Club (https://singaporemathsclub.com/)

Kids Magic Lab (https://www.kidsmagiclab.com/)

Hospitality

Hawkeyes Pub & Grill (https://www.hawkeyestavern.com/)

Franchises

The Glass Guru (https://www.theglassguru.com/franchise/)

I would like to remind the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community that IBA uniquely has the ability to sell both established businesses and new franchise opportunities. The advantage of buying a franchise is that you can pick the industry and the location you operate.  Finding a business to acquire in a specific industry and geographic area can be problematic.

The remainder of the year looks to be busy at IBA with numerous transactions in escrow targeting for closing by the end of the year, negotiations taking place involving business models ranging from a boat dealership to an aerospace component manufacturing to an organic farm to a multiple location tutoring franchise to a fresh seafood distributor to a landscape construction company to a custom home builder to a multiple location chain of big box discount retail to a specialty grocery to a hardware store to an Italian restaurant in wine country to an Ecommerce company selling bees.

Thanksgiving is on the horizon.  I would like to express my early gratitude for all the business owners who continue to trust IBA with facilitating the sale of their privately held companies, family businesses, and associated real estate; every buyer who deems IBA a great starting point for their entrepreneurial journey; all our collaborative partners (attorneys, accountants, bankers, wealth advisors, insurance brokers, escrow, etc.) who contribute to successful completion of transactions, the amazing team at IBA, and the government and pseudo-government entities that seek to support entrepreneurs in the United States, Washington, & Oregon.

IBA, the Pacific Northwest’s premier business brokerage firm since 1975, is available as an information resource to the media, business brokerage, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, legal, accounting, banking, and wealth management communities on subjects relevant to the purchase & sale of privately held companies and family businesses.  IBA is recognized as one of the best business brokerage firms in the nation based on its long track record of successfully negotiating “win-win” business sale transactions in environments of full disclosure employing “best practices”.