IBA (International Business Associates), commonly recognized in the business community as a market leader for knowledge & experience, maintains a blog featuring content from our professional team and industry colleagues as a library resource.   Information published in the venue is focused on selling and buying privately held companies and family businesses, plus topics relevant to successful entrepreneurship in the Pacific Northwest. The president of IBA, Gregory Kovsky, frequently provides content for the blog.  Mr. Kovsky has over 30 years of experience in mergers & acquisitions, business brokerage, and commercial real estate. He has personally completed over 300 transactions involving manufacturing, distribution, industrial, marine, education, retail, service, and technology companies.

IBA, the Pacific Northwest’s premier business brokerage firm since 1975, is available as an information resource to the media, business brokerage, mergers & acquisitions, and real estate communities on subjects relevant to the purchase & sale of privately held companies and family businesses.  Video and audio content from IBA is available on the video page of this website: Videos – IBA Business Brokers.  IBA is recognized as one of the best business brokerage firms in the nation in terms of successfully negotiating transactions that are “win-win” in an environment of full disclosure while employing “best practices” between the parties.

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Blog article submissions are welcome from the accounting, legal, banking, financial planning, and other industries affiliated with the sale or purchase of businesses and real estate.

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Sell a Business Articles

The Knowledge, Experience, and Skill It Takes to Complete a Business Sale

Seth Rudin and I recently went to watch our IBA colleague, Jeff Bryan’s son, Colton, play for the 4A KingCo Championship. The game was a battle between two heavyweights where the Eastlake Wolves scored a go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion with 31 seconds left to take a late lead.  However, Colton’s Bothell Cougars, showing the…

The Key Employee Dilemma (KED) in the Sale of a Business

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Selling a Woman Owned Business using a Female M&A Intermediary

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Buy a Business Articles

Acquisition Advantages of Buying a Specialty Retail Business

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Why Intelligent Buyers Have Escrow Holdbacks In Their Transactions

A benefit of being the oldest business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest and successfully facilitating the most transactions in the region since 1975 is that IBA’s experienced, knowledgeable, highly skilled intermediaries have identified and utilized many best practices in terms of sale process and deal structure. One transaction component that is prudent for inclusion…

Search Fund Buyer Recommendations – A Business Brokerage Perspective

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post content from professionals on the IBA team with knowledge to share for the good of owners of…

Entrepreneurship Articles

Taking Your Shot at Entrepreneurship as a Career Path

One of my favorite stories of achievement relating to a Pacific Northwest athlete over the last decade is the one about Payton Pritchard.  Payton’s tale has evolved as he progressively took his game to higher plateaus in three stages.  In high school, Payton Pritchard was consistently the best player on the basketball court leading his…

Creating a Strong Budget Proposal for Real-Time Customer Data

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Brewing Success: Celebrating Women who GO BOLDLY in Business

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Business Brokerage Articles

Thank You for Being Part of IBA’s Entrepreneurial Garden Ecosystem

Fifty years ago, in the Rose City of Portland, Oregon, a group of knowledgeable, experienced, highly skilled individuals led by IBA’s founder, G. William Ososke, identified an opportunity to professionally work in the fertile soil of the small business community of the Willamette Valley brokering the sale of privately held companies and family businesses. Early…

The Fundamentals of Execution as a Business Broker

Autumn often triggers memories for me of my first love of my life, basketball, and profession after graduating from the University of Texas, as a college basketball coach.  Team success on the basketball court is built on execution of individual fundamentals within a framework of strategic objectives designed to achieve specific end results.  For example,…

IBA Autumn 2024 Update

Visiting a farmer’s market during the summer and autumn in the Pacific Northwest is a wonderful experience. Trips down the aisles find a bounty of fresh vegetables, fruit, baked goods, honey, meat, fish, and a spectrum of other products from locally owned farms, foragers, manufacturers, and artisans. Lines of buyers often assemble to purchase the…

Information Resources

Escrow Holdbacks – A Business Acquisition Tool

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Business Valuations: A Primer

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

Valuing Commercial Real Estate: A Different Ballgame

IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies…

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