I am a proponent for collecting diverse knowledge and thinking twice before having an opinion or taking action. One of my sources of knowledge is the All-In Podcast (https://allin.com/episodes). I find the weekly group discussion intelligent and thoughtful. A recent podcast (https://youtu.be/KcmMOZKnKAk?si=uVln880TE5RuZWlL) had an excellent debate related to the present tariff policies being executed by our federal government. However, today I would like to draw attention to the discussion topic that occurred at approximately 1:46:15 of the episode. At this point, Ezra Klein was talking about his new book, Abundance (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Abundance/Derek-Thompson/9781668023488). His “on point” observation was that presently in America our government has an edifice of policy to make sure we do nothing wrong rather than allowing us to act and hold us accountable if we did something wrong. This posture runs counter to the “innocent until proven guilty” concept that is the foundation of our judicial system of law. A space where this is abundantly evident in the Pacific Northwest is the construction industry where layer upon layer of government rules and regulations delay builders from addressing market needs like affordable housing (https://www.commerce.wa.gov/report-lack-of-affordable-housing-options-reaches-critical-levels-in-communities-throughout-washington-state/) and increase the cost of delivering product to consumers (https://www.mountainstatespolicy.org/reforms-to-building-permit-process-could-increase-housing-supply).
IBA, as a business brokerage firm specializing in facilitation of the sale of construction industry companies, is actively involved in numerous organizations (https://www.mbaks.com/, https://masterbuilderspierce.com/, https://www.rcaw.com/, etc.) supporting this sector in Washington & Oregon. We can speak firsthand of the quality of the people and companies in the industry and their desire to do things right for their customers and society. It is time for state, county, and municipal governments to depart from their “nanny state” posture which hampers economic growth and product delivery for the good of society and embrace the bipartisan movement to a stance more in alignment with the Russian proverb, doveryai, no proveryai, which American scholar, Suzanne Massie taught Ronald Reagan and he made famous in English as “Trust, but Verify”.
The above said, and in recognition that today is Earth Day, it is also important that the Pacific Northwest continues to be a market leader in the incorporation of green energy and healthy, natural materials into the construction of our living and work environments. Timely delivery of affordable properties is important, but equally important is aesthetic beauty and how construction integrates into the environment. People want to live in and visit the region because of its forward thinking approach to life and the natural beauty that surrounds us and enhances the quality of our existence.
IBA, as the oldest business brokerage firm in the region, has had the honor of representing numerous business owners in the sale of construction space companies that offered innovative and life quality enhancing products and services.
Some examples of these companies include solar businesses like E2 Solar (https://e2solar.com/), geothermal heating and cooling system providers for schools and residences (https://www.earthheat.com/), auxiliary electrical power system installation companies that have the ability to power our homes and electrical vehicles when nature impacts supply (https://www.washingtongenerators.com/), and greenhouse manufacturers who allow people to grow their own organic crops (https://solargemgreenhouses.com/).
If you are considering the sale of a construction, home improvement, or trade services company in the Pacific Northwest in 2025 or 2026, the members of our M&A team focusing on sales in those sectors would welcome the opportunity to learn about your business, exit strategy objectives, and provide an overview of our client services. All conversations with IBA are held in strict confidence.
It takes a village to create a positive society. Government, private businesses, and individuals all play important roles.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
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”.