The economy of the United States generating over $30 trillion of GDP in 2025 is larger than the next three biggest economies in the world (China, Germany, and Japan) combined (https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-by-country/). In Frank Sinatra’s iconic song New York, New York (https://youtu.be/-YNBfIYy3-k?si=e2o7g0eTSpiD1ydv) he sings “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere; its up to you, New York New York”. As an entrepreneur, America is the world market, with NYC being one of its most influential cities, you want to make it in as a business owner. If you have success generating revenue and obtaining market share in the United States economy, there is a probability that you will have built a quality company providing needed products and services.
One of the reasons for the success of the United States economy is its free-market platform where anyone from any demographic group can start a business, execute a vision, and achieve financial prosperity provided a product or service is valued by consumers. Americans frequently seek the best and most innovative products and are willing to spend the money necessary to obtain them. This is especially true related to items that enhance health and wellness. This economic environment where winners become millionaires or billionaires individually or corporately spawns significant risk acceptant research and development where a large amount of private sector money is spent with no guarantee of repayment in pursuit of better and new treatments, products, and procedures. The U.S. federal government does its part to help providing tax credits (https://pro.bloombergtax.com/insights/federal-tax/rd-tax-credit-and-deducting-rd-expenditures/) to incentive companies to take risk and spend money, but is not driving the direction of research & development. No other country has the same level of risk/reward incentives for medical and science entrepreneurship in the world. The following chart (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Ranking-of-countries-by-number-of-issued-patents-by-area-2020-Compiled-by-the-author_tbl2_353188022) provides some data related to successful outcomes generated by this economic ecosystem.
IBA, as the oldest and largest business brokerage firm serving the Pacific Northwest, has accumulated a fifty-one year history of successfully facilitating the sale of science and medical business model companies with knowledge, experience, and skill. The businesses sold by IBA have included direct treatment practitioners ranging from general medicine clinics to specialized care practices including opticians, psychiatrists, dentists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. They have involved traditional brick & mortar operations (https://www.olypsych.com/) and innovative virtual engagement business models (https://www.nostressnostigma.com/). Patient care in representation projects also extends to the dogs, cats, and other animals who are loving, valued members of our families. IBA since 1975 has sold more veterinary hospitals than any other firm in the region. Here is the story of one of IBA’s veterinary practice clients, Dr. Bob VanderPol (https://ibainc.com/blog/nesha-ruther/the-story-of-dr-bob-vanderpol/) as told in IBA’s American Dream Achieved series.
My family was first introduced to IBA in the 1980’s when the company facilitated the sale of my father’s veterinary hospital (Animal Medical Clinic) and real estate in Portland, Oregon, so he could transition to an education role as a vice-president with Hills Pet Products related to the importance of pet nutrition. Later in life, he worked alongside me at IBA selling veterinary practices in the region.
Direct service providers are the component of the medical industry people think of most commonly in their daily lives. However, they are only one element of the robust ecosystem available for entrepreneurship. The next circle out from practitioners are vendors of products in storefront and virtual venues. IBA has sold traditional and compound pharmacies in the past, along with apothecaries stocking naturopathic and holistic remedies. We have also sold businesses that sell orthopedic shoes ( https://jayswideshoes.com/), hospital beds, lift chairs, wheelchairs, and a spectrum of other medical equipment needed for personal, home care in residences and elder care facilities. An interesting business model IBA’s lead broker in our healthcare transaction division, Andrea Lines (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-lines/), sold was Northwest Supply (https://nwsmedical.com/) which sells medical equipment on consignment for hospitals and medical facilities when they upgrade and remodel. Their customer base includes domestic and international health care providers. Examples of retail businesses providing products for our four-legged family members sold by IBA include Natural Pet Pantry (https://naturalpetpantry.com/) which was a pioneer in manufacturing and selling raw animal diets and Cat-Man-Doo (https://www.catmandoo.biz/) which was sold by Seth Rudin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethrudin/), a senior M&A intermediary specializing in the pet care space at IBA.
Service providers in the medical and science sectors extend well beyond direct practitioners seeing patients. The business to business and business to consumer business models operated successfully and profitably by entrepreneurs are as varied as the vitamins and supplements available to support health. Examples of transactions successfully facilitated by IBA involving medical and science service sector companies include EcoChem (https://ibainc.com/blog/nesha-ruther/the-story-of-ann-bailey-ecochem/) a organic chemistry audit provider for government and pseudo government entities; MedStaff, a temporary & permanent medica staffing agency; Northwest BioMedical Associates, a medical equipment repair & service provider for hospitals, Access Medical Equipment; a medical rental equipment provider; Gorge Analytical, a cannabis and biofuel testing lab; and Caring Hearts Agency, (http://www.caringheartssocialservices.com/).
Commonly recognized as a market leader in Washington & Oregon for the facilitation of the sale of manufacturing (https://ibainc.com/industries-served/manufacturing/) and Distribution (https://ibainc.com/industries-served/distribution/) companies IBA has successfully sold numerous companies that manufacture and distribute healthcare and science sector equipment and components. Currently in escrow pending sale for completion in Q1 2026 in IBA facilitated transactions include a manufacturer of hydrophones and a distributor of medical component parts used for slings, wraps, and other medical applications.
If you are an entrepreneur with a company serving the medical or science sector based in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Alaska thinking of selling 2026, IBA would welcome the opportunity to be a resource. We are available to meet with you in person to learn about your business and exit strategy objectives at one of our ten offices in the Pacific Northwest, at your business, or the location of your selection. All conversations with IBA are held in strict confidence. IBA only seeks compensation for our services on successful completion of a project. The best place to start in the sale process of a business is with knowledge about the market value of a company for strategic planning purposes. IBA welcomes the opportunity to provide a complimentary professional market opinion of the value of privately held companies or family businesses for potential customers evaluating our firm for representation.
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. 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”.