Why We Exist
If you've ever looked into buying a small business, you know how confusing it gets fast: marketplaces full of inflated revenue claims, brokers who work for the seller, financing jargon nobody explains, and "buy a business with no money down" gurus selling courses instead of clarity. It's hard to know who to trust or where to even start.
We started WholeSMB because acquiring an existing business is one of the most under-appreciated paths to ownership — you inherit revenue, customers, and a track record instead of gambling on a startup — but the path is poorly documented for first-time buyers. We write the plain-English guides we wish we'd had.
WholeSMB is a project by Bity LLC, a small company that builds useful things for other small companies. We're not backed by venture capital, we don't sell courses, and we don't take payment from sellers to feature their listings.
What We Do
We publish practical guides and resources for buying a small business. Our content covers:
- How acquisitions work — the full process from finding a deal to closing, in plain language.
- Due diligence — what to verify before you sign, from revenue claims to lease terms and customer concentration.
- Financing — SBA 7(a) loans, seller financing, and how buyers structure deals without paying all cash.
- Where to look — the marketplaces and brokers where businesses for sale actually live, by niche and location.
Our Approach
Here's how we research everything that appears on WholeSMB:
1. We Cover Real Concepts
Our guides are built on how deals actually get done — SBA financing, seller notes, SDE-based valuation, reps and warranties — not hype or get-rich-quick promises. We explain the trade-offs honestly, including the risks of buying the wrong business.
2. We Focus on First-Time Buyers
Most acquisition content is written for private equity or experienced operators. We write for aspiring owner-operators buying their first business, so we explain the things insiders assume you already know.
3. We Show Where Listings Live
For each niche and location, we point you to the marketplaces and brokers — like BizBuySell, Flippa, and Empire Flippers — where the relevant businesses are actually listed, and what to check on a given listing.
4. We Keep It Current
Financing programs, valuations, and marketplaces change. We review and update our guides so the information stays accurate.
How We Make Money
Transparency matters. WholeSMB earns revenue through affiliate partnerships with some of the business-sale marketplaces we mention. When you click a link and sign up or transact, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Here's what's important: affiliate relationships never change our advice. We tell you how to evaluate a deal and where to look regardless of who pays us, and we'll always flag the risks even when there's a commission on the line.
For full details, see our Affiliate Disclosure.
Get in Touch
Have a question, correction, or suggestion? We'd love to hear from you. Reach us at hello@wholesmb.com.