Illinois · IL
Illinois deal flow centers on Chicago professional services, food manufacturing and distribution, with an established broker and advisor community.
Chicago, Illinois
Tax and outsourced accounting practice serving roughly 380 small business clients and 520 individual returns. Monthly bookkeeping and payroll now represent 47% of billings.
Accounting, legal-adjacent and professional practices are a significant Chicago segment; licensing and ownership rules apply to some practice types.
Food manufacturing and co-packing businesses in the state trade on capacity utilization and certification status as much as on current revenue.
Multi-generational ownership is common, so transactions frequently involve family governance alongside commercial terms.
Owners in Illinois can run an owner-listed sale on the platform or work with a business broker for representation, buyer screening and negotiation. Brokerage licensing, disclosure and lease assignment practice are set at state level, so confirm requirements locally before signing an engagement.
Lakeview Transaction Partners · Chicago
Illustrative profile
The process is the same as elsewhere in the US: recast three years of financials, set a range on SDE or adjusted EBITDA, publish a blind profile that does not identify the company, release the information memorandum only after a signed NDA, qualify buyers on funds and financing, then agree a letter of intent before diligence. Illinois-specific items — licensing, lease assignment, permits and state tax treatment — are confirmed with a local attorney and CPA.
Look for a broker who works in your industry and size band, can show a defensible valuation method, and understands Illinois licensing and lease practice. Ask how buyers will be qualified, what the fee structure is, and whether the engagement is exclusive and for how long.
Activity concentrates around Chicago, Naperville, Rockford and Springfield, where buyer pools, lenders and professional advisors are densest. Businesses outside those markets sell too, usually to buyers already in the region or to strategic acquirers expanding coverage.
Value is driven by earnings quality rather than location: an owner-operated business generally trades on a multiple of SDE, and a business with paid management on a multiple of adjusted EBITDA. Location affects the buyer pool, labor cost and, where property is involved, the real estate value.
