Arizona Business Sales Advisors Research
Advisory Approach
Arizona Business Sales Advisors is a boutique M&A advisory firm serving Arizona business owners since 2000. The firm operates with a clear thesis: accurate, defensible valuations combined with confidential, personalized representation produce superior outcomes for sellers in the lower middle market. Their philosophy emphasizes precision in valuation as the foundation of successful transactions—they believe that many business owners undervalue their companies due to lack of sophisticated valuation expertise, and their proprietary methods establish value that can withstand buyer scrutiny.
The firm positions itself as an alternative to both generalist business brokers and large investment banks. Unlike brokers who may lack valuation sophistication, Arizona Business Sales Advisors emphasizes their rigorous valuation methodology. Unlike large banks, they provide highly personalized, hands-on service to a select number of clients. Their sweet spot is Arizona-based businesses with enterprise values between $2M and $50M, particularly owner-operated companies where the founder is seeking a complete exit.
Sector Focus
The firm maintains broad industry coverage across Arizona's economy. Based on their transaction history and stated expertise, they have particular depth in construction/engineering trades, including asphalt paving, commercial plumbing, and building trades contractors. Their M&A Source profile lists 17 specialty areas spanning manufacturing, distribution, retail, healthcare, and technical services.
Notable industry representations include outdoor power equipment (demonstrated by the Mow Power transaction), commercial trades contracting (paving, plumbing, HVAC), and general manufacturing. The firm describes itself as "industry agnostic" with experience across 44 distinct industry verticals, suggesting they prioritize transaction structure and buyer relationships over sector-specific expertise.
Deal Track Record
Arizona Business Sales Advisors reports having completed 216 business transfers since their founding in 2000. Their marketing materials emphasize an 80% success rate—four times higher than the industry average of 20%—indicating a high completion rate among engagements they undertake.
Documented transactions include:
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Mow Power (2023): Sale of a Mesa-based outdoor power equipment company specializing in equipment sales, rentals, and repairs of Honda, Stihl, Echo, and other brands. The buyer was TeamShares, an employee ownership platform with a unique model targeting 80% employee ownership within 20 years. This transaction demonstrates the firm's ability to connect Arizona sellers with specialized buyers outside traditional private equity.
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RR Paving and Asphalt Maintenance (2024): Sale of an asphalt maintenance contractor to a private equity buyer. This transaction illustrates the firm's competence in construction trades.
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Markade Plumbing (2024): Sale of a commercial plumbing company focused on new construction to a private equity buyer.
These transactions, all documented through the Alliance of M&A Advisors (AM&AA) tombstone database, show a pattern of representing trades-based businesses in sale to financial buyers. The firm has demonstrated success in both employee ownership transactions and traditional private equity exits.
Process & Fee Structure
The firm's engagement process follows a structured three-phase approach:
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Confidential Market Review: No-obligation consultation to evaluate market conditions and the seller's specific situation.
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Valuation Process: Comprehensive business analysis using proprietary methods to establish defensible valuation.
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End-to-End Support: Full-service representation from buyer identification through closing and transition.
Key operational features include:
- Blind marketing: Anonymous promotion of business opportunities to maintain confidentiality
- Buyer screening: Rigorous qualification including financial capability assessment
- SBA expertise: Specialization in SBA lending processes to facilitate financing
- Timeline: 9-12 months typical from engagement to closing
The firm emphasizes that in 23 years of operation, they have never had a confidentiality breach—a critical selling point for owner-operated businesses where employee, customer, and supplier sensitivity is paramount.
Fee structure is described as "case by case" and discussed during initial consultation. The website does not publish specific retainer or success fee percentages, though their FAQ notes "performance-based fees" that align advisor success with seller outcomes. Based on industry norms for their transaction size range, they likely employ modified Lehman or percentage-based structures with retainers credited against success fees.
Buyer Network
Arizona Business Sales Advisors maintains relationships across multiple buyer categories:
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Private Equity Firms: Documented buyers include TeamShares (employee ownership specialist) and unnamed private equity acquirers in the paving and plumbing sectors
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Strategic Buyers: Industry competitors and consolidators in construction trades and equipment distribution
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Employee Ownership Platforms: Demonstrated capability with TeamShares transaction
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Individual Buyers: SBA-financed acquisitions for individual buyers
The firm's marketing references 3,000 confidential consultations and 412 business valuations conducted, suggesting broad buyer outreach capabilities.
Competitive Positioning
Arizona Business Sales Advisors differentiates through several key claims:
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Valuation Expertise: Emphasis on proprietary valuation methods that produce "defensible" values capable of withstanding buyer due diligence
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Confidentiality Track Record: Zero breaches in 23 years, with blind marketing protocols
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Completion Rate: 80% success rate versus 20% industry average
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Hands-On Principal Service: Dave Long as the primary advisor, rather than junior bankers or associates
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SBA Financing Expertise: Specialized knowledge of SBA lending processes to facilitate transactions
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Real Estate Integration: Licensed real estate broker capability to handle business-plus-real-estate transactions (common in lower middle market)
Not a Fit If
Based on their positioning and stated focus, Arizona Business Sales Advisors is likely not a fit for:
- Businesses outside Arizona (geographic focus is explicit)
- Transactions below $2M TEV (minimum engagement size implied)
- Pure asset sales or liquidations (focus on going-concern businesses)
- Sellers seeking limited process or auction-style representations (their value is in curated buyer identification)
- Businesses requiring extensive national buyer outreach (regional focus)
Team
Dave Long serves as Principal & M&A Advisor. Key credentials and background:
- Certifications: Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA), Accredited Business Intermediary (ABI)
- Licensing: Arizona Department of Real Estate Licensed Broker (NOT FINRA-registered broker-dealer)
- Experience: 40+ years entrepreneurial and management experience; 25+ years in M&A advisory since 2000; owned and successfully sold six personal businesses
- Transaction Involvement: Directly involved in hundreds of business transfers since 1990
- Professional Affiliations:
- Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA)
- International Business Brokers Association (IBBA)
- American Business Brokers Association (ABBA)
- Institute of Business Appraisers
- M&A Source
- Prescott Area & Show Low Chambers of Commerce
- Education: First real estate licensee in Arizona to earn the BBS (Business Brokerage Specialist) designation
- Personal: Married to Laura for 30 years, two daughters, resides in Mesa, Arizona
Dave Long appears to be the sole professional at the firm, operating as a true boutique practice rather than a multi-advisor organization.
Geographic Coverage
Arizona-focused with primary concentration in the Phoenix metropolitan area and surrounding regions. The firm is based in Tempe, Arizona, and their marketing explicitly emphasizes serving Arizona business owners. The geographic focus aligns with their value proposition of deep local market knowledge and buyer relationships.
Notable regions served based on professional affiliations include Prescott and Show Low, suggesting statewide coverage beyond just the Phoenix metro area.