Central Ohio's Trusted Business Broker & M&A Advisory
Sell your business at its summit of success.
Thinking about selling your business? We don't just list it — we plan your entire exit. Serving Columbus, Dublin, Westerville, and all of Central Ohio with precision valuations, tax strategy, and retirement cash flow planning.
Get a Free, Confidential Valuation
Tell us a little about your business. We review your numbers and come back with a specific value range. Nothing is shared with anyone.
Who You're Working With
CM&AA, CFA and FRM credentials
Our advisory team holds the Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor, Chartered Financial Analyst, and Financial Risk Manager designations.
25+ businesses personally owned
We have bought, built, and run more than 25 companies of our own. We know what the numbers look like from the owner's chair.
Both sides of the table
Our team has sat as buyer and as seller. That experience shapes how we price, position, and negotiate your deal.
Our Services
We handle every stage of the sale
Serving business owners across Columbus, Dublin, Westerville, Delaware, and the greater Central Ohio region. Whether you're selling a $500K company or a $10M operation, we prepare you, your business, and your finances for what comes next.
Prepare Your Business for Sale
We dig into your financials, tighten up operations, and shore up your management team — so when buyers look under the hood, they like what they see. Whether you're in Columbus, Dublin, or anywhere in Central Ohio.
Find the Right Buyer
We build a profile of your ideal buyer, then tap our network of qualified buyers across Ohio and nationwide. Every candidate is rigorously screened before they ever see your numbers.
Sell-Side Advisory & Deal Execution
From the first offer to the closing table, our team manages negotiation, due diligence, and deal structure — so you can keep running your business instead of managing a transaction.
Exit Planning Process
Your roadmap to a successful exit
You've done the hard part of building your business — now let us help you sell it right.
Assess & Strategize
We start by looking at your business the way a buyer would — financials, operations, legal exposure, key-person risk. This is where we find the gaps and the opportunities.
Prepare & Optimize
Clean books, documented processes, a team that doesn't depend on you for everything. We work with businesses in Columbus, Dublin, and across the region to fix what buyers will flag.
Value & Price
We use your actual financials and real comparable transactions — not generic industry multiples — to set a price you can defend at the negotiating table.
Market & Match
Your business is presented confidentially to a curated pool of pre-screened buyers who fit your criteria. No tire-kickers.
Execute & Close
We negotiate terms, help you decide between an asset sale or stock sale based on your tax situation, manage due diligence, and coordinate with your legal and financial teams through closing.
Plan Your Next Chapter
The deal closes, but your financial life doesn't stop. We work with your CPA and Wealth advisor to optimize taxes, and project retirement cash flows. So you can plan for what comes next.
Free Business Valuation Calculator
How much is your business worth?
Our free calculator gives you more than a ballpark number — it estimates your after-tax proceeds and models retirement cash flow using both SDE and EBITDA methods.
New to valuation? Read our guide to valuing a business to sell first.
Educational estimate only
This calculator produces a quick, directional valuation based on industry-standard SDE and EBITDA multiples, current federal and Ohio tax brackets, and a conservative investment-return assumption. It does not account for every deduction, credit, or circumstance. Results are not a formal, legally binding valuation. For a precise, confidential assessment, speak with our team.
Business Valuation
Step 1 of 16
This calculator is provided solely for informational purposes and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice. The estimates and projections generated are based on user inputs and a set of assumptions that may not reflect your individual circumstances or future market conditions. The calculations are illustrative only and are subject to change without notice; no guarantee is made regarding their accuracy or completeness. You should not rely exclusively on these figures when making business, investment, or tax decisions.
Before taking any action based on the information provided, you are strongly encouraged to consult with a qualified financial advisor, accountant, or attorney who can offer personalized guidance based on your unique situation. By using this tool, you acknowledge that neither Summit Succession nor its affiliates assume any responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or actions taken in reliance on this information, and that no fiduciary relationship is established.
Frequently asked questions
Industries We Sell
Trade and service businesses across Central Ohio.
How We Get Paid
Our fee is success based. We are paid at closing, out of the proceeds of your sale. If your business does not sell, you do not owe us a fee.
There is no upfront listing fee. That keeps our interests lined up with yours: the only way we get paid is to get you to a closing at a number you are happy with.
Track Record
Recent closed deals
A sample of business acquisitions we've led across the country.
$5.3M
Equipment Rentals
Midwest, USA
$2.5M
Water Well Drilling
Central, USA
$4.2M
Water Transport
South Central, USA
$4.2M
FedEx Linehaul Routes
Southeast & Midwest
$2.3M
HVAC Company
Southwest, USA
$3.2M
Fireplace Retailer
Southeast, USA
Video Resources
Learn from our experts
We've published over 300 videos on selling a business, exit planning, and business valuation. Here are a few good places to start.
Maximize Your Retirement: A Guide for Business Owners
Why retirement planning is different when your business is your primary asset. How to get a realistic valuation, minimize taxes on the sale, and build the right advisor team for your next chapter.
Top 5 Ways to Increase Your Business Value (Before You Sell It)
Strengthen your financials, shift to recurring revenue, build a management team that can run without you, improve your marketing systems, and consider growth through strategic acquisitions.
Why You Should Work with an Exit Advisor (Not a Broker!)
Brokers just want a quick sale. An exit advisor looks at your sale holistically. They coordinate your team, minimize taxes, and plan for your family's future. Because this is one of the most meaningful events of your life.
Our Team
The team behind your exit
CFA, CPA, CM&AA, FRM, and MBA credentials backed by decades of hands-on deal experience.
President / CEO
Mark brings unparalleled expertise to Summit Succession, with a career spanning small business transactions to multi-billion-dollar IPOs. A chartered financial analyst (CFA) and financial risk manager (FRM), his financial acumen and strategic insights have been honed over decades of guiding clients through complex financial landscapes. His experience encompasses structuring deals, optimizing outcomes, and creating value for business owners at every stage of their journey. From advising entrepreneurs on local business sales to orchestrating large-scale public offerings, Mark's track record demonstrates his ability to navigate the full spectrum of deal-making. Named to Ohio Business Magazine's list of the 500 most powerful and influential people in Ohio for his work with small businesses.
COO / Director of Buyer Relations
Kate is a certified merger and acquisition advisor (CM&AA) who has bought, built, and exited businesses herself — and is an owner in more than 20 businesses across the US. Her hands-on experience as both a buyer and seller gives her a unique perspective in ensuring buyer fit to seller goals and creating best-case outcomes for every transaction.
Ariane Martin
Director of Financial Management
Leads our financial management team that gets businesses sales-ready by cleaning up accounting records, building defensible financial models, and preparing documentation buyers actually want to see.
Norvin Villa, CPA
Director of Analytics
20 years in accounting and finance. CPA and MBA — runs the numbers that drive our valuations.
Francis Calpo
Director of Deal Execution
Manages the logistics of getting deals done — financing, timelines, and coordination between all parties from LOI to close.
Our Service Area
Proudly serving Central Ohio
From Columbus to the surrounding region, we work with business owners who are ready to plan their next move.
Ohio's capital and our home base. We know this market inside and out.
A hub for corporate HQs and growing mid-market companies along the 270 corridor.
Strong small business community with a lot of owners thinking about what's next.
Worthington, OH
Established businesses and long-time owners who've built something worth selling right.
Powell, OH
Fast-growing area with business owners who are building now and planning ahead.
Delaware, OH
Manufacturing, services, and professional firms — many family-owned and ready for transition.
Newark, OH
Licking County's business center, with legacy companies and newer operations alike.
Lancaster, OH
Fairfield County's seat. Home to a strong base of privately held businesses.
Don't see your area? We work with business owners throughout Ohio and beyond. Contact us to learn more.
Seller's Guides
Everything we would tell you in a first meeting, written down.
FAQ
Common questions
Let's Talk
Request a free & confidential consultation
Whether you're ready to sell your business now or planning an exit strategy years down the road, a conversation with our team is the first step to a better outcome.
Our Westerville Office
We work with owners across Columbus, Dublin, Westerville, and New Albany.