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The Only Internet job posting website for Business Brokers

Business Brokerage is an exciting profession. If you are looking to become a business broker or work in the industry, this is a perfect opportunity for you.  You can be confident that you have access to the most up-to-date and informative opportunities available in this exciting industry. (more…)

The GABB Holiday party will be held at SIP at Riverside (the former River Room Location) at Post Riverside Town Square, 4403 Northside Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30327. The organization will have the entire restaurant for the event. All attendees must bring one unwrapped child’s gift as a holiday donation (1 for each person). (more…)

The business of brokering businesses has its roots in England where for the past 250 years Business Transfer Agents have been handling the sale of existing businesses. Newspaper ads and phone directories date business brokers in the U.S. back to the early 1920′s. It wasn’t until the mid 1940′s that major Texas newspapers established a “Business Opportunities” section in the classifieds. In the 1960′s this section was separated into “Business Opportunities” and Businesses for Sale.” By 1970 there were less than 600 business brokerage firms in the U.S. and less than 10 such firms in Texas. Up and through the 1970′s business brokerage in Texas, as well as the United States, was for the most part unorganized with no sources of education, no common standards of operation and minimal communication between brokerage firms. Most business brokers came into the business from the real estate field or accounting field and functioned as lone wolves operating in a vacuum from the rest of those in the business. There were no standards for adjusting and presenting business financial information and few if any, common methods for valuing businesses. As a result, the industry suffered a low success rate and a high turnover of agents.

As the number of business grew in the U.S. and Texas, so did the need for people to sell businesses as their owners reached retirement, suffered from ill health or became tired of their business and desired alternative investments. Some of our older brethren tell us that there were attempts to establish business brokerage associations in several states; however, none survived more than a few months. Many of the business brokers felt that they had all the answers and did not want to share their knowledge, or lack thereof, with others they deemed to be incompetent.

In 1981,with the initiative of a few brokers in Houston, Texas changed the profession forever by first agreeing to meet and discuss common problems. From these meetings evolved the Texas Association of Business Brokers, which in turn has helped spawn the International Business Brokers Association as well as many regional and State business brokerage associations.

People were now coming into the business brokerage profession from all walks of life and through TABB they were able to draw upon the experience of other members and partake in TABB‘s expanding educational programs. In 1983, TABB conducted its first State Conference which was held in Houston and offered two days of educational programs. The format established at this first conference has since been followed by the International Business Brokers Association as well as the other regional and State business brokerage associations,

TABB was formed as a trade association to represent the business brokerage profession in Texas and provide educational programs for its members. Beginning in 1985, the educational program was expanded and a professional designation was established, known as the Board Certified Broker (BCB) Program, for those who completed a series of courses, passed a test and met other professional standards. This was the first such designation available to business brokers in the entire U.S. Since then, educational courses have been taught in several major universities in Dallas and Houston as well at the State Conference on an annual basis.

In 1986, the Dallas Chapter spearheaded an effort to develop standard forms for Texas business brokers. After considerable time and effort in gathering almost every form being used by the membership, a local Dallas attorney was retained to begin the process of writing and publishing standard forms. Today, TABB offers over 10 standard forms for use of its members in the course of handling the sale of businesses.

In 1988, TABB offered its educational program to the IBBA which calls its educational program Certified Business Intermediary (CBI). Today, both educational programs are in full force with most of the course being recognized for credit towards the respective designation.

During the 90′s and into the new millennium, TABB‘s membership has mirrored the economy in its growth. Our current membership is just under 200 and many of the founding brokers are still active in the business and in TABB. They all say that TABB has had a positive influence on the way they do business and our organization is a key reason why they have been successful in business brokerage. Other business brokerage associations owe their existence to TABB and still look for guidance from the ongoing initiatives produced by TABB and its membership.

Texas Association of Business Brokers, Inc.
823 Congress Avenue, Suite 230
Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512-479-0425
Fax: 512-495-9031

Email: staff@tabb.org

http://www.tabb.org

CVBBA Meeting September 18 and 19, Greensboro

CVBBA will present an educational course for business brokers and M&A professionals on Friday, September 18 in Greensboro. The course is IBBA# 385 “Key M&A Negotiations” and it will be presented by nationally recognized M&A advisor Tom Whipple of Falcon Advisors in Chicago, IL.

Course #385
Key M&A Negotiations (8 credit hours)
Learn about the two key negotiation milestones in a mid-market deal: securing the M&A engagement and managing negotiations with prospect(s) to the LOI. Gain the understanding necessary to create effective engagement agreements that are right for the client and fair for the intermediary. Once the engagement agreement has been executed, intermediaries use the full complement of skills and resources to negotiate the best outcome for the client. At these two points, intermediaries have the most influence on the outcome of a professional M&A process for all parties. No prerequisites.

Thomas B. Whipple, CBI, M&AMI
Managing Principal

Tom is the founding member of Falcon bringing more than twenty-five years of executive operating, marketing and sales experience with traditional middle-market manufacturing and distribution companies to his mergers and acquisitions practice. Prior to founding Falcon, he served as Managing Principal for a nationally recognized private middle-market M&A firm for five years. In that capacity, Tom has worked closely with owners and senior management of privately owned, middle-market companies throughout the United States advising them on growth and exit strategies in such diverse industries that includes: electronics equipment manufacturing, plastic molding, trucking, contract machining and tooling, electrical contracting, professional employer organizations and chemical blending/packaging/distribution, publishing, and consulting services. His practice is focused on adding value by concluding transactions that meet his client’s objectives, even in complex, difficult or troubled situations. As an extension of his practice, Tom often works with owners and their professional advisors to develop succession plans and exit strategies including implementation of ESOPs, Management Buyouts and other special strategies.

As a specialist in changing business environments, Tom brings to his practice turnaround and operating expertise. As Executive Director of Universal-Automatic Corporation, an integrated manufacturer of automated secondary application machine tools; he assembled and led the management team that completed a successful operational turnaround in a post acquisition environment. Previously, he held various marketing and sales leadership positions over a highly successful twenty-year period at a $500 million metals distribution company headquartered in the Midwest.

Tom has been awarded the designation of Master Merger and Acquisition Intermediary (M&AMI) by the nationally recognized M&A Source organization. He has also achieved his Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) certification from the International Business Brokers Association. He is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth, the Turnaround Management Association, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries association. He received his Masters of Business Administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and his Bachelor of Arts from Wittenberg University.