VR Business Sales / Mergers & Acquisitions has a proud heritage as the leader in the sales and transfer of the privately-held, family operated, and founder owned businesses since 1979. We are even prouder knowing that we have assisted families live the American dream of business ownership. These same entrepreneurs are those who make up the business communities in every town and city, and who drive job creation and economies.

As an organization we continue to evolve and develop new practices to meet the requirements of the entrepreneur. This winning strategy balances today’s needs with tomorrow’s opportunities. To understand the vision for VR, first you must comprehend who we service as an organization.

Privately owned businesses have the power to transform America, again. These are our people. On a daily basis, across this country, our clients apply their extraordinary potential to drive innovation, ignite competition, build and expand communities, and as a result improve the quality of life for all. Generational leaders of businesses, big and small, turn to VR because of our values that put the entrepreneur first. VR and its skilled professionals operate with an insurgent mindset and a mission to define business sales by focusing on results, not promises.

In the United States, existing “small” businesses (those with less than 500 employees) comprise 99% of all employer firms, therefore employing nearly 50% of the workforce, which accounts for more than 65% of the private sector’s net new jobs over the past two decades. Our clients have been innovators, but as time passes these same individuals begin to focus on protecting their assets for the next stage in the business cycle, as well as their lives. To liquidate these hard-earned assets the business in turn transfers and the new owner will strive to boost productivity and competitiveness and therefore create more jobs.

The importance of dedicating attention to the overall picture has VR evolving from a sales-based organization to a boutique advisory firm that mandates a client first philosophy of helping the entrepreneur enter or exit business ownership. The sale or transfer of a business is still in most cases the end result, but it is how we assist as an organization that is changing and will continue to change if we are to truly fulfill the needs of our client.

Long gone are the days of trickery and deception to obtain listings of businesses we know will never sell near the asking price. The entrepreneur leans on us for advice and for a trusting relationship to develop there must be full transparency. We must look to the future and realize that this difference alone separates VR, but as an organization of professionals we have so much more to orchestrate if we are to enable sustained and increased results.

Business owners are or will become experts in operations of their own companies. What they need from VR is an advocate that can identify their needs when it comes to entry, operations or exit, and through education can assist in developing and implement a confidential plan. This responsibility can affect the outcome of people’s lives and is not for everyone.

We realize that no business ecosystem can be healthy and sustainable without an intentional means for addressing who should be part of the organization at every level. At VR we seek those who not only believe in our mandates but also want to be part of expanding our client offering.

In our core business, VR Business Sales, our organization has seen our average sale price continue increase as we implement more stringent valuation protocols. This trend away from “rules-of-thumb” multiples and “residential real estate” selling methodology of asking for price reductions, has seen the sell through rate of appraised businesses in our top offices close to 80% and sell for over 95% of asking price. This is no longer an anomaly; it is an expectation when being part of VR.

The growth of VR Mergers & Acquisitions has increased at such a rate that it was necessary to launch a new corporate web presence for the third time in less than 5 years. As a proud point of reference, when King Lombardi Acquisition, Inc. acquired VR Business Brokers in 1999, the organization in the previous 20 years had sold only 2 businesses with a value of over $1 million. In 2022, VR M&A’s largest transaction was $59 million; 2023 it rose to $75.5 million; and in 2024, another barrier was broken when the first $100 million transaction took place. This marketplace recognition led a client to engage the services of a VR Office to acquire three middle market companies with a simultaneous acquisition over a 48-hour period. The future is limitless for VR Mergers and Acquisitions.

Over the next decade we are committing ourselves to identifying and cultivating new and existing talent and leadership throughout the organization. This requires us to continue to embrace collaboration with those in VR and those joining. VR’s culture is unique as we operate with internal advisory groups and will continue to build on the foundation of sharing life and business experience to strengthen and support the team.

Our destiny is crystal clear. We are going to be the organization turned to by the entrepreneurial community to help them unlock the true value they built in their companies, and in turn place qualified, goal driven people and investors into those same businesses when it is time for a transition. By accomplishing this vision, we have supported free enterprise, helped families across the country, and assisted develop new jobs for the workforce and economy of the future.

On behalf of both of us, the VR Board of Directors, and every VR intermediary, we remain,