Limited Visibility
The businesses you see publicly may represent only part of your potential acquisition universe.
Buy-side acquisition search & advisory
Find the Right Business to Acquire.
Your next acquisition may not be listed for sale.
Tell us what you want to acquire—and why. Growth Advisory Network helps identify businesses that match your criteria, reach the right owners and decision makers, and move qualified conversations forward.
From established service businesses to technology companies and sales organizations, we combine targeted research, proactive outreach, and dedicated account support to expand your acquisition options.
Acquisition searches from $500,000 to $100 million.
For strategic buyers and acquisition teamsSearches from $500K to $100M
A wider view of the market
The Right Business Isn’t Always on the Market.
Public listings show businesses already seeking buyers. They don’t show every company that could fit your growth plans—or every owner who might consider the right conversation.
Building a target list, finding decision makers, conducting outreach, qualifying interest, and maintaining follow-up takes sustained attention.
GAN helps your search move forward while you continue running your business.
No Time for a Dedicated Search
Research, owner outreach, and follow-up compete with the demands of running your company.
Too Many Weak Matches
An attractive listing is not necessarily a fit for your geography, operating model, financial criteria, or growth strategy.
Conversations That Lose Momentum
Introductions need follow-through, clear next steps, and coordination across busy teams.
A search shaped around you
Built Around Your Acquisition Criteria.
We start with your strategy—not a list of businesses we need to sell.
Define your target industry, geography, acquisition budget, business size, operating characteristics, and non-negotiables. Share companies you already have in mind, or let us help build the target universe.
We combine your research with our own to identify potential matches and begin relevant conversations.
Where we focus
Focused Searches. Relevant Introductions.
Established Service Businesses
HVAC, electrical, roofing, flooring, and related service companies. Searches can focus on geography, service mix, management structure, customer profile, and expansion potential.
Technology Companies & Startups
Targets aligned with your product strategy, customer base, technical capabilities, or market expansion goals.
Call Centers & Sales Training Businesses
Organizations offering customer acquisition, contact-center operations, sales enablement, training, and related capabilities.
Real Estate Introductions
Introductions to relevant real estate professionals and opportunities, subject to geography and engagement scope. Property-related services and fees are scoped separately from business acquisition searches.
From criteria to conversation
You Set the Direction. We Go to Work.
A practical, buyer-led sequence—with clear handoffs and agreed scope at each stage.
- 01
Define the Acquisition Brief
Clarify what you want to acquire, your budget, preferred geography, timeline, financial criteria, strategic goals, and deal-breakers.
- 02
Build the Target List
Research businesses against your brief. Incorporate your existing targets and develop additional candidates for review.
- 03
Start Owner Conversations
Reach appropriate owners and leaders, explain the relevant acquisition interest, and assess their willingness to explore a conversation.
- 04
Present Qualified Opportunities
Introduce businesses that meet the qualification criteria agreed in your engagement. Organize initial information and coordinate discussions with you and your representatives.
- 05
Maintain Momentum
Support follow-up, meeting coordination, document requests, and communication as your legal, financial, and transaction teams evaluate the opportunity.
You retain control of investment decisions, transaction terms, and approvals. GAN supports the search and coordination process alongside your advisers.
Discuss My Acquisition GoalsOne clear point of contact
A Named Account Manager. A Clear Point of Contact.
Every engagement includes a specific account manager who understands your acquisition brief and coordinates the search.
You can contact your account manager directly throughout the engagement for questions, updates, and next steps. Availability, communication expectations, and escalation procedures are agreed at the start.
- Target research and owner outreach.
- Regular progress updates.
- Meeting scheduling and follow-up.
- Coordination with your team and professional representatives.
- Document-request tracking and permissioned information exchange.
- Remote coordination, with in-person participation where agreed.
Travel, location, expenses, and additional specialist support are defined in the engagement scope.
For the Dedicated Acquisition Mandate
For our Dedicated Acquisition Mandate, an account executive is assigned exclusively to your engagement, supported by co-founder participation and additional resources as agreed.
Engagements & fees
Clear Pricing. Defined Deliverables.
Engagements are structured around your acquisition budget and search requirements. Before work begins, we agree on the target criteria, qualified-introduction commitment, delivery period, communication plan, and fee terms.
01 / Search engagement
Focused Acquisition Search
$500,000–$2 million
Retainer$10,000
Closing Fee5%
5% of the completed transaction value, as defined in the signed engagement agreement.
The $10,000 retainer is credited against the closing fee.
- Named account manager.
- Agreed acquisition brief.
- Target research and owner outreach.
- Qualified introductions under the agreed scope.
- Meeting and follow-up coordination.
Illustrative example
For a $1,000,000 completed transaction:
- Total fee
- $50,000
- Retainer already paid
- $10,000
- Additional amount due at closing
- $40,000
02 / Search engagement
Strategic Acquisition Search
$2.1 million–$10 million
Retainer$25,000
Closing Fee3%
3% of the completed transaction value, as defined in the signed engagement agreement.
The $25,000 retainer is credited against the closing fee.
- Named account manager.
- Criteria-driven target research.
- Targeted owner outreach and qualified introductions.
- Ongoing communication and process coordination.
- Coordination with the buyer’s representatives.
Illustrative example
For a $5,000,000 completed transaction:
- Total fee
- $150,000
- Retainer already paid
- $25,000
- Additional amount due at closing
- $125,000
03 / Dedicated mandate
Dedicated Acquisition Mandate
$10.1 million–$100 million
Retainer1% upfront
Closing Fee+1% on close
1% upfront, plus 1% at closing. The retainer is not credited against the closing fee.
- An account executive assigned exclusively to your engagement.
- Co-founder oversight and participation.
- Dedicated target research and owner outreach.
- Additional resources for agreed industry or transaction needs.
- Coordination with your team and professional advisers.
Initial mandate
Approximately 6–12 months, with duration, renewals, and extensions agreed in writing.
Illustrative example
For a $20,000,000 completed transaction:
- Upfront retainer
- $200,000
- Additional closing fee
- $200,000
- Total GAN fees
- $400,000
Transaction value, treatment of debt and contingent payments, applicable tier, retainer treatment, multiple acquisitions, expense approvals, and payment timing are defined in the signed engagement agreement.
Searches between the quoted tier ranges or outside the stated range are individually scoped. Real estate introductions and property-related fees are scoped separately.
Clear scope before work begins
A Defined Commitment—Not an Open-Ended Promise.
Before you engage GAN, we agree in writing on what qualified opportunities mean for your search, the number of introductions or specific target commitments, and the delivery period.
Focused + Strategic Search
For the Focused and Strategic Search engagements, your retainer is fully refundable if GAN fails to deliver the agreed commitments under the engagement terms.
The commitment concerns the agreed sourcing and introduction deliverables. It does not guarantee an acquisition, seller acceptance, financing, or a particular purchase price.
Qualification criteria, evidence of delivery, refund timing, and any agreed changes to the search must be documented before payment.
A partner for the work between milestones
More Than an Introduction.
A Search Built for You
Target selection follows your acquisition goals and requirements.
Access Beyond Public Listings
Proactive outreach can surface conversations you would not find by browsing businesses for sale.
Dedicated Ownership of the Process
A named contact coordinates research, outreach, follow-up, and next steps.
Support Alongside Your Team
We work with your legal, accounting, financing, and transaction representatives to help information and conversations move forward.
Bring a starting point
What Should Your Acquisition Brief Include?
You don’t need every answer before the first conversation. A clearer brief helps us focus the search and assess fit.
- Target industry and business model.
- Preferred geography.
- Acquisition budget and funding readiness.
- Revenue, profitability, and other financial criteria.
- Customer concentration and recurring-revenue preferences.
- Management and owner-transition requirements.
- Strategic purpose: expansion, capabilities, customers, or consolidation.
- Timeline and approval process.
- Must-haves and deal-breakers.
- Existing targets and prior outreach.
Straight answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Good acquisition searches start with clear expectations.
Do you approach companies that are not listed for sale?
Yes. When a business fits your acquisition brief, GAN can contact its owners or leadership to assess interest in an initial conversation. Interest and participation are voluntary.
What does “qualified” mean?
A qualified introduction meets the criteria defined in your engagement and includes confirmed willingness to have an initial acquisition discussion. Preliminary screening does not replace financial, legal, or operational due diligence.
Do you guarantee we will acquire a business?
No. We commit to the agreed search and introduction deliverables. Completing a transaction depends on the buyer, seller, advisers, financing, and due diligence.
Can we provide a list of companies we want to acquire?
Yes. We can work from your existing research and develop additional targets within the agreed scope.
Will we have a dedicated contact?
Yes. Each engagement has a named account manager. The largest tier includes an exclusive account executive and co-founder participation under the agreed mandate.
Can GAN work with our attorney, accountant, or acquisition team?
Yes. We coordinate with your representatives and support communication and next steps within our agreed role.
Can the process be handled remotely?
Yes. Research, introductions, and coordination can be handled remotely. In-person participation depends on location, availability, and agreed travel arrangements.
How are confidential documents handled?
Document exchange should use an approved platform with appropriate permissions and confidentiality arrangements. Access and sharing are agreed with the relevant parties.
Begin with your acquisition goals
Tell Us What You Want to Acquire.
Whether you have a specific company in mind or need help defining the search, start with your goals.
We’ll discuss your acquisition criteria, the support you need, and what a clearly scoped engagement could look like.
Discuss My Acquisition GoalsTargeted research. Relevant introductions. Dedicated support.