How BizBrokerMatch works
Last updated June 2025
1. Where broker data comes from
The initial database of over 3,100 brokers was built from publicly available sources, primarily the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) member directory. We also incorporate publicly available state licensing data where available.
We collect only information that brokers have made public: name, brokerage, city and state, IBBA membership date, earned professional designations (CBI, M&AMI, Fellow of IBBA), and publicly listed website or contact information.
We do not pay the IBBA, brokerages, or any other organization for data access. The IBBA does not endorse, sponsor, or have any affiliation with BizBrokerMatch.
2. Profile tiers: Listed, Claimed, Verified
Every broker profile on BizBrokerMatch is labeled with one of three tiers:
Profile information was assembled from public sources. The broker has not engaged with BizBrokerMatch and has not confirmed or corrected any information. The bio, deal count, or specialties on a Listed profile may be outdated or incomplete.
The broker has confirmed they own the email address associated with this profile. They have had the opportunity to update their bio, photo, specialties, and deal count. Information on a Claimed profile reflects what the broker chose to share — we have not independently verified it.
We are building a full verification track that includes a license status check, reference reviews, and a brief interview. Verified brokers will display a distinctive double-check badge and a link to what we checked. This tier is not yet available.
A broker's tier has no effect on their ranking position. A well-matched Listed broker can appear above a Claimed broker — tier is about transparency, not quality.
3. How matching works
When a seller answers a short questionnaire — industry, approximate revenue, state, and timeline — we score every broker in the relevant geography against those inputs.
The match score weighs:
- →Industry specialization
Does the broker list your industry as a specialty? Have they transacted in it before?
- →Geography
Is the broker licensed or active in your state? Do they have a record of closings in your region?
- →Deal size fit
Does the broker's typical deal size align with your expected sale range?
- →Profile completeness
Has the broker disclosed enough for a seller to make an informed decision?
Match scores are used internally to rank results. We do not display a numeric score publicly, because the current inputs (profile completeness, IBBA tenure, deal counts that are self-reported) are not reliable enough to label a real professional with a public number.
4. How directory ordering works
In the directory and on hub pages, brokers are ordered by a combination of match relevance (when a search query is present) and profile strength (completeness, claimed status, presence of reviews, credential count).
Brokers cannot pay to appear higher.A broker who has paid us nothing will appear above a paying broker if their profile is a better match for the seller's stated criteria. See How we make money for details on what brokers can and cannot pay for.
5. How reviews are verified
Every review on BizBrokerMatch must be tied to a real transaction. Anonymous star ratings are not accepted. See our review verification standards for the full process, including what proof we require and how disputes are handled.
6. Independence and conflicts of interest
BizBrokerMatch has no financial relationship with the IBBA, any brokerage, or any broker on the platform. We do not receive commissions on business sales that result from introductions made through the site (other than the flat introduction fee paid by the broker when a seller requests one — see How we make money).
BizBrokerMatch is owned by Ryan Williams, Dallas TX. If you have questions about our methodology or want to flag an error in a profile, contact ryan@bizbrokermatch.com.