Business Partnership

What Business Partnership does

Business Partnership is a UK-based business brokerage and exit planning firm that operates a nationwide franchise network connecting business sellers with business buyers. Founded in 1979, the firm is structured around Business Partnership (Management) Limited (BPML), a private limited company registered in England and Wales, which licenses independently owned Regional Partners to deliver services under the Business Partnership brand across all UK regions. The company serves SME business owners planning to exit, individuals and corporates seeking acquisitions, and uses a horizontal segmentation approach across all major sectors including engineering, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, services, property, and tech/media.

The firm's core services comprise confidential business sales facilitation, independent business valuations, strategic acquisition search support, deal structuring and negotiation, and exit planning advisory delivered through Accredited Value Guides. The underlying delivery model is relationship-intensive and face-to-face rather than technology-mediated, with the firm's core technology footprint limited to a marketing website, content publishing, and standard social media presence. There is no proprietary software platform, no API offering, and no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

BPML generates revenue through professional services fees for facilitating business sales and valuations, with Regional Partners operating under franchise licenses and earning commissions on closed transactions. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and the firm offers free initial consultations. The company markets through content/SEO, monthly email newsletters, and organic social channels. Operations span headquarters at Winnington Hall, Northwich, plus regional offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Oxford, and Guildford. Leadership comprises Managing Director Paul Dodgshon and Marketing Director Alex Dodgshon, both Certified Value Builders, supported by named Regional Partners across each territory.

Name

Business Partnership

Legal name

Business Partnership (Management) Limited

Website

https://business-partnership.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK business brokerage and exit planning firm operating a nationwide franchise network of Regional Partners, connecting SME business sellers with buyers and providing valuations and acquisition search support since 1979.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Brokerage Services

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Main Street Business Brokerage (SMB/Owner-Operated) (FSAEAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business Transfer Intermediation (Introducers/Deal Sourcing Networks) (FSAEAIAL)

Keywords

• Business brokerage services
• Business valuation services
• M&A advisory
• Exit planning services
• Acquisition search support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Business Sales Brokerage: The company earns fees for facilitating business sales, connecting sellers with buyers, and providing valuation services. Regional Partners operate under franchise licenses and assist clients in selling businesses across all sectors in the UK.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Business Partnership operates a national network of Regional Partners that facilitates the sale, purchase, and valuation of UK SMEs across all sectors. Core services include confidential business sales brokerage, independent business valuations, strategic acquisition searches, and exit planning advisory delivered face-to-face through regional franchise offices.

Product overview

Business Partnership is a business brokerage firm operating as a national network of Regional Partners across the UK. The company offers a unified service platform comprising business buying, selling, valuation, and exit planning services. The core product is confidential business sales facilitation, supported by business valuation tools, exit planning advisory services, and acquisition search support. These services are delivered through a franchise network of regional offices and are not structured as a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Sales Brokerage End-to-end facilitation of confidential business sales for UK SME owners, from preparing the business for market through to deal completion and negotiation. Delivered through Regional Partners across the UK and serving business owners in all major sectors.
• Business Valuation Independent business valuations for sale, acquisition, shareholder disputes, gifting shares, securing funding, or tax and insurance purposes. Delivered by Regional Partners across the UK.
• Strategic Acquisition Search
• Exit Planning Advisory
• Sale Structuring Advisory

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• KBS Corporate: UK-based business sales broker connecting SME owners with acquirers across multiple sectors. KBS Corporate operates a similar intermediation model to Business Partnership, focusing on owner-managed business sales and valuations throughout the UK.
• Christie & Co: UK business broker specializing in hospitality, healthcare, retail, and leisure sector sales. Christie & Co is a direct peer in the SME business brokerage space with comparable sell-side advisory and valuation services.
• Hilton-Baird: UK business brokerage and advisory firm offering business sales, valuations, and acquisition search services to SME owners. Hilton-Baird directly competes with Business Partnership in the same client segment and service categories.
• Knightsbridge Commercial: UK business sales broker providing services to owners looking to sell SMEs. Knightsbridge Commercial operates a similar intermediation model and targets the same SME seller and buyer segments as Business Partnership.
• BCMS Corporate: International business sale advisor specializing in mid-market and SME business exits. BCMS is a comparable peer providing business sale advisory, valuations, and exit planning services similar to Business Partnership's offering.
• Avondale Corporate: UK SME business sales broker with comparable services to Business Partnership including valuations, exit planning, and deal facilitation. Avondale Corporate targets a similar client profile of owner-managed businesses.

Broad incumbents

• Eddisons Commercial: UK-wide commercial advisory and business sales firm with broader service portfolio including property, asset valuation, and corporate finance. Overlaps with Business Partnership in business brokerage and valuations but operates at larger scale across multiple service lines.

Emerging players

• Sell Your Business: Online UK platform for SME business sales connecting sellers with buyers across multiple sectors. Represents an emerging digital alternative to traditional brokers like Business Partnership with potentially lower fees and broader listing visibility.
• Business Sale Report: UK online marketplace listing SME businesses for sale. Functions as a listing platform competing with traditional brokers like Business Partnership for seller attention, though lacking full-service intermediation capabilities.

Regional players

• The Business Exchange: UK business sales and acquisition intermediary connecting SME buyers and sellers. Comparable to Business Partnership in service offering though with regional concentration in certain UK markets rather than full national coverage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BusinessPartnershipUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-business-partnership
• Instagraminstagram.com/businesspartnershipuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Business Partnership