Certified Business Brokers

What Certified Business Brokers does

Certified Business Brokers (CBB) is a privately-held business brokerage firm founded in 1974 and headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company facilitates the sale of privately-held businesses in the small business to lower-middle market range, with transaction values spanning from $200K to $3M+ for individual buyers and $2M+ for M&A engagements involving private equity groups and corporate acquirers. CBB also serves individual buyers, including those pursuing E-2 visa-qualifying business acquisitions, and offers buy-side search and representation services.

The firm's core technology is a trademarked 10-step standardized methodology covering valuation, listing, marketing, buyer screening, negotiations, due diligence, and closing, supported by automation for buyer qualification, NDA execution, disclosure tracking, and monthly client reporting. Adjacent product lines include a three-tier valuation stack (Free Value Assessment, Broker's Opinion of Value, and a 70-90+ page USPAP-compliant Certified Business Appraisal) plus Business Coaching and a four-step Exit Planning service covering third-party sale, key-employee sale, ESOPs, shareholder buyouts, and outside investors.

CBB earns commission-based revenue on successful closings, with no upfront fees for standard listings. The firm is owner-operated by Frank (CEO) and Rose (President) Stabler, who acquired the business approximately in 2004, and runs with a team of 7+ core professionals plus affiliate valuation expertise. Operations are concentrated in Texas (primarily Houston) with international buyer outreach via the website.

Name

Certified Business Brokers

Legal name

Certified Business Brokers

Website

https://certifiedbb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Certified Business Brokers is a Houston-based, privately-held business brokerage founded in 1974 that facilitates the sale of privately-held small and lower-middle-market businesses, provides M&A advisory, valuation services, and exit planning for SMB owners and individual buyers primarily in Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Brokerage Services

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Lower Middle-Market Business Brokerage (FSAEAIAB), Sell-Side Business Brokerage (FSAEAIAC)

Keywords

• Business brokerage services
• Mergers and acquisitions advisory
• Business valuation services
• Exit planning services
• Buy-side search representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Business Brokerage Commission: CBB earns commissions on successful business sales. The firm does NOT charge upfront fees for standard listings. Commission structure is success-based, paid upon closing of business transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Certified Business Brokers (CBB) is a full-service business brokerage firm that facilitates the sale of privately-held businesses by valuing, marketing, screening, negotiating, and closing transactions on behalf of sellers. The firm matches qualified buyers — including individual buyers in the small-business-to-lower-middle-market range ($200K–$3M+) and Private Equity Groups or corporate acquirers in mid-market M&A deals ($2M+) — with sellers under a trademarked 10-step process that emphasizes confidentiality, buyer qualification via financial statements and NDAs, and end-to-end transaction coordination through due diligence and closing.

Product overview

Certified Business Brokers (CBB) is a full-service business brokerage firm offering a suite of services for buying and selling privately-held businesses. The core offering includes Business Brokerage for small business sales (typically under $3 million), and Mergers & Acquisitions for larger mid-market transactions. Supporting services include Buy-Side Search and Representation to find businesses matching buyer criteria, and three tiers of valuation services: Free Value Assessment (no-cost market analysis), Broker's Opinion of Value (10-15 page written report), and Certified Business Appraisal (formal 70-90+ page USPAP-compliant report by certified valuators). Additionally, CBB offers Exit Planning and Business Coaching services that pair operational improvement with sale preparation. The firm operates from Houston, Texas and serves clients across Texas and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Brokerage Facilitates the sale of privately-held small businesses (typically under $3 million in revenue) by matching qualified buyers with sellers, managing negotiations, and coordinating the closing process. Includes business valuation, listing, marketing, buyer screening, confidentiality protection, and end-to-end closing coordination. Targeted at SMB owners in the Houston metro and Texas market seeking to exit.
• Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory M&A advisory services for mid-market transactions valued at $2 million and higher, targeting Private Equity Groups, corporate acquirers, and strategic buyers rather than individual buyers. Includes Confidential Business Review packages, targeted buyer search, negotiation, due diligence coordination, and closing.
• Buy-Side Search and Representation Searches for businesses that fit buyer criteria, including off-market 'hidden market' businesses not publicly listed for sale, with full representation through due diligence and closing. Designed for individual buyers, PE groups, and corporate acquirers looking to acquire specific businesses.
• Free Value Assessment A no-cost, no-obligation fair market valuation analysis establishing a reasonable range of value for a business based on revenue history, cash flow, marketability, competition, and comparable sales. Used to attract prospective sellers before contract signing.
• Broker's Opinion of Value A written valuation report (typically 10–15 pages) utilizing several valuation methods and explaining the analysis behind the conclusion of value. Used by buyers or sellers who require a documented valuation analysis beyond a free assessment.
• Certified Business Appraisal A formal self-contained written appraisal report (typically 70–90+ pages) developed under USPAP guidelines by NACVA-certified valuators. Suitable for court proceedings, IRS review, shareholder buyouts, or divorce proceedings.
• Business Coaching / Exit Planning Paired business coaching with brokerage expertise to help business owners increase profitability and prepare their business for sale. Focus areas include increasing revenue, cutting expenses, documenting processes, and building sale-ready operations.
• Exit Planning Services A four-step process helping business owners determine the best exit strategy, including third-party sale, sale to key employees, ESOP, sale to other shareholders, or bringing in outside investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1 billion in business revenues successfully transacted
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Business Brokers Association (IBBA)coreOthersFounding member of IBBA, the world's largest business broker association. CBB's founding membership demonstrates their pioneering role in the business brokerage profession and provides access to industry standards, best practices, and professional development.
• Texas Association of Business Brokers (TABB)coreOthersFounding member of TABB, the precursor and model used to form IBBA and other business brokers associations. Active member providing industry leadership in Texas.
• M&A SourcecoreOthersMember of the world's largest organization of Middle Market Intermediaries, providing access to deal flow and expertise for larger M&A transactions.
• Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)coreOthersMember of ACG, the global association for middle-market M&A. Provides networking and deal sourcing opportunities for middle-market transactions.
• Pratt's Stats Private Transaction DatabaseminorOthersHall Of Fame Member of Pratt's Stats database, contributing and accessing private transaction data for valuation benchmarking.
• Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBB supports and partners with SCORE, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration that provides mentorship services.
• Greater Houston Restaurant AssociationminorOthersMember of GHRA, supporting and providing business brokerage services to restaurant industry clients in the Houston area.
• Texas Restaurant AssociationminorOthersMember of TRA, providing business brokerage services to restaurant owners across Texas.
• Indo-American Chamber of CommerceminorOthersMember of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, supporting business connections in Houston's Indo-American business community.
• Houston Hispanic Chamber of CommerceminorOthersMember of Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, supporting business connections in Houston's Hispanic business community.
• Katy Area Chamber of CommerceminorOthersMember of Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, supporting local business community connections in Katy, Texas area.
• The Woodlands Chamber of CommerceminorOthersMember of The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce, supporting local business community connections in The Woodlands area.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sunbelt Business Brokers: Largest business brokerage network in North America, specializing in main-street and lower-middle-market business sales. Directly comparable to CBB in target customer (SMB sellers), service mix (valuation, M&A intermediation, exit planning), and commission-based model.
• Transworld Business Advisors: International franchise network offering business brokerage, M&A advisory, and franchise consulting. Closely comparable to CBB in serving both main-street sellers and lower-middle-market M&A buyers, with a franchise-driven model that contrasts with CBB's independent approach.
• Murphy Business Sales: National business brokerage and M&A franchise focused on main-street and lower-middle-market transactions. Comparable to CBB in service breadth (business brokerage, valuation, M&A), customer segment (SMB sellers and buyers), and commission revenue model.
• VR Mergers & Acquisitions: National business brokerage and M&A firm (formerly VR Business Brokers) covering lower-middle-market transactions across the U.S. Comparable to CBB in the dual-track main-street brokerage + M&A intermediation model, particularly in the $1M–$10M deal range.
• Generational Equity: Lower-middle-market M&A advisory firm focused on companies with $1M–$100M in revenue. Comparable to CBB's M&A segment, with PE buyer relationships and sell-side advisory — directly overlapping in deal size range and target customer (private business owners exiting).
• First Choice Business Brokers: California-headquartered business brokerage franchise specializing in main-street SMB transactions. Comparable to CBB in target deal size (sub-$3M businesses), no-upfront-fee model, and full-service brokerage from valuation through closing.
• Quiet Light Brokerage: Online-enabled business brokerage specializing in selling internet and SaaS businesses, often in the lower-middle-market range. Comparable to CBB in the M&A intermediation model and owner-operator customer profile, though Quiet Light skews toward digital-first businesses.

Broad incumbents

• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with a large M&A advisory practice covering middle-market and large-cap transactions. Comparable to CBB on the M&A side (corporate-finance advisory, sell-side representation) but operates at a substantially larger scale and deal size, serving as a broad incumbent in the same overall market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CBBTexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certified-business-brokers

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Certified Business Brokers