The Independence Group
The Independence Group is a privately held sell-side M&A advisory firm, founded 1997 and headquartered in El Dorado Hills, California, that helps owners of lower middle market businesses plan and execute sales across multiple U.S. industries on a success-based fee model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersEl Dorado Hills, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Independence Group does
The Independence Group (IG) is a privately held sell-side mergers and acquisitions advisory firm headquartered in El Dorado Hills, California, serving owners of lower middle market businesses across the United States. Founded in 1997 by Larry Willis, a former CPA, the firm operates an industry-agnostic model across more than 16 verticals including manufacturing, SaaS/IT, healthcare services, distribution, waste and recycling, specialty contracting and hospitality. Its service line covers business valuation, development of a Confidential Information Memorandum and blind teaser, identification and targeting of qualified buyers, auction-process management and negotiation. The firm earns revenue through a success-based model — a fixed percentage of transaction value under a 12-month exclusive engagement with no upfront fees — supplemented by a $3,000–$5,000 standalone valuation offering for prospects not yet ready to engage for a sale process.
The firm delivers its services through a team-based model combining senior in-house advisors with outside resources, distributing senior dealmakers regionally across Northern California (San Francisco, Sacramento, El Dorado Hills), Southern California, Wilmington NC, Nashville TN and Grand Rapids MI, plus two national vertical specialists (software/SaaS and waste & recycling). An affiliated operating subsidiary, Acquisition Partners, is dedicated to sourcing outsourced acquisition mandates for Private Equity groups, providing a second monetization channel for the firm's network. Customers are private business owners seeking exits; currently visible live mandates include a Northern California general engineering contractor with $36.2M revenue / $2.7M EBITDA and an automated gate manufacturer/installer with $2.6M revenue / $521K EBITDA. Marketing is concentrated on the firm's own website and LinkedIn/Facebook pages; there is no proprietary technology platform and no disclosed AI tooling.
The Independence Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Independence Group
- Legal name
- The Independence Group
- Website
- https://independencegroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Independence Group is a privately held sell-side M&A advisory firm, founded 1997 and headquartered in El Dorado Hills, California, that helps owners of lower middle market businesses plan and execute sales across multiple U.S. industries on a success-based fee model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Independence Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- M&A Advisory Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fairness Opinions & Independent Financial Advice (BPAHAOAF)
Keywords
Where The Independence Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- El Dorado Hills
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
The Independence Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- M&A Advisory Fees: Success-based advisory fees with a fixed percentage of the transaction value. They offer complimentary value estimates for business owners exploring a sale and open to considering Independence Group for representation. For standalone value estimate services with no intent to proceed to market, a one-time fee of $3,000-$5,000 applies. They enter a success-based, 12-month exclusive agreement with no upfront fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Success-based M&A representation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The Independence Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Independence Group is a sell-side M&A advisory firm serving lower middle market companies. It provides Seller Representation, Business Value Estimates, tailored marketing with Confidential Information Memorandums and blind teasers, qualified buyer targeting, auction-type sale facilitation, and end-to-end deal guidance and negotiations. Engagements are structured as a 12-month exclusive agreement with no upfront fees and a fixed percentage of the transaction value at closing.
Product overview
The Independence Group is a Sell-Side M&A Advisory firm that provides personalized business acquisition and exit strategy services for lower middle market companies. The company offers a comprehensive suite of advisory services including Seller Representation, Business Value Estimate, Marketing (featuring Confidential Information Memorandum and blind teaser development), Targeting Qualified Buyers, Auction-Type Sale facilitation, Deal Guidance, and Negotiations. Services are delivered through a team-based approach combining industry expertise with broad networks of financial buyers, strategic buyers, industry competitors, and high-net-worth individuals. The company operates on a success-based, 12-month exclusive agreement model with no upfront fees. The Independence Group has been serving business sellers since 1997.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Seller Representation
- Business Value Estimate
- Acquisition Partners (PE Acquisition Search Support)
Quantifiable outcome
- Successful business sale outcomes for clients through depth of experience and industry knowledge
Companies that use The Independence Group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Independence Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Independence Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Acquisition PartnerscoreAn affiliate company dedicated to assisting Private Equity Groups with acquisition searches. Independence Group has established this separate entity to provide outsourced deal flow in the lower middle market for private equity clients.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Independence Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Generational Equity: Direct competitor specializing in sell-side M&A advisory for lower middle market companies, with a national advisor network and success-based fee model very similar to The Independence Group.
- First Choice Business Brokers: Business brokerage and lower middle market M&A intermediary with a national advisor network, competing for sellers in similar deal size ranges.
- Calder Capital: Lower middle market M&A advisory firm serving closely held businesses, overlapping with IG in size range, transaction-fee model, and seller advisory focus.
- Transworld Business Advisors: Franchised business brokerage and M&A advisory with global presence, competing for lower middle market business sales transactions.
- Murphy Business & Financial Corporation: Business brokerage and M&A advisory firm serving the lower middle market with a multi-region advisor footprint and similar success-fee revenue model.
- Sunbelt Business Brokers: Large business brokerage and lower middle market M&A intermediary with a franchise model; competes directly for sellers of small to mid-sized private businesses.
- MidMarket Capital: Lower middle market investment bank and M&A advisor serving closely held companies, with overlapping service offering in sell-side representation and similar client profile.
- Cornerstone Business Services: Lower middle market M&A intermediary offering sell-side representation for small to mid-sized private companies, with a comparable exclusive engagement and success-fee structure.
- VR Business Brokers: Long-established business brokerage and M&A intermediary serving the lower middle market with a transaction-fee model similar to IG's.
- Benchmark International: Lower middle market sell-side M&A advisor with multiple U.S. offices and a transaction-fee model, directly competing for the same owner-operator seller segment as The Independence Group.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The Independence Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Independence Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Independence Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
The Independence Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Independence Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Independence Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Independence Group
What does The Independence Group do?
The Independence Group is a sell-side M&A advisory firm serving lower middle market companies. It provides Seller Representation, Business Value Estimates, tailored marketing with Confidential Information Memorandums and blind teasers, qualified buyer targeting, auction-type sale facilitation, and end-to-end deal guidance and negotiations. Engagements are structured as a 12-month exclusive agreement with no upfront fees and a fixed percentage of the transaction value at closing.
Is The Independence Group a public or private company?
The Independence Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Independence Group founded?
The Independence Group was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Independence Group based?
The Independence Group is headquartered in El Dorado Hills, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Independence Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: M&A Advisory Fees.
Who are The Independence Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Generational Equity, First Choice Business Brokers, Calder Capital, Transworld Business Advisors, Murphy Business & Financial Corporation, Sunbelt Business Brokers, MidMarket Capital, Cornerstone Business Services, VR Business Brokers and Benchmark International.
Does The Independence Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Independence Group.
What industry is The Independence Group in?
The Independence Group's product category is M&A Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAF, Fairness Opinions & Independent Financial Advice.