Business Team

What Business Team does

Business Team (legally BTI Group, Inc.) is a privately-held business brokerage firm founded in 1981 by Ian MacLachlan and headquartered in Campbell, California. The firm specializes in matching buyers and sellers of privately held companies with revenues up to $100 million, operating as the largest business brokerage in the Western United States. Since inception, Business Team has facilitated over 7,000 business sales across diverse verticals including manufacturing, retail, food service, healthcare, logistics, and professional services. The company operates through a network of 80+ full-time associates distributed across 23+ regional offices spanning California, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, the Midwest, and the Southeast, with a wholly-owned subsidiary, BTI Group MA, focused on higher-value mergers and acquisitions advisory that has completed 5,697 transactions since 1981.

The company's core technology is a proprietary secure web platform and internal listing database that provides associates with instant access to critical transaction information from any location. Associates are compensated on a commission-only basis, receiving 50-80% of gross selling or listing commission based on prior twelve-month performance, with top associates earning in excess of $500,000 annually from individual transactions. The firm's revenue model is transaction-fee based, with no subscription or recurring revenue streams disclosed. Customer acquisition is multi-channel: the company website generates approximately 30% of leads, supplemented by referrals from previous clients, attorneys, accountants, and lenders, as well as its affiliation with the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and the California Association of Business Brokers (CABB). The firm holds a California Bureau of Real Estate license (#01160661) and Certified Business Broker (CBB) designations are held by associates through CABB.

Name

Business Team

Legal name

BTI Group, Inc.

Website

https://business-team.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Business Team (BTI Group, Inc.) is a privately-held business brokerage founded in 1981 that matches buyers and sellers of privately held companies with revenues up to $100 million, operating 80+ associates across 23+ Western US offices and having facilitated over 7,000 transactions through commission-based engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Business Brokerage Commissions: Commission-based revenue from facilitating business sales and acquisitions. Associates receive 50% to 80% of gross selling or listing commission based on prior twelve month performance. Top associates can earn in excess of $500,000/year from individual transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Business Team is a business brokerage firm that matches buyers and sellers of privately owned companies with revenues typically up to $100 million, arranging the confidential purchase, sale and merger of those businesses. Its associates directly facilitate transactions across an online marketplace of business listings, supplemented by an M&A advisory division (BTI Group MA) and supporting services such as SBA loan assistance. The firm earns transactional commissions on each closed deal.

Product overview

Business Team is a business brokerage firm offering a unified platform of services centered on matching buyers and sellers of privately owned companies. The core offering consists of Business Brokerage Services (handling businesses with revenues up to $100 million) supplemented by the BTI Group Mergers & Acquisitions division for higher-value transactions with private equity and corporate buyers. The company operates an online Business Listings Marketplace showcasing businesses for sale across diverse industry categories. Supporting services include buyer resources and guides, SBA loan assistance, and seller financing guidance. The company has facilitated over 7,000 business sales since 1981 and maintains offices across the Western United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Brokerage Services Core brokerage service that matches buyers and sellers of privately held companies, facilitating the purchase and sale of businesses with revenues up to $100 million, with associates handling the deal through close.
• Mergers & Acquisitions (BTI Group MA) M&A advisory services for higher-value transactions, connecting sellers of privately held companies with private equity groups, corporate buyers, and high net worth entrepreneurs.
• Business Listings Marketplace Online marketplace featuring businesses for sale across diverse categories (retail, restaurants, manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, construction, professional services) throughout the Western United States.
• Buyer Resources & Guides Educational resources for business buyers and sellers covering business financing, escrow agents, due diligence, business valuation, SBA loans, and tax-free acquisition strategies.
• SBA Loan Assistance Assistance with SBA 7(a) loan applications and financing requirements for business acquisitions, helping buyers secure government-guaranteed loans up to $2 million.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 businesses sold
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Business Brokers Association (IBBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with IBBA allows Business Team to reach buyers represented by other intermediary firms throughout the world, expanding their network beyond their direct associate base.
• California Association of Business Brokers (CABB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness Team is a member of CABB. Co-founder Ian MacLachlan served as past chairman of CABB. Associates hold Certified Business Broker (CBB) designations through this organization.
• M&A SourceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization for merger and acquisition professionals serving lower middle market firms.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• BizBuySell: BizBuySell is the largest online marketplace for businesses for sale in the US. While not a direct brokerage, it is an alternative channel for Business Team's listings and increasingly a competitive substitute for traditional broker intermediation.
• Axial: Axial is an online platform connecting lower middle market businesses with acquirers, PE firms, and advisors. It functions as both a sourcing tool and a competing marketplace that pressures traditional broker economics in Business Team's deal size range.

Emerging players

• Acquire.com: Acquire.com is an online marketplace focused on buying and selling small internet businesses and startups. It represents an emerging digital-first alternative to traditional business brokerages like Business Team, particularly for online and tech-enabled SMBs.

Direct peers

• Sunbelt Business Brokers: Sunbelt is the largest business brokerage network in the US, matching buyers and sellers of small to mid-market businesses. It directly competes with Business Team in the lower middle market segment with a similar commission-based associate model and multi-office footprint.
• Transworld Business Advisors: Transworld is a major business brokerage and M&A franchise with hundreds of offices globally. It competes head-to-head with Business Team across business sales, franchise resale, and M&A advisory for the lower middle market.
• Calder Capital: Calder is a lower middle market M&A advisory and business brokerage firm serving the Midwest and broader US. It overlaps with Business Team's M&A division on deals in the sub-$100M revenue segment.
• Morgan & Westfield: Morgan & Westfield is an M&A advisory and business brokerage firm focused on lower middle market transactions, including online business sales. It overlaps directly with Business Team's BTI Group MA division and online listing marketplace.
• Murphy Business & Financial Corporation: Murphy Business is a long-established business brokerage franchise specializing in main street and lower middle market transactions. It competes with Business Team on similar deal sizes and uses a comparable associate-broker distribution model.
• VR Business Brokers / VR Mergers & Acquisitions: VR is a legacy business brokerage and M&A franchise network serving the small-to-mid market. It competes with Business Team across traditional brokerage commissions and has expanded into M&A advisory.
• Cornerstone Business Services: Cornerstone is a business brokerage and M&A firm focused on California and Western US small businesses. It is a direct regional competitor to Business Team's core brokerage service offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/business-team

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Team