VR Business Brokers

What VR Business Brokers does

VR Business Brokers is a U.S. business brokerage and mergers & acquisitions (M&A) franchise organization that has operated continuously under the same brand since 1979, with the franchisor entity King Lombardi Acquisitions, Inc. (KLA) headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company serves two distinct end markets through a two-sided model: it recruits and supports independent entrepreneurs who open VR franchise offices (the B2B franchise channel), and those franchise offices in turn advise owners and buyers of privately held, family-owned, and founder-operated businesses — typically in the lower-middle market under $10 million in enterprise value — on business sales, acquisitions, valuations, and exit planning.

The product stack spans both the franchise channel and end-client advisory. Franchisees receive a proprietary VR Valuation Software Package for two-page summaries, Broker's Opinion of Value, and certified appraisals; an individually branded WordPress website per office; a White Paper Library of approximately 200 customizable articles; the monthly Today's Business Owner (TBO) electronic magazine; the VR Business Profile / Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) document templates; and the VR Master Business Intermediary Academy (MBI), an approximately 100-hour advanced training program. End-client services include sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, business valuations, exit planning, due diligence support, buyer identification, and transaction oversight.

The business model is built on three revenue streams at the franchise level: (i) initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties paid by franchisees to KLA, (ii) transaction commissions earned by franchisees on closed business sales and M&A deals, and (iii) fees from valuation services. The franchisor offers two franchise options — Executive Franchise and Standard Franchise — with different overhead bases, marketed as a low-investment entry into business brokerage relative to typical International Franchise Association members. Two named franchise locations (Atlanta and Newtown, PA) produced reported outcomes of a first sale within roughly four months of opening and a $100,000+ success fee in the first year, respectively. Corporate leadership is Peter C. King (CEO) and JoAnn Lombardi (President & Chairman). The organization is privately held, with no disclosed external investors and approximately 14 employees at the franchisor level.

Name

VR Business Brokers

Legal name

King Lombardi Acquisitions, Inc.

Website

https://vrbb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VR Business Brokers, franchised by King Lombardi Acquisitions, Inc., is a U.S. business brokerage and M&A franchise organization founded in 1979 that recruits independent entrepreneurs to operate VR offices advising buyers and sellers of privately held, family-owned, and founder-operated businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Brokerage Services

akta.pro primary industry

E-commerce & Digital Business Brokerage (FSAEAIAH)

Keywords

• Business brokerage services
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Franchise opportunities
• Business valuation services
• Private business sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

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. Franchise Fees: VR generates revenue through initial franchise fees from new franchise owners and ongoing royalties from franchisees.
2. Business Sales Commissions: Franchisees earn commissions on business sales and M&A transactions facilitated through their VR offices.
3. Valuation Services: Revenue from providing business valuation services using VR's proprietary valuation software.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VR Business Brokers is a franchise organization that recruits entrepreneurs to open VR offices providing business brokerage and mergers & acquisitions services to buyers and sellers of privately held, family-owned, and founder-operated businesses. The franchisor, King Lombardi Acquisitions, Inc., supplies franchisees with proprietary valuation software, the Master Business Intermediary Academy training program, marketing materials, branded websites, and operational support to facilitate lower-middle-market and mid-market business sale transactions.

Product overview

VR Business Brokers operates as a franchise organization offering business sales and mergers & acquisitions services for privately held, family-owned, and founder-operated businesses. The core offering is the VR Business Sales / Mergers & Acquisitions franchise, supported by an ecosystem of professional tools including the VR Master Business Intermediary Academy (MBI) training program, VR Valuation Software Package, VR Business Profile / Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) documents, and Today's Business Owner Magazine publication. The VR Value Roll-out Program provides franchisees with comprehensive onboarding including VR White Paper Library, Customized Digital Marketing, and Business-for-Sale Website Program listings. Two franchise models are offered: Executive Franchise and Standard Franchise, each with distinct overhead structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Today's Business Owner: VR's monthly electronic magazine that publishes relevant business articles and completed transactions to establish franchisees as industry experts.

Products and services

• VR Business Sales / Mergers & Acquisitions Franchise Business brokerage and M&A franchise serving buyers and sellers of privately held, family-owned, and founder-operated businesses through independently owned VR offices. Franchisees deliver valuation, marketing, due-diligence, and transaction management support under the VR brand.
• VR Franchises (Executive Franchise and Standard Franchise) Two franchise opening options for prospective franchisees: the Executive Franchise and the Standard Franchise, each with a different overhead basis and positioned as a low-investment entry into the M&A profession.
• VR Master Business Intermediary Academy (MBI) Advanced training program providing approximately 100 hours of additional instruction for VR advisors and franchisees on business sales, valuations, and mergers & acquisitions.
• Today's Business Owner Magazine Monthly electronic publication containing business articles and completed transaction case studies, distributed by franchisees to establish them as industry experts in their local markets.
• VR Valuation Software Package Proprietary valuation software that enables franchisees to create two-page summary documents, Broker's Opinion of Value, and certified business appraisals for client engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• First sale completed 4 months and 3 days after opening for Atlanta franchisees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Morgan & Westfield: M&A advisory and business brokerage firm offering sell-side and buy-side representation for lower-middle-market businesses; competes with VR's Mergers & Acquisitions service line.
• BizBuySell: Leading online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses in North America; competes with VR's marketing channel for listing businesses for sale and bringing buyer/seller traffic to franchisees.
• Sunbelt Business Brokers: Largest U.S. business brokerage franchise network with a similar franchise-based model for selling main-street and lower-middle-market businesses. Directly comparable franchise GTM, training, and valuation support for buyers and sellers of privately held businesses.
• Walden Businesses: Business brokerage franchise focused on selling small and mid-sized businesses with a regional/local franchise footprint analogous to VR's. Comparable M&A and valuation services for the lower-middle market.
• Transworld Business Advisors: Global business brokerage franchise offering business sales, franchise sales, and M&A advisory services. Same franchise-driven delivery model serving SMB buyers and sellers.
• Murphy Business & Financial Corporation: Business brokerage and M&A franchise with comparable services including valuations, business sales, and franchise resale advisory. Closely mirrors VR's service mix across the lower-middle market.
• BizQuest: Online business-for-sale marketplace competing for listing distribution in the same lower-middle-market segment that VR franchisees serve; overlaps on buyer/seller acquisition channels.

Regional players

• Generational Equity: M&A advisory firm serving the lower-middle and middle market with sell-side advisory and valuation services. Comparable service mix and target segment but operates on a non-franchise professional-services model.

Others

• International Business Brokers Association (IBBA): Industry trade association that supports business brokers and intermediary professionals including many VR franchisees. Indirectly connected through certification, education, and listing platforms used by the franchise network.

Emerging players

• Acquire.com: Digital marketplace for buying and selling small/startup businesses, often targeting SaaS and tech-enabled SMBs. Emerging threat to traditional franchises on price discovery and listing reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vr-business-brokers_3

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 VR Business Brokers