Preparing to sell an owner-operated business in San Diego.

The San Diego business mix

• Defense and maritime: ship repair suppliers, engineering, technical services and contractors supporting Naval Base San Diego, Naval Air Station North Island and Camp Pendleton.
• Life sciences support: lab services, equipment, contract research support and specialist suppliers around Torrey Pines and Sorrento Valley.
• Cross-border manufacturing and logistics: companies working with production in Tijuana and moving goods through Otay Mesa.
• Food and beverage: craft breweries, distributors and specialty producers.
• Tourism and hospitality around the coast and downtown.
• Wireless and engineering services firms, and home and building services across the county.

Who buys San Diego businesses

Strategic acquirers

Defense and maritime contractors buying capabilities and cleared staff, and life sciences suppliers adding services.

Private-equity add-ons

Platforms in government services, life sciences tools and services, and food and beverage.

Individual operators using SBA 7(a) financing

Managers, engineers and veterans financing with SBA 7(a) loans of up to USD 5 million.

Search funds and ETA buyers

Searchers looking for recurring B2B services and technical businesses with loyal customers.

What San Diego sellers typically get wrong

• Contracts and clearances tied to ownership. Government contracts, set-aside status and clearances can depend on who owns the company. Ask counsel early how each one is affected by a sale.
• Cross-border arrangements undocumented. Where production or suppliers sit in Mexico, write down the agreements, pricing and who owns what, so a buyer can rely on them.
• Brewery and food businesses priced on brand. Buyers pay for margin and distribution, not only following. Show results by channel.
• Owner-held technical knowledge. Document processes and develop a second technical lead before buyers arrive.
• The lease and the property. Where the sale involves real property or a lease, that part is handled by a real estate professional who holds the right California license, working alongside us.

Before you go to market

Twelve to twenty-four months of preparation keeps you in control of timing. For a San Diego business that usually means a clear map of contracts and customers with end dates and renewal terms, written agreements with any partners or suppliers across the border, and documented processes so the technical work does not depend on you alone. Retention arrangements for key staff, especially those holding clearances or specialist knowledge, should be considered before the sale is discussed inside the company. Monthly figures for at least three years help a buyer and a lender see how seasonality and contract timing affect the cash flow. The earlier this work starts, the more of it can be done quietly, before anyone outside the business knows a sale is being considered.

How we value a San Diego business

We build seller's discretionary earnings from tax returns, bank statements and payroll, read against the contracts and customers behind them, and apply a multiple that reflects size, concentration and owner dependence. The debt-service test asks whether a buyer financing the purchase could pay the loan from cash flow with room to spare. The asset floor covers equipment, inventory and receivables. You get a range and the reasoning.

How the process runs

1. Conversation. A confidential discussion of the business, the numbers and your timing. No cost, no obligation.
2. Valuation and preparation. A written range from tax returns, bank statements and payroll, and a list of what to fix before buyers look.
3. Marketing, buyer introductions and negotiation. In California, these steps are run alongside a broker licensed in California, and we work with them. We prepare the valuation, the file and the figures the process relies on.
4. Deal structuring advice and closing. Advice to you on structure, seller financing, earn-outs and working capital, with diligence and closing handled alongside your attorney and CPA.

Every engagement is agreed in writing and signed before any work begins. The first conversation is confidential and carries no cost or obligation. See also Los Angeles and Phoenix.