Three ways to sell. We'll tell you which is yours.
List with us
Full sale representation: evidence-backed pricing, a blind profile, NDAs before financials, outreach to vetted buyers — strategics, roll-ups, search funds, family offices — then negotiation, diligence, closing. Fees structured per deal, in writing, before we go to market.
Sell to us directly
Lakeshore invests in and acquires Chicagoland businesses outright. No listing period, no marketing exposure, no commission — a faster, quieter close. Our interest is disclosed in writing up front, and you stay free to take the market path instead.
Prepare first, sell for more
If the value problem lives in your books or operations, preparation pays better than listing sooner: GAAP-ready financials, documented add-backs, owner-dependence reduced, the diligence file built — on published flat fees — then go to market strong.
Selling without a broker — done right.
Already have a buyer? A competitor made an approach? A key employee wants it? You may not need a marketed listing at all — and you should think twice before signing an exclusive agreement that pays commission on a buyer you found yourself.
- What you still need is the evidence. Clean, defensible financials and a realistic price backed by proof — because your buyer's accountant will test every number, whether or not a broker is involved.
- Diligence managed, not endured. A data room that answers questions before they're asked, a former IRS auditor on your side of the table, and a deal team with 60+ closings behind it.
- Structure and taxes decided together. Asset vs. stock, allocation, earnouts, working capital — coordinated with your CPA and attorney so the after-tax number, not the headline, is what gets negotiated.
- Flat fees, no commission. Preparation and deal support are billed on published flat fees. And if the buyer is Lakeshore itself, there's no commission at all.
Selling in Chicago, answered.
How long will it take to sell?
A marketed sale commonly runs 6–9 months from listing to closing, plus preparation before market. A direct sale to a known buyer — or to Lakeshore — can close materially faster because there's no marketing period.
What's my business worth?
Most $1M–$15M businesses sell on a multiple of earnings, and the multiple moves on what a buyer can verify. The free consult gives you a realistic range and the two or three gaps most likely costing you value — evidence, not flattery.
Will my employees or customers find out?
Not from us. Blind profile, buyer vetting, NDAs before financials, and communication timed for when the deal is certain. Confidentiality is the default, not an add-on.
Do I need a broker at all?
Not always — especially with a buyer in hand or a direct sale to Lakeshore. What you always need is evidence, diligence management, and coordinated tax and legal advice. We provide that on flat fees, with or without a listing. More in the Chicago broker guide.
What does selling cost?
With a conventional broker: typically 8–12% main-street commissions or sliding scales above ~$2M, plus the quiet fees — full breakdown in our fee guide. With Lakeshore: flat-fee preparation, a per-deal sale structure agreed in writing first, and no commission at all on a direct sale to us.
Tell us about the business. We'll call within the hour.
Weekdays 9–5, a senior advisor calls you back within the hour: your numbers, your timeline, and the clearest path to a sale — in plain English.
Send this on a weekday between 9 and 5 and an advisor calls you within the hour. Evenings and weekends, first thing the next business morning. No newsletter, no drip sequence.
Thanks — an advisor will call you within the hour if it's a weekday before 5pm. Otherwise, first thing the next business morning.
Prefer to talk now? (312) 278-2109 — weekdays 9–5, a person answers.