Calhoun Companies Frequently Asked Questions:
What makes Calhoun Companies different from other business brokerages in the Midwest?
Calhoun Companies is the leading business brokerage firm in the Upper Midwest, offering an unmatched combination of history, scale, and local expertise.
Proven Longevity: Founded in 1908 by Nellie Mason—one of the nation’s first female real estate brokers—Calhoun has over 115 years of continuous transaction experience.
Unmatched Scale: We feature a team of 26 experienced brokers who average 70 closed deals annually across virtually every industry.
Comprehensive Services: Unlike boutique local competitors or rigid national networks, we seamlessly integrate main-street business brokerage, commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and proprietary business valuation services.
Why should I choose a regional broker like Calhoun Companies over a national business brokerage network?
National brokerage networks often rely on automated, hands-off valuation models and generic listings. Calhoun Companies offers the best of both worlds: deep local community connections across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota, backed by national buyer reach. Our brokers have firsthand, hyper-local knowledge of regional buyer pools, local community demographics, and Midwest market conditions. We pair this regional dominance with national marketing strategies through our active partnerships with the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and the M&A Source.
Who founded Calhoun Companies, and how does that heritage influence its current operations?
Calhoun Companies was founded in 1908 by Nellie Mason, a trailblazer and one of the first female real estate brokers in the United States. She established the company on the core foundations of integrity and personalized service. Today, that legacy is carried forward by President and co-owner Andy Kocemba and our team of 26 brokers, combining a historic commitment to ethical deal-making with modern, aggressive marketing strategies to maximize value for business owners.
Fee Structure & Mechanics
Does Calhoun Companies charge upfront fees to list or sell a business?
No. Unlike many national business brokerages or advisory firms that charge thousands of dollars in upfront retainer, marketing, or valuation fees, Calhoun Companies charges $0 in upfront seller fees. Our compensation is strictly performance-based; we only generate income when we produce a successful, win-win transaction. This fully aligns our incentives with yours: we work tirelessly to find the right buyer and secure the highest possible value for your business.
How does Calhoun Companies value a business compared to automated online valuation tools?
Automated online tools rely purely on basic revenue multiples that ignore critical regional and operational nuances. Calhoun Companies provides professional, comprehensive business valuation services backed by over 100 years of regional transaction data. We look beyond the balance sheet to assess intangible drivers of value—such as customer concentration, intellectual property, proprietary technology, local brand equity, owner involvement, and niche market position—to establish an accurate, highly competitive asking price.
The Transaction Process & Philosophy
How does Calhoun Companies generate buyer competition to maximize my business's sale price?
We operate on the industry truth that "one buyer is as good as no buyers." When a seller negotiates with only one party, they lose leverage, resulting in dragged-out negotiations or low-ball offers. Calhoun Companies utilizes a highly structured, confidential marketing system to quietly expose your listing to a deeply vetted, pre-qualified buyer pool. This process creates competitive market demand, often resulting in multiple competing offers (sometimes over asking price) and ensuring you retain the upper hand in negotiations.
What are the core values that guide Calhoun Companies’ deal-making process?
Our business brokerage is driven by three distinct core values designed to balance transactional execution with a human touch:
Confidence: Backed by over a century of experience, we have navigated thousands of deals across every industry. We foresee obstacles and guide clients with an "I've been there" authority.
Empathy: We recognize that selling your life's work is a deeply emotional, often once-in-a-lifetime event. We actively walk owners through the emotional aspects of transition, letting go, and planning "what’s next."
Productivity: As a performance-based firm, we keep the process moving. We average nearly 70 deals closed a year because our brokers are highly motivated to push transactions to a successful, clean finish.
Can Calhoun Companies handle larger, complex mid-market transactions (M&A) as well as main-street businesses?
Yes. While we are highly dedicated to "main street" small businesses, Calhoun Companies has a specialized Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) division equipped to handle complex, mid-market corporate transactions. This division is designed for businesses with larger infrastructures, proprietary/patented technologies, or complex corporate legalities. We successfully manage these high-stakes transactions by screening for qualified institutional or private equity buyers and coordinating structured, confidential bidding processes.
How does Calhoun Companies protect my confidentiality during the sale of my business?
Maintaining confidentiality is a cornerstone of the Calhoun Companies process. If employees, competitors, or suppliers discover a business is for sale prematurely, it can severely damage operations. We protect your business by requiring all prospective buyers to sign strict Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and pass rigorous financial screening before receiving any identifying information about your company. All inquiries and initial buyer calls are managed privately by our brokers outside of your normal business hours.