You built it.
We keep it running.
Big Steel Holdings buys businesses from owners who are ready for the next chapter. We keep your crew, your customers, and the name on the truck. Flexible structures that fit your retirement, explained in plain English.
Confidential. No fee to talk. No obligation.
Five steps. No surprises.
A conversation
Coffee or a phone call. You tell us about the business, your people, and what you want for yourself. If we are not the right fit, we will say so.
We look together
With a simple confidentiality agreement in place, we go through the numbers with you and your accountant, and learn how the work actually gets done.
A plain proposal
A written proposal you can read at the kitchen table: what we would pay, how it would be paid, and what happens to your team. Take it to your attorney and CPA.
A structure that fits
A clean exit or a slow step back. We work around your timeline, your family, and your tax picture, with your own advisers at the table.
A careful handoff
We plan the transition with you. Your crew, your customers, and your name stay. You stay involved as long as it makes sense, and not a day longer.
Businesses that work.
Owners who earned a rest.
Steady profit over several years, repeat or recurring customers, and an owner, often 55 and up, thinking about what comes next, whether that is next year or five years out. Not sure you fit? Call anyway. A short talk costs you nothing.
- Revenue
- $1M to $20M
- EBITDA
- $250K to $3M
- Owner
- Founder or family run
- Where first
- Mahoning Valley, Cleveland, Akron, Canton
- Then
- The wider Rust Belt
- Hold
- We buy to keep, not to flip
You have options.
Here is how we see them.
There are good people in every corner of this business. Here is an honest look at the main paths.
A business broker
Markets your company to many buyers and earns a fee when it sells. A good broker can run a wide search and get competing offers. The tradeoffs: the fee comes out of your proceeds, and you usually do not meet the buyer until late.
A PE roll-up
Buys many companies in one industry and combines them. Often fast, and can pay well for the right fit. The tradeoffs: they usually plan to sell again in a few years, and your company may be folded into a bigger brand.
Big Steel Holdings
A direct buyer. You talk to the people who would own your business. No listing and no fee to talk. We buy to keep, so we care about what you do: the crew, the customers, and the reputation you built.
You can talk to all three. Many owners do. We think that is smart.
Tell us about
your business.
Tell us a little about your business. A member of the Big Steel team will get back to you within two business days.
Everything you share stays confidential. We do not tell your employees, customers, suppliers, or competitors that we are talking.
Brokers, attorneys, CPAs, and lenders with a client in mind are welcome to use this form too.
Questions owners ask
Is this confidential?
Yes. We do not tell your employees, customers, suppliers, or competitors that we are talking. Before you share any numbers, we sign a confidentiality agreement. Many owners start with just a phone call and no names.
Does it cost anything to talk to you?
No. There is no fee to talk, no fee for us to look at your business, and no obligation at any point before you sign a final agreement.
Do I need a business broker?
No, but you can use one. Some owners come to us directly. Others come through their broker, accountant, or attorney. We are glad to work with whoever you trust, and we recommend your own attorney and CPA review any proposal.
Will my employees keep their jobs?
That is the plan in every deal we pursue. Your people know the work and the customers. A business without its crew is not worth much to anyone, so keeping them is good for everyone, including us.
What happens to the name of my business?
It stays. Customers trust the name you built. We have no plans to slap a new sign on it.
How long does it take?
It depends on the business and on you. A first conversation takes about an hour. Looking at the numbers together can take a few weeks. Closing often takes a few months after that. We will never rush you.
How do you decide what my business is worth?
We look at what the business actually earns over several years, how steady those earnings are, how much it depends on you personally, and what it needs going forward. We walk you through our thinking line by line.
Can I stay on after the sale?
Yes, if you want to. Some owners stay a year or two to help with the handoff. Some work part time. Some want to fish. We build the plan around what you want.
What if I am not ready to sell yet?
That is fine. Many good conversations start two or three years before anything happens. We can talk now about what makes a business easier to sell later, and you can call us when the time is right.
Who is Big Steel Holdings?
A small, privately held company focused on owner-run businesses in Northeast Ohio and the Rust Belt. We are long-term owners. We would rather tell you about our approach in person than in a brochure, so call us.