For owners: talk to me as a possible buyer
I look at established, owner-operated businesses in South Carolina — Midlands first — where there’s a real team, steady customers and an owner who wants the business to keep going after they step away. If that sounds like yours, here’s how it works:
- A confidential conversation. Your story, your timing, what matters to you.
- A look at the numbers under an NDA.
- A visit to see the business and meet you on your turf.
- A straight answer. If it’s a fit, a written letter of intent. If it’s not, an honest explanation.
- Diligence, financing and documents with your attorney and CPA involved throughout.
- A transition that protects your people and customers.
Read what I buy and how selling to me works, then start a confidential conversation.
For buyers: an operator’s view
If you’re buying a business — your first, or another for a holding company — I’m glad to talk through what you’re seeing: where the risks hide in operations, how dependent the business is on its owner, and what a realistic first hundred days looks like. I’m not a broker, attorney or CPA and I won’t replace them. What I bring is how an operator would run it. Talk to me about acquisitions.
What owners usually ask on the first call
“Will my employees keep their jobs?” “Will you change the name?” “How long would you need me to stay?” “How would you pay for it?” “Do I have to tell anyone yet?” Those are the right questions, and you deserve real answers before you share a single document. My general approach: keep the team that makes the business work, keep what customers love, take the time a good transition needs, and protect confidentiality until both of us decide it’s time to tell people. Specifics depend on the business, and they go in writing.
What buyers usually ask
“Is this business too dependent on the owner?” “Are these add-backs real?” “What would you change first?” “How do I keep the key employees?” I’ll give you an operator’s honest read — the same lens I’d use if I were buying it myself — and point you to the attorney, CPA or lender questions you need to ask.
What I won’t do
I won’t promise you a price, value your business for a fee, find buyers for you or represent you in a deal. Those are jobs for licensed and specialized professionals, and I’ll point you to them.
Why I do this
I’ve spent years buying assets from owners and building companies on systems. The best business transitions protect the seller, the employees and the customers — and they’re built on trust and a real plan. That’s the only way I want to do it.
Learn first
Start with how business acquisitions work, how to sell a small business or how to buy a business.
Questions people ask
Is Ben Lovro a business broker?
No. I’m a business owner and a prospective principal buyer. I don’t list, market or sell other people’s businesses, and I don’t represent buyers or sellers in transactions.
What happens after I reach out?
A confidential conversation about your situation and timing. If your business could be a fit for me as a buyer, we’ll talk about next steps. If not, I’ll tell you honestly and point you in a better direction.