Defenders of Business Value (YouTube)
George Wellmer
Cofounder & CEO
George Wellmer is the founder of Tupelo, the leading operating system for buying and selling small and medium-sized businesses.
With a background spanning Wells Fargo underwriting, manufacturing roll-ups, government-backed lending at the SBA, and running his own business valuation firm, George saw billions of dollars in transactions still managed with outdated, fragmented tools. That insight led him to exit his valuation firm and start Tupelo with his brother. They rebuilt the entire M&A operating system from the ground up, creating a clean, powerful platform that compresses lead generation, deal flow, due diligence, financing, and closing into one modern workflow.
Today, Tupelo powers thousands of transactions, freeing brokers from administrative work so they can spend their time actually selling businesses. George has become one of the leading voices in SMB M&A, regularly speaking at the IBBA, major regional associations, and business buying seminars across the country.
Written by George Wellmer
Business Brokers The State of the Union
The 2026 Brokerage Recap The business brokerage industry is undergoing a fundamental phase shift as it moves away from legacy manual networking and toward a high-leverage, tech-forward engine. By adopting smart systems for deal preparation and automated buyer vetting, modern firms are finally breaking the physical constraints of the job and allowing brokers to manage 50+ listings simultaneously. In this new era, the competitive advantage has shifted to mastering the systems that automate the low dollar value activity, enabling brokers to focus 100% of their time on high-stakes negotiation.
Buy a Business in Florida
Learn how to buy a business in Florida with this comprehensive guide. Explore a step-by-step process, discover top industries for acquisition, and find out how to finance your purchase with an SBA loan. Start your entrepreneurial journey in Florida's booming economy today.
How to Buy a Business with an SBA Loan (Beginner’s Guide)
Learn how to buy a business with an SBA 7(a) loan. From pre-approval to closing, this beginner’s guide explains SBA loans and the buying process.
Buying or Selling a Physical Therapy Clinic - Industry Overview
Discover how to buy a Physical Therapy Clinic and grow its value. This guide for business buyers, business owners, and Physical Therapists covers 2023-2025 U.S. market trends, valuation benchmarks (SDE & EBITDA multiples), performance metrics, and proven strategies to boost profitability or prepare for a sale.
Selling or Buying a Brewery
Thinking about buying or selling a brewery? This guide breaks down everything you need to know—market trends, craft vs. mass-market dynamics, real-world SDE and EBITDA valuation multiples, and performance benchmarks that separate top breweries from average ones. Packed with strategic advice on boosting margins, growing loyal customers, and preparing for acquisition, it’s the go-to resource for brewery owners ready to increase their business value and for buyers looking to tap into a resilient, flavor-driven industry.
5 Key Risks When You Buy a Business
Thinking about becoming a business buyer? Discover the 5 key risks every buyer must manage to succeed. This guide on how to buy a business covers critical issues like working-capital demands, personal guarantees, ongoing debt service, and reputational due diligence—from digital reputation to legal liabilities.
FAQ for Business Buyers: How to Buy a Business Step-by-Step
Answers to the most common questions business buyers ask—from financing with SBA 7(a) loans to due diligence and post-closing transitions.
Learn How to Buy a Business in 8 Simple Steps
Learn how to buy a business step-by-step: financing, networking, due diligence, and closing. A practical guide to buying a business in 2025.
Selling or Buying Travel Agencies
Travel agencies trade between 1.70x and 3.70x SDE. In addition to size, loyal customers, corporate accounts, and speciality all enhance an agencies valuation.
Residential Construction Business - Valuation and Industry Insights
The residential construction industry is growing and attracting investor interest. Valuation multiples typically range from 1.10x to 4.30x, with larger, more profitable companies commanding higher prices.
What Do Top Business Brokers Do Differently?
Top business brokers do 3 things differently: (1) they invest in themselves, (2) they build simple, repeatable systems, and (3) they operate as a business, not as individuals.
How to Value an Automotive Parts Manufacturing Company
Automotive Parts Manufacturing Companies trade at 2.6x to 7.2x SDE, driven by mid teens margins and strong demand in automotive, electric vehicle, and aftermarket sectors.
Videos
Video interviews, explainers, and external media appearances.
Defenders of Business Value (YouTube)
EP 124: Inside the Broker’s Engine Room: George Wellmer on the Future of Business Sales (Video)
Podcast appearances
Podcast episodes and audio interviews.
YouTube channel
How to Buy a Car Dealership
In this episode of How I Bought This, I sit down with Hal Feder to unpack what it takes to buy a car dealership. We cover: * Why car dealerships can be great businesses to own * Who is buying dealerships today * What to look for in the CIM * Key car dealership metrics to analyze * The biggest red flags in due diligence * The first 90 days after buying a dealership
YouTube channel
How to Buy a Business - Part 3
Brandon Bourgeois joins us for a third time wrapping our three part series of How to Buy a Business. We pick up right after the Letter of Intent, walking you through the essential steps and best practices to reach closing and your final takeover of the business. What we cover: 1. When is it a good time to submit an LOI 2. How to make your LOI stand out 3. What does due diligence look like 4. Pro tips from successful due diligence 5. How to close with confidence and hit the ground running
YouTube channel
How to Buy a Business - Part 2
A continuation from Part 1: How to buy a business. In this episode Brandon Bourgeois gets into the details of the buying process: * How do you actually get brokers and sellers to take you seriously? * How to stand out from the crowd of "tire-kickers," * What you actually need to pay attention to when reading a CIM (Confidential Information Memorandum) * What are the smartest questions you can ask a broker—plus, exactly when to ask them.
YouTube channel
How to Buy a Business - Part 1
Brandon Bourgeois is the CEO of Sunbelt Louisiana, a cornerstone M&A firm that has sold hundreds of businesses over more than a decade. In this three-part series, Brandon breaks down what it really takes to buy a business: how to launch your search, how long the process actually takes, and how to stand out as a buyer in a crowded market. https://www.sunbeltnetwork.com/baton-rouge-la/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-bourgeois-5360aa54/
YouTube channel
How to buy a daycare
Dan Altom is a leading expert in SMB M&A and the childcare industry. As the owner of both a Sunbelt Business Brokers franchise and The Woodlands Young Learners Academy in Houston, Dan offers a unique dual perspective from both the broker's and the owner's side of the table. Tune in to learn how to accurately evaluate a daycare. Sunbelt of Houston https://www.sunbelttexas.com/team/dan-altom https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-altom/
YouTube channel
Sawdust & Sugar
In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Mumford, the founder of Grind Time Stump Grinding and co-owner of Amelia’s Swedish Candy. Tyler shares his journey from the world of B2B tech sales to building two thriving, bootstrapped businesses in the heart of Utah. Grindtime Stump Grinding: https://utahstumppros.com/ Amelia's Swedish Candy: https://www.ameliaswedishcandy.com/
YouTube channel
How to Buy an Accounting Practice
Today I’m joined by Daniel Talbott, owner of Right Exit. Right Exit specializes in selling accounting practices, and in this episode we discuss what makes these businesses unique, how buyers evaluate them, and what sellers should know before going to market. Right Exit: https://rightexit.com/ Daniel Talbott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielt6/
YouTube channel
Buying Horsepower
Dan, the CEO of ABC Direct Auto Parts, shares how he acquired and scaled his e-commerce business from navigating supply chains to mastering online operations. Today, ABC Direct Auto Parts runs as a semi-absentee company helping hot-rod enthusiasts across the country keep their engines running strong. ABC Direct Auto Parts (ebay): https://www.ebay.com/str/abcdirectautoparts
YouTube channel
Outsource: Buying & Building a Virtual Assistant Empire
We sit down with Jaclyn Poole, CEO of Mod Assistance, to discuss her wild ride of acquiring a boutique personal assistant agency and scaling it into a nationwide powerhouse. Jaclyn shares the reality of "founder-dependent" businesses and how she navigated a near-total collapse during her first week as an owner by rebranding, restructuring pricing, and expanding into the virtual assistant space. Mod Assistants Website: https://modassistants.com/
YouTube channel
Chicken Coop Kingpin
Danny Lundquist built a category leader. After acquiring The Chicken Coop Company, Danny leveraged a powerhouse SEO strategy to turn the brand into the most recognizable manufacturer in the industry. Inside this episode: The Acquisition: Why this niche, and what Danny saw on day one.The SEO Playbook: The exact tactics used to dominate search results.Scaling Up: How to transition from "owner" to industry authority. Company: The Chicken Coop Company Website: https://www.chickencoopcompany.com/
Defenders of Business Value
EP 124: Inside the Broker’s Engine Room: George Wellmer on the Future of Business Sales
External articles
Bylines, guest posts, and external coverage.
Michigan Business Brokers Association
Technology and AI: The Future of Business Brokering (MBBA Conference Presentation)
The Business Inquirer (Substack)