Buy-Side M&A Advisory · Professional & Industrial Services
Your Acquisition, Amplified.
We're not just finders — we're fighters for the right business in professional and industrial services. Long-term partnerships, zero rush.
Our Buyer-Centric Approach
Most searchers grind 2+ years for a 35% shot. We flip that.
Our buy-side advisory covers every dimension of the acquisition — from initial search criteria through post-close integration. We specialize in $1M–$5M EBITDA targets in professional and industrial services, where deep expertise compounds.
Holistic Support
Search, contracts, due diligence (legal, financial, operational), transition planning, lending — even raising co-investment capital. You get one partner across every phase, not a revolving door of specialists.
Alignment First
We walk if it's off — there are always more opportunities. Our mantra: buy right, not fast. We turn down deals that don't meet our partners' criteria, which is exactly why our success rate stays above 90%.
Specialization
$1M–$5M EBITDA targets in professional and industrial services — HVAC, consulting, maintenance, and recurring-revenue businesses where operational expertise compounds value over time.
My real job? Convincing you not to buy... until it's perfect. The deals we walk away from are more important than the ones we close.Will ShawFounder & Managing Partner, Lighthouse Capital Group
Proof in the Numbers
Data, not promises.
Our track record speaks in specifics. These aren't industry benchmarks — they're results from our own closed deals across professional and industrial services.
Step-by-Step Process
Five phases. One outcome: the right deal.
Every acquisition follows our disciplined, repeatable framework. No shortcuts, no surprises — just clear milestones from first conversation to post-close integration.
Partner Kickoff
Define your ideal acquisition — goals, criteria, deal size, geography, and timeline. We align before a single deal is sourced.
Deal Flow
Off-market sourcing from our vetted network of business owners, brokers, and industry contacts. Quality pipeline, not volume.
Vet & Negotiate
Deep diligence across financial, legal, and operational dimensions. We flag risks early and negotiate terms that protect your interests.
Close Strong
Financing arranged, integration planned, and transition managed. We stay at the table through signing and beyond.
Scale Together
Post-close support and multi-acquisition roadmap. Many of our partners come back for deal two, three, and beyond.
Case Studies
Results from real deals.
Every engagement is different, but the outcomes share a pattern: speed, discipline, and alignment that produce deals built to last.
From Searcher to Multi-Unit Owner in 4 Months
A first-time searcher targeting professional services in the Southeast. We sourced an off-market HVAC firm with strong recurring revenue and guided the full process from LOI to close.
Industrial Services Roll-Up: 3 Deals in 18 Months
An experienced operator with a thesis on industrial services consolidation. We executed a multi-deal roll-up strategy — sourcing, vetting, and closing three bolt-on acquisitions in sequence.
From Our Partners
The search took 5 months. The partnership will last a career.
We don't just close deals — we build relationships that extend through multiple acquisitions, portfolio growth, and long-term value creation. Our partners come back because the first deal worked.
LCG turned our 18-month search into a 5-month win. They spotted the red flags we missed and walked us to the finish line with zero drama.Alex R.Services Firm CEO
Frequently Asked Questions
Buying a business?
Start here.
Common questions from searchers, operators, and first-time acquirers about working with a buy-side M&A advisor.
The average business acquisition takes 2+ years with a traditional approach, with only a 35% success rate. At Lighthouse Capital Group, our buy-side clients close in under 6 months with a 92% success rate — because we handle search, diligence, negotiation, and financing end-to-end. Our streamlined process eliminates the false starts and wasted cycles that plague most searches.
A buy-side M&A advisor represents the acquirer throughout the entire acquisition process. This includes defining acquisition criteria, sourcing and vetting opportunities (including off-market deals), managing due diligence across legal, financial, and operational dimensions, negotiating deal terms, arranging financing, and supporting post-close transition and integration. At LCG, we also help raise co-investment capital and build multi-deal acquisition roadmaps.
We specialize in professional and industrial services businesses with enterprise values between $1M and $20M, typically targeting companies with $1M–$5M EBITDA. This includes HVAC, consulting, maintenance, staffing, and other recurring-revenue services businesses where operational expertise compounds value over time.
M&A advisory fees vary by firm and deal size. Unlike traditional brokers who charge percentage-based fees that can reach 10% of proceeds, Lighthouse Capital Group uses a transparent, flat-fee structure aligned with your acquisition goals — so our incentives match yours. There are no long-term contracts and no surprise costs. Contact us for a specific engagement proposal tailored to your search.
A search fund is an investment vehicle where an entrepreneur (the "searcher") raises capital to find, acquire, and operate a single privately held company. It's a proven path to business ownership popularized by Stanford GSB. Lighthouse Capital Group partners with search fund operators to accelerate the acquisition timeline from the typical 2+ years down to under 6 months, providing deal sourcing, vetting, and end-to-end closing support.
Start Your Search
Share your vision. We'll find the deal.
Tell us about your acquisition goals and we'll schedule a strategy call within 24 hours. No commitment, no pressure — just clarity on whether we're the right partner for your search.