Business Broker vs. M&A Advisor: What's the Difference?
The terms get used interchangeably, but they describe genuinely different services, and choosing the wrong one for a mid-market transaction can cost you materially at exit.
What a broker does
A business broker typically lists your business, markets it broadly (sometimes publicly), and matches interested buyers, similar to a real estate agent. Financial analysis is usually limited to basic multiples, and the process is often less structured and confidential.
What an M&A advisor does
An M&A advisor runs a full transaction process: independent valuation, financial due diligence preparation, confidential CIM development, targeted outreach to qualified buyers under NDA, competitive process management, and hands-on negotiation strategy through to close.
Why it matters for mid-market deals
For transactions above roughly AED 5 million, the difference in outcome between a broker-run process and an advisor-run process is usually significant, a structured, competitive process with credible financial materials attracts more serious buyers and typically achieves better terms.
Ask any advisor you're considering: do they run a competitive process, or do they introduce one buyer and hope for the best?
Corvian Advisory operates exclusively as an M&A advisor, every mandate is led personally by a CFA Charterholder from first call through closing.