About Second Chair Advisory
The Problem No One Was Solving
Business owners in the lower middle market had no way to know what their company was worth until they were already at the table. We built the tools to change that.
In lower-middle-market M&A, the same pattern plays out again and again. An HVAC company owner or a Home Care agency founder decides to sell. They sit down across from a buyer, hear a number, and have no idea whether it is fair.
The things that actually move the multiple (service agreements, owner dependency, customer concentration, revenue mix) were fixable problems. But only if the owner knew about them 12 to 24 months before going to market.
By the time most owners find out what matters, they have already lost leverage. The data existed. The benchmarks existed. The playbook existed. But no one was putting it in the hands of the people who needed it most: the owners themselves.
That is why Second Chair Advisory exists. We built Exit Lab: free, industry-specific valuation tools that show owners exactly what their business is worth and what factors are driving the number. If they are ready to sell, we connect them to the right professionals. If they are not ready, the tools help them prepare.
The Founder
Billy Baumann
I have been on the other side of the table. I have made decisions on exits without full calculations, without the data I should have had. I know what it costs when an owner does not know their numbers, because I have lived it.
That experience is why I built Exit Lab. Not to close deals, but to give business owners the information I wish I had. Too much of M&A is purely transactional. A number on a page, a signature, move on. I believe owners deserve more than that. They deserve someone who wants to hear their story, understand their business, and learn how they got where they are.
Second Chair is built around that belief. Our tools are designed to give value first: a real valuation range, a roadmap, honest insight into what moves the multiple, with no obligation attached. If an owner wants to talk further, I will talk to them and point them in the right direction.
Business owners should know their numbers. Most of them do not, and that is not their fault. It is a gap in the market that no one was filling. Now we are filling it.
Our Network
The Right People for the Job
When an owner is ready to take the next step, we do not just hand them a phone number. We introduce them to qualified professionals who specialize in their industry.
M&A Advisors
Receive consent-based introductions to owners who already know their estimated value and are educated on the exit process.
PE Firms & Search Funds
Access proprietary deal flow from service-industry owners in the $1M to $50M revenue range who are actively exploring a transaction.
Business Brokers
Connect with owners who understand their value, have realistic expectations, and are ready to engage in a sell-side process.
CPAs & Financial Advisors
Work with owners who need transaction tax planning and financial structuring before or during a sale.
Attorneys
Represent owners who need legal counsel for business sales, asset purchases, and deal structuring.
Every introduction is made with the owner's consent. Using our tools does not obligate you to speak with anyone.
For Business Owners
Curious what your business is worth?
Start with a free, confidential valuation assessment. Five minutes, no cost, no obligation.
Get Your Free ValuationFor M&A Professionals
Want pre-qualified, consent-based leads?
We generate leads from business owners who have completed a valuation assessment and opted in to introductions.
Apply to Our Partner Network