Local Business Broker Focuses on Protecting the Legacy of the Businesses He Sells
Every business has a life cycle. When it comes time in that life cycle for a businesses to sell, Aaron Brownlee’s number one priority is to facilitate the continuation of that business and coordinate a smooth transition for everyone involved. Business owners need someone who has the expertise, experience, and understanding to help them see through the process and help them make clear-eyed decisions. They need a third party who also has their best interests, and those of their business, at heart.
They need someone like Aaron Brownlee.
Brownlee is an Oklahoma City-based business broker who helps clients buy and sell businesses every day. More than 20 years of experience in starting, growing, and transitioning companies has given Brownlee more than just the network of contacts and insight necessary to find a deal that is beneficial for all parties; it also provides him the empathy to relate to the seller during the transition and do what it takes to make sure they walk away whole.
Brownlee is different from most business brokers in that he will coordinate the strategic planning, integrate the succession of the business into the overall strategy, manage the finance and legal work, and remain a phone call away in every part of the process. Brownlee will be on the forefront of buying or selling your business and will bring solutions to you before you realized you needed a specific outcome to a situation.
But Brownlee’s involvement doesn’t end there—it’s only beginning. Once an agreement is in place, Brownlee continues his due diligence and makes sure the match between buyer and seller is right.
“He’s not just about the numbers,” says Wes Pace, one of Brownlee’s former clients. “He was very good at looking at the situation and reading the details. He takes a personal interest in his clients.”
For instance, in 2019, Pace needed to sell his Oklahoma City communications business. The company was successful, but the financial situation between Pace and his partners was complicated. Brownlee empathized with Pace’s situation and worked closely with Pace and his partners to learn every detail about the business—not just financials, but also the story at the heart of the company. When a standard advertisement failed to attract interest, Brownlee met with Pace and developed a new strategy to locate a competing company capable of absorbing the accounts more efficiently and achieve a greater return. With his years of experience Brownlee realized it would not make sense for an individual buyer to purchase this business. “I needed his expertise,” says Pace. “My deal would have never happened without Aaron.” Brownlee works with both sellers and buyers to reach an agreement that is beneficial for everyone.
“From the first time I talked with Aaron, I could tell he wasn’t your typical business broker,” says Joel Gargus who bought his business, Heartland Roofing, through Brownlee in 2018. “Other brokers were just trying to sell a business. Aaron looks into the books himself—he’s owned multiple companies and knows what to look for. Brownlee is selective in who he works with, he intentionally chooses reputable businesses with honest sellers.”
Aaron Brownlee’s decades of experience make him uniquely qualified to consult on succession planning. Even after the business is fully transitioned to new ownership, Brownlee is willing to help as a consultant to the buyers. That’s how Aaron becomes lifelong friends with his buyers and sellers.
“If Aaron says he has a business that would be a good fit for me, I will go see it,” says Gargus. “I’m in the process of buying my second business because of Aaron. I know he’s done his research on all his clients, so if he believes in the business, I will too. Brownlee’s top priority is to achieve a positive outcome for everyone involved.”
If you are interested in contacting Aaron, call or text 580-402-2515.