Next Chapter Advisory Group
You built the business.
We help you exit it well.
Sell-side M&A advisory for owner-led service businesses, $15M–$50M. Founded by operators who sold their own companies — and saw what most advisors get wrong.
We sold our own companies.
All three of us have been on your side of the table. We know what it feels like to spend a year on an exit and watch it die in diligence. We built Next Chapter because we wanted the firm we wished we'd hired.
Every buyer, not just our friends.
Most advisors run your sale through their Rolodex. We built an AI system that identifies every PE group, strategic acquirer, family office, and private investor in the market for your category — scored, ranked, and tested discreetly.
Your name stays yours.
Buyers see a blind teaser. Your employees, customers, and competitors hear nothing. You decide who gets the next layer of detail and when. Confidentiality isn't a feature — it's the difference between a process you control and a rumor you can't.
Industries
Where we focus
Owner-led service businesses, $15M–$50M in revenue, with concentration in the trades and adjacent property services. We picked this lane on purpose: it's where we've operated, and where the buyer universe is deepest right now.
Mechanical & Building Systems
HVAC · Plumbing · Electrical · Fire & Life Safety · Security · Generators · Solar
Highest PE penetration of any trade category. Multiple platforms actively looking for add-ons at 4–7x EBITDA.
Roofing & Exterior Envelope
Roofing · Siding · Windows & Doors · Gutters · Insulation · Garage Doors
Strong recurring demand from insurance and aging housing stock. Active roll-up activity from regional platforms.
Interior & Finish Trades
Drywall · Painting · Flooring · Tile & Stone · Cabinetry · Concrete · Masonry
Fragmented market. Well-run operators with recurring commercial accounts attract strong interest from strategics.
Outdoor & Property Services
Landscaping · Tree Services · Irrigation · Snow Removal · Paving · Pool Services
High recurring revenue, route density, and contract value make these attractive to PE and strategics alike.
Recurring & Specialty Services
Pest Control · Cleaning · Restoration & Mold · Foundation · Septic · Waste Hauling
Subscription-model businesses with low churn command premium multiples. Pest control especially active.
Automotive Services
Auto Glass · Collision Repair · Car Wash Chains
Multi-location operators with recurring insurance relationships attract interest from national platforms.
Adjacent categories — light manufacturing, distribution, B2B services with a recurring-revenue base — also fit. If you're in the $15M–$50M range and your category isn't listed, the answer is probably still yes.
Process
How an exit actually works
Most owners have heard the broad outline but never seen what each phase actually requires. We share this openly because the process is the product.
Discovery
A conversation, not a pitch. We sign an NDA, listen to what you've built and what you want out of an exit, and tell you straight whether we're the right fit. No engagement letter in the early meetings.
You provide
An honest picture of the business and your goals
We deliver
An early read on fit, timing, and likely outcomes
Timeline
1–3 weeks
Valuation
We value the business honestly, not optimistically. You get a real range, the factors driving it, and a read on whether now is the time. If now isn't the right time, we'll tell you what to fix — and stay in touch until it is.
You provide
Three years of financials and basic operating data
We deliver
A fair-market valuation range with the levers behind it
Timeline
2–4 weeks
Preparation
We build everything buyers will ask for — before they ask. Teaser, CIM, data room, complete diligence file. This is the phase most advisors shortcut. We don't, because it's the difference between a deal that closes and one that dies in diligence.
You provide
Access to records and key people
We deliver
A buyer-ready document package and organized data room
Timeline
4–8 weeks
Buyer Discovery
Our AI scans every PE group, strategic acquirer, family office, and private investor in the market, scores each against your business, and discreetly tests their interest. No captive Rolodex. Buyers see only the blind teaser until you approve them.
You provide
Approval of the buyer list and decisions on who advances
We deliver
A ranked, scored buyer universe and managed outreach
Timeline
4–6 weeks
Offers & Negotiation
A structured process with a hard deadline — IOIs first, then LOIs, then finalist meetings. We evaluate each offer on price, terms, retained equity, earnout structure, and cultural fit, then negotiate the final and best on your behalf.
You provide
Time for finalist meetings and decision-making
We deliver
Competitive bidding dynamics and direct negotiation
Timeline
6–10 weeks
Diligence & Close
We quarterback the deal team — your attorney, your CPA, the buyer's diligence team, the lenders — and keep momentum through signing. Because we did the prep in Step 3, fewer surprises surface and the window to close is shorter.
You provide
Responsiveness on diligence requests
We deliver
Day-to-day deal management and a coordinated path to signing
Timeline
8–12 weeks
Transition & Beyond
Your employees, customers, and vendors need a steady hand through the handover. We help build the transition plan, communicate it the right way, and stay on after close for financial guidance, retained-equity matters, and whatever comes next.
You provide
Continuity and the agreed transition period with the new owner
We deliver
A transition plan that protects the value the buyer just paid for
Timeline
6–24 months post-close
Most engagements run 9–14 months from kickoff to close.
Team
Operators first, advisors second.
We've built, scaled, and exited businesses ourselves. That's the seat we sit in when we represent you.
Co-Founder
Ewing Gillaspy
Ewing's background spans operating, scaling, capital formation, and transaction execution — giving him a ground-level view of what actually drives enterprise value. He works at the intersection of sell-side representation, off-market deal sourcing, and capital partner alignment, with a focus on cash-flowing lower-middle-market companies.
Known for translating complexity into clarity, he helps owners turn years of hard work into clean narratives, credible numbers, and competitive processes that survive diligence and lead to outcomes on their terms.
LinkedIn
Co-Founder
Mark DeChant
Over the past two decades, Mark has founded, scaled, and exited companies across sales, talent, and technology-enabled services, working closely with founders navigating pivotal inflection points. His experience spans both buy-side and sell-side transactions, with a focus on preparing businesses for credible outcomes that hold up through diligence.
Mark brings a pragmatic, people-first approach to M&A — helping owners clarify their goals, sharpen their story, and negotiate deals that respect legacy, culture, and long-term value creation.
LinkedIn
Co-Founder
Chris Rex
With a background spanning scientific research, venture-backed startups, and technology-enabled growth platforms, Chris brings a rare blend of technical depth and strategic execution. At Next Chapter, he supports founders and capital partners by assessing operational risk, technology leverage, and scalability throughout the transaction lifecycle.
His work focuses on aligning systems, data, and people to support sustainable growth post-deal. Chris is known for deploying practical, at-risk solutions that translate innovation into measurable business outcomes.
LinkedInOutcomes
Deals we've closed
Case study coming soon
Case study coming soon
Case study coming soon
Between us, we've founded, scaled, and sold companies — and that's the seat we sit in when we represent you.
Fees
How we're paid
Sell-side, success-based. You pay us at close, as a percentage of transaction value — and only if we close a deal you accept. Discovery, valuation, and the early conversations are on us.
Standard structure for our side of the industry. We mention it because owners ask, and because the alignment matters: our payday depends on you having one.
Contact
Start a confidential conversation
Tell us a little about your business and your timing. We'll come back within one business day to set up a 30-minute call.
What to expect
- ✓30 minutes
- ✓Confidential — we sign an NDA before the call
- ✓No engagement letter
- ✓We listen to what you've built and your goals
- ✓Honest read on fit and likely outcomes
- ✓If we're not the right fit, we'll point you to someone who is
Prefer email?
mark@chapter.guide