Your clients like working with you. That is the good news. The hard part is that many of them like working with you, personally. You still lead the big accounts, close most of the new work, and step in when a project goes sideways. Revenue may also swing month to month, because much of it is billed by the hour or by the project. That makes it hard to know what your firm is worth, and even harder to see how to raise it. You do not need to sell to want an answer. You need a clear view and a plan.
Why owners in business services use Valuexus
Buyers look at a B2B services firm in a few specific ways. First, owner dependence. Do clients stay because of the firm, or because of you? Second, how revenue is earned. Recurring retainers and contracts are steadier than owner-led billable hours or one-off projects. Third, customer concentration. One client making up a big share of revenue is a real risk. They also look at your key staff, like account leads and senior team members, and whether they would stay. They check whether your service delivery is documented, how you win new clients, and how clean your contracts are.
Valuexus shows how your firm scores on each of these. You see what helps your value and what holds it back. Then you get a plan to fix it, step by step. Selling is optional. Building value comes first.
What your valuation includes
Your valuation looks at the whole business, not just last year's profit. It covers your earnings, how they are adjusted for owner pay and one-time costs, and how a buyer would weigh the risks in a services firm. Then it shows where value is leaking and what to fix first.
Here is how it works:
- Take the free 2-minute survey. Simple questions about your business. No credit card.
- See your valuation. Our Artificial Intelligence engine estimates what your business is worth today, matched to your industry.
- Get your plan. A step-by-step plan to raise your value so you know what to fix first.
- Track it monthly. Your valuation updates as you grow, so you can see each fix show up in what your business is worth.
What you get: a clear valuation of your firm, the risks a buyer would flag, and a plan built for your business. That might mean moving clients onto retainers, handing account leadership to your team, or adding clients so no single one holds too much of your revenue. You choose the pace. It is all confidential.
Real results from a services firm owner
One professional services agency owner went from $850K to $2.9M in 9 months.
What changed: the owner moved from owner-led billable hours to recurring retainers.
Every business is different, and results vary. But this is one of the clearest shifts buyers look for in a services firm.
Business services valuation FAQ
What multiple do business services firms sell for?
It depends on size and type. BizBuySell reports that IT and software services businesses sold for an average of 3.22x SDE and staffing agencies for 2.66x SDE, based on sales from Q3 2021 to Q2 2026. For larger deals of roughly $10 million to $250 million, GF Data (via Mercer Capital, Transactions Q3 2026) shows business services at 7.5x EBITDA.
Why are retainers worth more than hourly billing?
Retainers repeat. A buyer can count on them. Hourly work has to be sold again, often by you.
My clients all know me. Is that a problem?
Only if they would leave without you. Introducing clients to account leads now makes the firm worth more, whether you sell or not.
See what your B2B services business is worth. Start your free trial.