Online Business Brokerage

Every year, thousands of online businesses—blogs, e-commerce stores, SaaS products, content sites—change hands. Sellers want maximum value and smooth transactions. Buyers want fair deals and due diligence. Business brokers facilitate these sales, earning commissions typically ranging from 10-15% of the sale price.

For digital nomads interested in the world of online businesses, brokerage offers a lucrative and intellectually stimulating path. The work is entirely remote—evaluating businesses, marketing listings, qualifying buyers, facilitating negotiations, and coordinating closings all happen digitally. You develop expertise in valuing online assets and understanding what makes businesses attractive to buyers.

How Business Brokerage Works

The typical deal flow:

1. Seller outreach - Find business owners considering selling
2. Valuation - Analyze financials, traffic, and growth potential
3. Listing agreement - Get exclusive right to sell
4. Marketing - Create listing, reach potential buyers
5. Qualifying buyers - Verify ability to purchase
6. Due diligence - Facilitate information exchange
7. Negotiation - Help parties reach agreement
8. Closing - Coordinate asset transfer and payment
9. Commission - Get paid when deal closes

What Brokers Need to Know

Successful brokers understand:

Area	Why It Matters
Business models	How different online businesses work
Valuation methods	Multiples, risk factors, growth potential
Traffic analysis	Quality and sustainability of traffic sources
Financial analysis	Reading P&Ls, identifying issues
Due diligence	What buyers need to verify
Deal structure	Asset sales, earnouts, financing
Negotiation	Getting to agreement

This knowledge typically comes from experience with online businesses—running them, investing in them, or working in the industry.

Commission Structures

Deal Size	Typical Commission	Your Earnings
$50,000	12-15%	$6,000-7,500
$100,000	10-12%	$10,000-12,000
$250,000	10-12%	$25,000-30,000
$500,000+	8-10%	$40,000-50,000+

Larger deals often have sliding scales. Some brokers charge success fees plus monthly retainers.

Getting Started

Path 1: Join Established Brokerage

• Empire Flippers, FE International, Quiet Light hire brokers
• Learn the business with deal flow and training
• Lower commission splits but faster learning
• Build reputation and relationships

Path 2: Independent Brokerage

• Requires existing knowledge and reputation
• Build your own deal sourcing
• Keep full commissions
• Longer ramp-up but higher upside

Path 3: Hybrid

• Start as buyer's advisor (help people find businesses)
• Build knowledge and relationships
• Transition to full brokerage
• Lower risk entry point

Finding Sellers

The hardest part of brokerage is sourcing deals:

Community Presence:

• Twitter/X - Follow and engage with founders
• Indie Hackers, SaaS groups - Active participation
• Conferences - MicroConf, similar events
• Podcasts - Guest appearances discussing exits

Content Marketing:

• Write about valuations and exit strategies
• Share anonymized deal learnings
• Create resources for sellers
• Build email list of potential sellers

Direct Outreach:

• Identify businesses that might sell
• Reach out with personalized messages
• Offer free valuation consultations
• Build long-term relationships

The Deal Reality

Most deals take 3-6 months. Many fall through:

Challenge	Frequency
Buyer financing falls through	Common
Due diligence reveals problems	Common
Valuation disagreements	Very common
Seller changes mind	Occasional
Competing offers	Sometimes

Work multiple deals simultaneously. Expect 30-50% of serious discussions to close.

Realistic Income Expectations

Stage	Annual Deals	Annual Income
Starting (Year 1)	2-4	$20,000-60,000
Established (Year 2-3)	6-10	$60,000-150,000
Successful (Year 3+)	10-15+	$150,000-400,000+

Income is highly variable. One large deal can equal several small ones.

The Nomad Reality

Brokerage works well for travel:

Advantages:

• Entirely remote work
• Calls can be scheduled flexibly
• No physical inventory or meetings required
• High income potential supports travel

Challenges:

• Long sales cycles require patience
• Some calls need reliable video connections
• Building trust remotely takes effort
• Time zones matter for buyer/seller coordination

What This Pairs Well With

Brokerage knowledge connects to website flipping where you buy and sell yourself. Understanding valuations supports buying and holding websites as investments. Skills overlap with small business consulting.

Use Notion for deal tracking and documentation. Google Drive for sharing due diligence documents.

Getting started: Study how online businesses are valued—multiples of monthly profit, traffic quality, revenue diversification, and growth trends. Learn from established marketplaces like Empire Flippers, FE International, and Quiet Light. Build relationships in communities where business owners gather. Consider starting as a buyer's advisor before taking listings. Develop a reputation for fair dealing and competence—referrals drive this business.