Sunbelt Business Brokers of Roanoke & Lynchburg

10/01/2026

What a conference! 🎉

Last week's CVBBA Annual Conference brought together business brokers from across the Carolinas and Virginia to talk shop: smarter deal structures, stronger professional relationships, and the skills it takes to guide owners through every stage of a sale.

Some of our favorite takeaways included discussions on private equity lending in the lower middle market, getting advisors involved earlier in the process, where AI is headed in our industry, and an outstanding keynote from Dr. Sarah Glova.

We're especially proud of Mike Keen, who was elected incoming President-Elect of the CVBBA and also took home the 2025 Multi-Million Dollar Award for outstanding sales achievement in business brokerage!

Thank you to the CVBBA board, speakers, and sponsors for putting together such a valuable event, and to Michael Goddard with Fidelity Bank for his continued partnership and support.

Congratulations, Mike, and to everyone helping move our profession forward!

09/28/2026

Thank you to Lead Virginia for kicking off our Northern Virginia experience with a lovely reception at the Army Navy Country Club.

A few experiences that stood out on this visit:

Observing open-heart surgery from the observation dome at Inova Health. What an extraordinary opportunity to witness the skill and precision of the surgical team. We couldn't stop wondering about the outcome for the patient.

Our conversations about the opportunities and challenges associated with data center growth in Virginia, followed by a tour of the Sabey Data Center, were equally eye-opening. I'm grateful for the opportunity to better understand this complex issue. My biggest takeaway is that "It's complicated."

The Grace Hopper Academy was impressive, but what stood out most was the confidence and professionalism of the students who led our tour. They spoke like seasoned professionals rather than high school students. Did you know Arlington Public Schools serves an incredibly diverse community, with students speaking 107 languages and representing 146 nations?? What an impressive reflection of the talent in our public schools.

Our visit to the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial was a somber and moving reminder of the lives lost that day and the importance of honoring their memory.

Of course, no visit to Northern Virginia would be complete without conversations about transportation and infrastructure. Did you know Reagan National Airport has the busiest runway in the United States, accommodating approximately 800 takeoffs and landings each day??

We rounded out our experience with a tour of the Workhouse Arts Center, a remarkable transformation of a former correctional facility into a thriving arts community. Thank you to Keith Gordon for showing us this community asset and to Stuart Holt for the reminder that we're all creative if we make the time and space to nurture that part of ourselves.

Another incredible LEAD Virginia experience, and another reminder of just how much there is to learn about the Commonwealth and the people shaping its future.

09/21/2026

I spent Wednesday afternoon in Washington, D.C. at the American Small Business Summit, hosted by The Washington Sun and sponsored by JPMorganChase.

Incredibly excited to hear from Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO of JPMorganChase; Stevie Baron, CEO of Business Banking with JPMorganChase; Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council; Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum; Talisha Hill Bekavac, Executive Vice President/Head of Public & External Affairs at U.S. Black Chambers and Chinyere Hubbard, President & CEO of the DC Chamber of Commerce.

JPMorganChase's new American Dream Initiative includes a commitment to support 10 million small businesses, nearly $80 billion in lending over the next decade, expanded coaching and technical assistance, and 1,000 additional small business bankers.

We don't talk nearly enough about what happens to the good businesses we already have when their owners are ready to step away so I was thankful to see an area of focus on business ownership transitions and legacy.

I see business continuity as an important component of economic development because when a healthy business successfully transitions to a new owner, we preserve the business, jobs, customers, tax revenue, institutional knowledge and economic activity in our community.

I left the summit encouraged to see organizations with this kind of reach thinking about how we can help businesses grow, endure and eventually transition.

09/16/2026

Eager to share that we were recently featured guests on Manufacturing Minute, a podcast hosted by Megan Meador of Brown Edwards!

We joined the conversation to talk about the "Silver Tsunami," a wave of business ownership transitions expected to bring over $12 trillion in assets changing hands over the next 15 years. We shared what manufacturing business owners should know before selling, covering everything from unsolicited private equity calls to costly deal mistakes to new SBA rules on Quality of Earnings.

Give it a listen: https://sunbeltroanoke.s.gy/manufacturingminute 🎙️

Join us for the Manufacturing Minute where we break down the financial strategies and industry trends that matter most.

09/11/2026

We had a great night co-hosting this after hours event with Northpoint Insurance Advisors for the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce!

It was awesome watching members jump in to support the Snack Buddy food collection, whether they were part of the check presentation or just handed over cash on the spot. That kind of generosity is what makes this Chamber community so special.

Thank you to everyone who showed up and gave. We're grateful to be part of a community that shows up for each other like this. 💚

09/09/2026

Join us for the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber’s Business After Hours!

Sunbelt Business Brokers of Roanoke & Lynchburg is excited to co-host this event with Northpoint Insurance Advisors.

Come meet local business and community leaders, catch up with familiar faces, and make some new connections.

📅 September 9, 2026
🕓 4:30–6:00 PM
📍 522 E. Main Street, Salem, VA 24153

You do not need to be a Chamber member to attend. We hope to see you there!

08/31/2026

Session 1 of Building Transferable Businesses™ is in the books! Thanks to everyone who joined us to talk about business value and planning ahead. 🙌

Now it's time for Session 2. A profitable business isn't automatically a transferable one. Buyers and successors also weigh owner dependency, team strength, and transition risk.

Join us for Session 2 of Building Transferable Businesses™, a free three-part virtual series hosted by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.

📅Monday, September 21 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. Eastern
💻Virtual and free to attend

Register here:

Building a Transferable Business - What Makes a Business More Valuable

08/28/2026

🎉 SOLD! Congratulations to our client on the successful sale of their FedEx Ground route operation right here in Southwest Virginia!

This was a well-run business, 13 routes, 18 trucks, and an experienced team of drivers and managers already in place, which made for a smooth transition to the new owner. It's always a great feeling to see hard work and years of building a solid operation pay off with the right buyer stepping in to carry it forward.

Congrats again, and best of luck to the new owner as you get started.

If you've ever thought about buying or selling a business, we'd love to help you navigate the process.

Reach out to Mike Keen at [email protected] or (540) 777-1585.