M&A Advisory for Closely Held Business Owners: A Patient, Senior-Led Approach to External Sale
Omaha, United States – June 4, 2026 / The McFarland Group /
OMAHA, Neb. — May 28, 2026 — The McFarland Group, an advisory firm that has guided more than 200 ownership transitions over the past two decades, today described an expanded focus on its M&A advisory practice for closely held business owners considering sales to external buyers.
The firm’s M&A advisory covers both sell-side and buy-side transactions. Engagements include exit readiness assessment, due diligence preparation, buyer identification, and transaction management through close. The practice is designed for owner-led businesses with revenue between $5 million and $100 million, a segment that the firm has long served through its management buyout work.
The renewed focus comes as more of the firm’s owner-clients consider external sale as a path alongside or instead of an internal transition to management. The firm’s approach to M&A is consistent with the patient, senior-led model that has characterized its broader advisory work since founding. Byron McFarland and the principal team remain directly involved across the engagement rather than delegating to junior associates.
“Selling a business to an external buyer is one of the most consequential decisions an owner will make, and it deserves more time than most processes give it,” said Byron McFarland, founder of The McFarland Group. “Our work brings the same calm, structured approach we have built over two decades of ownership-transition advisory. The goal is clarity for the owner, not speed for the dealmaker.”
Engagements at The McFarland Group typically run six to twenty-four months. The firm engages early in an owner’s planning horizon, often before market is approached, so that questions of readiness, deal structure, and buyer fit can be addressed in sequence rather than under pressure.
“Owners deserve to know what they are walking into before they commit to a process,” McFarland said. “When we slow the moment down at the front end, the entire transaction tends to go better at every step that follows.”
Across more than 200 ownership transitions, The McFarland Group has supported transactions totaling more than $3 billion. The firm’s other practice areas include management buyout advisory and performance equity compensation design, both of which complement the M&A practice for owners weighing multiple paths.
More information on the firm’s M&A advisory is available at themcfarlandgroup.com/service/m-and-a-advisory-services.
About The McFarland Group
The McFarland Group is an advisory firm based in Omaha, Nebraska, serving owners of closely held businesses navigating ownership transitions. Founded by Byron McFarland, the firm specializes in M&A advisory, management buyout advisory, and performance equity compensation design. The firm has guided more than 200 ownership transitions and over $3 billion in transactions over the past two decades. Engagements are senior-led and structured to match the owner’s planning horizon. More at themcfarlandgroup.com.
Contact Information:
The McFarland Group
4601 Catalyst Court, Suite 3055
Omaha, NE 68106
United States
John Bruckner
+1-402-891-2300
https://themcfarlandgroup.com
