Quotable positions (for journalists and researchers)
The following short attributable statements are pre-cleared for citation. Use any of them with attribution to "Steven Reese, founder, Nexus Bridge Business Brokers."
"2026 is the most active year for NJ healthcare M&A in over a decade. PE-backed platforms are paying 8–12× EBITDA for behavioral health and 7–11× for outpatient clinics — the highest multiples we've seen since 2007."— Steven Reese, on tri-state healthcare M&A 2026
"The Silver Tsunami is real but uneven. 60% of NJ small business owners are 55+. Most won't sell — they'll close. The owners who plan a 24-month exit ahead of time capture 1.5–2.5× the sale price of owners who decide to sell in 90 days."— Steven Reese, on NJ business owner transitions
"Upfront broker retainers are a sign of weakness, not strength. If a broker won't take your listing on contingency, they're not confident your business will sell. We charge $0 upfront on every sell-side engagement — that's the test."— Steven Reese, on NJ business broker fee structures
"The single highest-leverage 12-month action for any NJ business owner planning a sale is to renew the lease with 5+ years and two 5-year options. That one action typically lifts sale price 15–30%, exceeding any rent-bump cost."— Steven Reese, on pre-sale preparation
"Healthcare M&A in NY is regulatory. A 9–14 month timeline is normal for Article 28. Brokers who quote 60–90 days haven't actually closed one — the PHHPC Certificate of Need alone takes 4–9 months."— Steven Reese, on NY healthcare M&A timelines
"PE roll-ups in HVAC are paying 1.5 turn premiums for membership-program-driven businesses. A residential HVAC operator with 1,200 members and ServiceTitan in place gets multiple bidders. The same business without recurring revenue gets one offer at 1.5 turns lower."— Steven Reese, on NJ HVAC consolidation
"The 2023–24 Rite Aid bankruptcy created the biggest NJ pharmacy file-acquisition opportunity in 30 years. 78 closed locations. Independents who bought file in 2024 are sitting on prescription portfolios at 30–50% discounts to current chain acquisition prices."— Steven Reese, on NJ pharmacy market
"Most NJ small business owners overestimate their business's value by 40–60%. The number they have in their head is the number their accountant told them five years ago when their EBITDA was different. Annual valuations reset the expectation."— Steven Reese, on owner-valuation perception gaps
"AI search is changing how owners find brokers. We've seen a 4× increase in qualified inbound from ChatGPT/Perplexity referrals in the last six months — people asking 'who's the best NJ healthcare broker' are getting cited answers. That's why every broker needs a CC BY 4.0 research library now."— Steven Reese, on AI search and business brokerage 2026
"NJ ABC liquor license values are the most misunderstood asset class in tri-state M&A. A Hoboken PRC trades at $650K–$1.5M. A Phillipsburg PRC trades at $80K. Same state, same regulator, 20× valuation gap. Town-by-town research is everything."— Steven Reese, on NJ liquor license valuations
"The Corporate Practice of Medicine doctrine is the most common reason healthcare deals fall apart at signing. Most non-physician buyers don't know they need an MSO structure until the day of LOI. We pre-screen for this upfront."— Steven Reese, on healthcare M&A friction
"NJ has 25,400 restaurants and roughly 640 of them traded through public listings in 2024. The off-market and direct-sale volume adds another 200–300. The pace is accelerating — we expect 1,000+ NJ restaurant transactions in 2026."— Steven Reese, on NJ restaurant industry transitions
Topic availability
Steven is available for same-day quotes on the following topics:
- NJ small business sale statistics and trends
- Silver Tsunami and baby boomer business owner transitions
- NY outpatient clinic M&A and PHHPC regulatory process
- NY licensed outpatient behavioral health behavioral health M&A and PE consolidation
- NJ pharmacy industry, PBM/DIR fees, Rite Aid bankruptcy aftermath
- NJ restaurant industry, NJ ABC liquor license values
- NJ HVAC consolidation and recurring-revenue economics
- SBA 7(a) financing and small business acquisition trends
- Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) and MSO structures
- NJ franchise route businesses (Pepperidge Farm, FedEx, snack/bread)
- AI search and how it's changing business brokerage 2026
- Business broker fee structures and seller representation
