New relationship gives business brokers access to Vertical IQ insights through the Business Reference Guide while helping brokers prepare for client conversations, strengthen deal materials and build buyer confidence

 

RALEIGH, N.C. — October 15, 2026 — Vertical IQ, a leading provider of Industry Intelligence, today announced a new relationship with Business Brokerage Press, publisher of the Business Reference Guide, to provide business brokers with trusted industry data and insights that can help them win listings, effectively market businesses for sale and give prospective buyers greater confidence in acquisition opportunities.

Through the partnership, select Vertical IQ Industry Intelligence content will be incorporated into the Business Reference Guide, a longstanding resource for professionals involved in valuing and selling privately held businesses. 

“Business Brokerage Press and the West family have been leaders in the business brokerage profession for decades, so we’re honored they selected Vertical IQ as their Industry Intelligence partner,” said Bobby Martin, CEO and co-founder of Vertical IQ. “Business brokers have to quickly establish credibility with owners while also helping buyers understand the opportunities and risks associated with a business. We’re excited to work with Business Brokerage Press to put reliable, third-party Industry Intelligence into the hands of more brokers.”

Ron West, president of Business Brokerage Press, noted that his firm has worked with other providers of Industry Intelligence over the years and has had the opportunity to see firsthand what is most useful to business brokers. “After evaluating the available options,” West said, “we determined that Vertical IQ is the best fit for our organization and the professionals we serve. Its combination of depth, reliability and ease of use gives brokers practical information they can put to work throughout the transaction process.”

Helping brokers win business

The value of Industry Intelligence can begin before a company is ever listed for sale. Brokers often compete for the opportunity to represent a business owner, making preparation for early prospect meetings critical.

With more than 1,600 Industry Profiles covering 100% of the U.S. economy and Canada, along with more than 3,400 Local Economic Profiles, Vertical IQ helps brokers quickly understand a prospect’s industry, including its trends, financial benchmarks, business valuation statistics, risks, challenges, growth drivers and economic outlook. Armed with this information, brokers can ask more informed questions, demonstrate industry knowledge and share relevant data that helps differentiate them from competing advisors.

“The best business brokers aren’t simply experts in transactions; they understand the businesses and industries behind those transactions,” Martin explained. “When a broker walks into that first meeting already familiar with the owner’s industry, financial benchmarks and key issues, it changes the conversation. Vertical IQ helps brokers get to that level of preparedness quickly, so they can spend less time researching and more time building relationships and earning the confidence of business owners.”

Building stronger deal materials

Once a broker secures a listing, Vertical IQ can help provide broader context as the business is prepared and marketed for sale. For example, brokers can incorporate Vertical IQ’s timely, credible third-party Industry Intelligence into a confidential information memorandum (CIM) or other materials provided to qualified prospective buyers.

Vertical IQ insights can help brokers:

  • Benchmark a company’s financial performance against industry norms
  • Provide context around business valuation statistics
  • Explain industry trends, forecasts and growth drivers
  • Identify industry-specific risks, challenges and opportunities
  • Examine local and regional economic conditions
  • Provide perspective on suppliers, customers and competitors


This unbiased industry information can complement company-specific financial and operational data, helping prospective buyers understand the market in which a company operates and more quickly evaluate its performance, risks and opportunities.

“Our goal has always been to give business brokers resources that help them do their jobs better and in turn provide greater value to their clients,” West said. “By incorporating Vertical IQ information into the Business Reference Guide, we’re putting trusted industry insights into a resource brokers already rely on.”

Renowned for their customer service and training, Vertical IQ plans to work alongside Business Brokerage Press to educate business brokers about real-world, practical applications of Industry Intelligence while also exploring additional ways to help brokers efficiently access and apply Vertical IQ content in the future. For more details and pricing, visit the Vertical IQ website here.

 

About Vertical IQ

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Vertical IQ is a nationally recognized leader in Industry Intelligence. Whether they’re discussing cash management with a local brewery or analyzing risk for a large-scale furniture manufacturing company, successful banks, credit unions, accounting, insurance and advisory firms use Vertical IQ to better understand a prospect’s or client’s business challenges before, during and after meetings. Covering 100% of the industries that comprise the U.S. economy and Canada, as well as 3,400 local economic reports, Vertical IQ equips users with the confidence and credibility to make memorable first impressions and sustain enduring relationships. Learn more at www.verticaliq.com

About Business Brokerage Press

Business Brokerage Press is a longtime provider of resources and information for the business brokerage profession and publisher of the Business Reference Guide. For decades, its publications and resources have supported business brokers, intermediaries, appraisers and other professionals involved in the valuation and sale of privately held businesses. For more information, visit www.BusinessBrokeragePress.com.

 

###