The Advisor Finder Report: Q2 2026

Welcome to the Q2 2026 issue of The Advisor Finder Report, a quarterly publication that surfaces the activity occurring on Axial in conjunction with our Advisor Finder offering.

What is Advisor Finder? 

Axial’s Advisor Finder program helps owners identify the most relevant and credible M&A advisors so they can transact successfully.

Advisor Finder utilizes 15 years of platform data to confidentially match business owners with advisors who have proven experience representing similar businesses. New advisors from Axial’s network become eligible for the program based on their platform activity data and relevant experience for a given owner.

An Overview of Q2 2026

52 New Business Owners Joined Advisor Finder

Last quarter, 52 new business owners joined Axial to explore a sale or capital raise. Owners cited a range of transaction motivations, including retirement, investors seeking liquidity, business plateau, and a shift in career interests.

90 Advisor Introductions Facilitated

Axial facilitated 90 introductions between business owners and advisors in Q2, a 26.7% increase over Q2 2025. Eleven unique industries were represented in these introductions, with Business Services and Consumer Goods ranking in the top two, accounting for 47.78% of the total.

Quarterly Data Summary

Below, we have created a set of tear sheets that outline a complete breakdown of Advisor Finder activity in Q2 2026. All data is fully anonymized to protect the confidentiality of the owners and advisors.

Feel free to share and incorporate the data into your materials as you see fit.

Additional Resources

• What Is Rollover Equity and How Does It Work?
  A Business Owner’s Guide to Negotiating Terms and Maximizing Exit Outcomes
• What happens to your business — and your team — after you sell?
  Eliot Kerlin shares what it really means to find the right buyer.
• Case Study: A Broken LOI, the Right Advisor, and a Successful Exit
  How this business owner rebounded from a failed process… and nailed it.
• Should I Sell My Business — or Grow It Through Acquisitions?
  This CPG owner explored selling his $10M Consumer Products business — then decided to wait.

Subscribe to Exit Ready

Exit Ready is the Axial newsletter that distills the best content, tips, and guides designed to educate exit-minded business owners running $5M-$100M businesses.

To subscribe, please enter your email below.