The Advisor Finder Report: Q1 2026

Welcome to the Q1 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 Q1 2026

Last quarter, 69 new business owners joined Axial to explore a sale or capital raise. Owners cited a range of transaction motivations, including retirement, personal liquidity, and a shift in career interests.

Axial facilitated 104 introductions between business owners and advisors in Q1, a 30% increase over Q1 2025 and the highest quarterly total on record. Nine unique industries were represented in these introductions, with Technology and Consumer Goods ranking in the top two, accounting for 42.67% of the total.

Below, we have created a set of tear sheets that outline a complete breakdown of Advisor Finder activity in Q1 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.

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