TradeAtlas · Ownership
The business
of the trades.
Own the shop. Start it, run it, know what it's worth, and leave on your terms — this is the guide for trade business owners.
Neutral by design. We take no buy-side fee and don't broker deals — there's no incentive here to push you toward a sale.
Track 01
Start
Going out
on your own
on your own
You know the trade. Now you want to own it. LLC, insurance, first clients, pricing — the complete path from W-2 to owner-operator.
LLC setupInsuranceFirst clientsPricingLicensing
Start your business →Track 02
Run
Running it
well
well
Pricing, hiring, cash flow, KPIs — what separates a shop that thrives from one that just survives.
PricingHiringCash flowKPIsService agreements
Run your business →Track 04
Franchising
Buy one.
Or build one.
Or build one.
Buy into a franchise instead of going independent, or turn your own shop into a franchise brand.
Franchise costsFDDFranchisor setupGut-checkVendors
Explore franchising →Track 03
Exit
Planning
the transition
the transition
Six exit paths from PE sale to ESOP to family succession. Know your valuation range before anyone puts a number on the table.
Valuation6 exit pathsESOPPE saleTax outcomes
Plan your exit →Content map
What's live today and what's in development. Click any live item to read it.
Track 01 · Start
Going independent
Launch checklist — 7 steps
Full path from W-2 to owner
Business banking and bookkeeping from day one
Separate accounts the week you form the LLC. Mixing funds is th…
LLC vs S-corp: which structure fits your trad…
File the LLC first. The S-corp election can wait until the math…
Getting your first 5 clients without a market…
Your first jobs come from people who already trust you. Referra…
Insurance: general liability, commercial auto…
GL is non-negotiable. Commercial auto on any work truck. Worker…
Verify and transfer your licenses before you…
Your trade license is yours. Your contractor license might not…
Setting your first rates without leaving mone…
Know your break-even hourly cost before you quote anything. The…
The tech stack for a one-person shop
Don't overbuy. The ~$99/month stack that handles 90% of what a…
Track 02 · Run
Running it well
Operations guide
7 areas every owner needs
Cash flow: AR, AP, and payment terms
Revenue is vanity, cash flow is sanity. Profitable shops still…
Hiring employee #1
Hire when you're turning down profitable work — and classify th…
The KPIs that actually matter for a trade bus…
A handful of numbers tell you the business is healthy before th…
How to pay yourself correctly as a trade busi…
W-2 salary plus S-corp distributions, a reasonable-comp thresho…
Flat rate vs T&M vs service agreements
Your pricing model decides your margin and your valuation. Move…
From 1 truck to 5
Scaling beyond yourself: dispatch, call handling, tech-stack up…
Service agreements: the highest-leverage move…
Recurring revenue smooths cash flow, fills slow seasons, and ad…
Track 04 · Franchising
Buy one or build one
Becoming a franchisor
The FTC Franchise Rule sets the legal floor. What it actually t…
Buy-a-franchise gut-check checklist
Questions to answer before you sign the FDD — not after you've…
What a franchise really costs
The franchise fee is the number in the ad. It's rarely the numb…
Franchise vs. going independent
Same trade, same truck, two very different ownership paths. Nei…
Franchise vs. roll-up vs. license
Three different ways to turn one good shop into many. They trad…
Franchisor unit economics
What the math needs to look like before you sell your first fra…
Should you buy a franchise?
A proven system and brand recognition, in exchange for a fee, a…
Should you franchise your business?
The readiness bar is higher than most owners assume — a proven,…
Franchise-enablement software
Compared, not sold to you
Track 03 · Exit
Planning the transition
Valuation calculator
EBITDA × trade multiples
Six exit paths overview
Strategic, ESOP, MBO, more
Archetype matcher
What matters most to you?
Sell to Private Equity
Sell to a PE-backed roll-up platform — the option drawing the m…
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Sell to your employees through a tax-advantaged trust — under-m…
Family Succession
Transfer the business to the next generation — the classic plan…
Management Buyout (MBO)
Sell to your general manager or key employees — continuity for…
Third-Party / Strategic Sale
Sell to a strategic buyer or competitor, usually through a brok…
Recapitalize or Hold
Take some chips off the table without fully exiting — sell a mi…
Wind Down the Business
Close the business yourself — the right call when a sale doesn'…
Know your number
before you negotiate.
Directional trade multiples from published valuation-firm and M&A-advisor data — not transaction-verified comps. Enter your EBITDA, trade, and recurring revenue — get a sourced range in 60 seconds.
Get my valuation →
Sourced trade-multiple data · directional estimate