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Why Next Mile M&A?

Selling your transportation business is the most important—and most complex—business decision you’ll ever make. The advisor you choose determines whether you get the right outcome or spend months grinding toward a deal that falls apart at the finish line.

This Isn't Just About Getting a Deal Done

You didn’t build your business to hand it over to just anyone. You care about what happens to your employees. You want your customers in good hands. You need to protect the financial security you’ve worked decades to create.

And you’re probably facing some version of these realities:

  • You're in your late 50s or 60s and the relentless pace of transportation is wearing you down.
  • Insurance costs have tripled. Financing costs have spiked. Freight rates are suppressed. The risk profile has changed.
  • You've watched competitors sell—some to the right buyers, others to buyers who gutted what they'd built.
  • You get calls and emails from M&A advisors constantly, but most of them have never moved freight or run a transportation company.
  • You're a first-time seller going up against buyers who do this every day. You don't know what you don't know.

The advisor you choose determines how this story ends.

Why Most M&A Processes Fail

According to industry research, approximately 70% of deals fall through before closing. The most common cause? Seller fatigue. The process drags on so long that business owners give up and walk away—even after months of work and expense.

Here’s what typically goes wrong:

They Don't Know Your Industry

Generic M&A advisors can’t explain what makes your business valuable because they’ve never lived in transportation. When buyers ask about your carrier relationships, mode mix, or operational complexity, the advisor can’t speak to it with credibility. You end up doing the work they should be doing—while still running your business.

They React Instead of Prepare
Most advisors wait for buyers to start asking questions, then scramble to pull information. You spend months responding to data requests, running reports, sitting in meetings. Your leadership team is distracted. Your best people are burned out. And the buyer keeps finding reasons to delay or renegotiate.
They Don't Actually Work for You
Many M&A advisors represent buyers or work both sides of the table. When negotiations get tough, whose interests are they really protecting? As a first-time seller, you’re at an information disadvantage. You need someone who’s exclusively in your corner—not someone playing both sides.
The Process Drags On (and On, and On)

The typical M&A timeline for a transportation business: 6-7 month acquisition process, often longer. Next Mile can cut 2-3 months off the acquisition timeline. By month five, you’re exhausted. By month six, you’re questioning whether this was even worth it. By month seven, you’re ready to walk away. That’s exactly when deals fall apart.

“I was really just at the end of my rope. I just didn’t ever think it was ever going to end. It was just nuts and I was reaching the end of my ability to continue.”
— Doug Hazen, Former Owner (reflecting on a deal that collapsed 48 hours before closing)

Upfront Fees Without Guaranteed Results
Many M&A advisors charge large upfront retainers or monthly fees—$50,000, $100,000, sometimes more—before you even go to market. If the deal falls through (which happens in the majority of cases), you’ve lost that money with nothing to show for it.

You’re paying for their time and effort, not for results. And when advisors get paid regardless of whether your business sells, where’s their incentive to fight through the hard parts when deals get complicated?

Contrast this with our approach:

We don’t charge large upfront fees. Our compensation is success-based—we get paid when you successfully exit. That means we’re invested in getting you across the finish line, not just collecting fees while the process drags on.

How We're Different

Next Mile M&A | Powered by Black Belt TC was built specifically to solve these problems. Our team—with 90+ years combined transportation ownership and transportation-focused M&A experience—has guided 90+ successful exits by doing things differently from day one.

Advantage 1: Transportation Operators Advising Transportation Operators

The difference: We’re not financial advisors trying to learn your business during the sale. Our team has managed terminals, divisions, and entire networks in C-Level positions within asset, asset-lite, and non-asset transportation operations. When you talk to us, you’re talking to people who’ve walked your path.

What this means for you:

  • We speak your language and understand what you've built
  • We can explain your value to buyers with credibility and depth
  • We know what information buyers actually need (and what's just noise)
  • You're working with "another truck guy," not a generic consultant

Client proof: “I knew he wasn’t just your typical M&A guy. He had some experience in the industry, specifically at a big US carrier… I could have a conversation with another quote unquote truck guy.”

— Roger Harrison, Co-Founder, Radius Logisitics

Advantage 2: Proprietary Process That Compresses Timelines

The difference: We front-load the work instead of reacting to buyer requests. Our proprietary, transportation-specific data process (developed over 15+ years by Black Belt TC) organizes what buyers need up front—creating a comprehensive data room before we even go to market.

What this means for you:

  • Due diligence that typically takes 6-7+ months gets compressed to 2-3 months
  • Less time with your leadership team stuck in meetings
  • Faster path to close with dramatically reduced risk of seller fatigue
  • You stay focused on running your business while we manage the process

Client proof: “Mike’s process compressed what’s typically a 6-7 month due diligence timeline to 2-3 months. Having that component pulled together on the front side saved so much time on the back end.”

— Dan Krivickas, CEO, American Group

Advantage 3: Seller-Side Representation Only

The difference: We work for you, not the buyer. Period. From the moment we engage, our job is to represent your interests, prepare you for negotiations, and protect you from buyers trying to push terms that aren’t in your favor.

What this means for you:

  • You have an advocate in your corner who's been through this process dozens of times
  • We prepare you for high-stakes meetings so you walk in confident, not nervous
  • We know what buyer requests are standard and what's overreach
  • We protect your focus and deflect unnecessary distractions

Client proof: “Next Mile was really good at saying, ‘Hey, that’s an abnormal ask.’ They would let us know if we needed to push back. I can’t tell you what I would have missed, but I know I would have missed something.”

— Ross Bodenheimer, CFO, Sutton Transport

Advantage 4: Experience on Both Sides of the Table

The difference: Our team has experience both buying and selling transportation businesses. We know how buyers think, what they’re looking for, and when they’re trying to create leverage. We use that knowledge to protect your interests.

What this means for you:

  • We see red flags you wouldn't recognize as a first-time seller
  • We know when buyers are asking for necessary information vs. wasting your time
  • We can anticipate objections and prepare responses before meetings
  • We negotiate from a position of strength, not weakness

Client proof: “Mike had had experience on both sides of the desk. He was good at deflecting dumb questions, which in my experience, buyers have lots of.”

— Deanie Harrison, Co-Founder, Radius Logistics

No Upfront Fees. Success-Based Compensation.

Unlike most M&A advisors, we don’t charge large upfront retainers or monthly fees that drain your resources whether you close or not. Many firms charge $50,000-$100,000+ upfront—money you lose if the deal falls through, which happens in the majority of M&A transactions. Our fee structure is success-based—we get paid when you successfully exit. That means we’re invested in fighting through the challenges and getting you across the finish line, not just collecting fees while the process drags on.

What this means:

  • No financial risk to explore your options
  • We're incentivized to get the deal done right, not just done
  • You can have candid conversations about timing and readiness without pressure
  • If you're not ready to sell, we'll tell you what needs to happen first

The commitment we make: If we take you on as a client, it’s because we believe we can help you achieve a successful exit. We don’t market businesses we don’t think will sell. We don’t waste your time or ours.

“The fee structure is opposite of any other M&A firm—no upfront cost. The ability to get a free look and go through the process, and if I didn’t get it across the goal line I wouldn’t pay anything, was significant.”

— Wally Brauer, Founder, Freight Solutions (now Partner at Next Mile M&A)

Our Commitment to You

When you work with Next Mile M&A, here’s what you can expect:

Commitment 1: Honest Assessment

We’ll tell you the truth about your business, your timing, and your readiness—even if it’s not what you want to hear. If you need to strengthen your financials, improve your operations, or wait for better market conditions, we’ll say so.

Commitment 2: Proprietary Data System

We’ll use the Black Belt data engine to organize your business information in ways buyers need to see it—creating a comprehensive, professional presentation that accelerates due diligence and positions you for the strongest outcome.

Commitment 3: Strategic Buyer Matching

We’ll leverage our database of 300+ strategic transportation buyers to find companies that align with your goals—not just buyers chasing deals, but partners who complement your strengths and value what you’ve built.

Commitment 4: Preparation & Practice

Before major buyer meetings, we’ll prepare you. We’ll practice your pitch. We’ll role-play tough questions. You’ll walk into boardrooms confident and relaxed, not nervous and unprepared.

Commitment 5: Active Advocacy

Throughout negotiations, we’ll protect your interests. We’ll manage the buyer relationship. We’ll deflect unnecessary requests. We’ll keep momentum going when things stall. And we’ll be available nights, weekends, and holidays when deadlines hit.

Commitment 6: Process Transparency

We’ll walk you step-by-step through what to expect, what documents you’ll need, and what decisions you’ll face. You’ll never be surprised by what’s coming next.

Client proof: “Their expertise, their systems, their software, their knowledge base, their communication skills, the follow-up timing was all above par. They definitely met and exceeded expectations.”

— Ross Bodenheimer, CFO, Sutton Transport

Let's Have a Conversation

If you’re a transportation business and you’re thinking about your exit—whether that’s in six months or two years—we’d welcome the opportunity to understand your situation and provide honest guidance on the path forward.

What happens next:

  • Schedule a call —We'll have a confidential conversation about your business, your goals, and your timeline
  • Get an honest assessment — We'll tell you if now is the right time, or what you'd need to do to get ready
  • Understand the process — We'll walk you through what working together would look like, with no pressure or obligation
Schedule a Confidential Conversation
No upfront fees. No hard sell. Just straight talk from people who’ve been in the trenches.