During the 1960s, Brokers generally worked with blue-collar workers prepared to leave their industrial jobs and accept the risk of running small enterprises. These buyers frequently purchased bars, tiny coffee shops, fast food enterprises, doughnut shops, and small retail establishments.
Then came the 1970s, when franchising exploded into the small company landscape, displacing many conventional mom-and-pop establishments. On the bright side, franchising opened up new avenues for business brokers. Franchisors sought entrepreneurs rather than specialists in specific sectors. A buyer without prior printing experience could now purchase a print franchise.
Business brokerage itself was franchised in the 80s and 90s. This new trend attracted a large number of people into the profession from the corporate sector who had no previous knowledge of small-business ownership. These new business brokers were tasked with resolving the difficulties their previous employers had traditionally handled. Furthermore, there were no benefits or bonuses, sick days, paid vacation, or—worse yet—no salary. On the other hand, those that survived contributed something significant to the industry. They were familiar with the industry and numbers, as well as working with outside specialists and consultants. They also developed a strong interest in arranging the sale of bigger businesses.
The 2000s and 2010s came with numerous technological advancements that would undoubtedly rank first on the list of developments in the sector. Where do you even begin? Email, websites, the Internet, Web-based classifieds, online applications, and so on.
Only time will reveal how the 2020s unfold. There is little doubt that tech has had and will continue to impact business brokerage significantly.