About selling

Will I lose control of my business?

That depends on which path you choose. If you exit fully, we take operational control after the transition period — that's the deal you signed up for. If you stay on as operator or partner, you keep the operating authority you've always had, with us as the financial and strategic backer. We've never forced an owner out of a role they wanted to keep, and we put your involvement in writing as part of the deal.

What happens to my team after the sale?

Your team stays. The people who built the business are the reason we're buying it. We don't acquire trades businesses to lay off crews or replace foremen with corporate hires. Compensation structures, benefits, and tenure are all protected as part of the transaction. We can include team protection language directly in the purchase agreement if it gives you peace of mind.

How long does the whole process take?

From first conversation to signed letter of intent: typically 60 to 90 days. From signed LOI to close: another 60 to 120 days, depending on due diligence complexity. The transition period after close is six to twenty-four months, depending on what you chose. So the full journey, including transition, runs about 12 to 30 months — but most of that time you're running the business as you always have, with us alongside you.

How do I actually get paid?

The deal structure determines that. A full acquisition usually involves a substantial cash payment at close, plus a reasonable amount of seller financing over the following 12 to 36 months. A partial sale (Transition path) gives you cash for the portion you sell, plus rollover equity that grows with the business. An operator partnership (Operate path) gives you ongoing compensation as operator plus equity in the combined business. We'll model out specific numbers for your business in Step 3 of the process.

How is TM different from private equity?

We're not a fund. We don't raise capital against your business. We're a privately held operating company that acquires trades businesses to run them. That means no fund timeline, no forced exit, and no pressure to optimize for IRR at the expense of your team and customers.

What's the minimum revenue you'll consider?

We typically focus on businesses with $1M - $5M in annual revenue. Smaller businesses occasionally fit when there's a strategic reason, and larger ones are within our range. The honest answer: revenue is one factor among several, and we'd rather have a conversation than disqualify based on a number.

About process

How long does each step take?

Step 1 (Initial Conversation): 30 to 45 minutes, one call. Step 2 (Business Evaluation): three to six weeks. Step 3 (Structuring the Deal): two to four weeks to reach a signed letter of intent, plus 60 to 120 days to close. Step 4 (Transition): six to twenty-four months. Step 5 (Growth & Operations): ongoing. The full process from first conversation to closed deal averages four to six months.

What do I need to prepare before our first conversation?

Nothing. The initial conversation is intentionally low-prep — no financial documents, no business plan, no formal pitch. Just you, your story about the business, and your honest thoughts about what you're looking for. We bring the questions and the structure. You bring the perspective only you have.

When does due diligence happen?

Formal due diligence runs in two phases. Light evaluation happens during Step 2 (Business Evaluation) — financials, customer concentration, crew structure, basic operations review. Full diligence happens after the letter of intent is signed in Step 3 — typically 60 to 90 days of detailed financial, legal, operational, and (where relevant) federal contracting compliance review.

Is the whole process confidential?

Yes. We sign mutual NDAs before any financial information is shared in Step 2. We never disclose your interest in selling to your team, customers, vendors, or competitors without your explicit written permission. Confidentiality holds through close and beyond — many sellers prefer announcement only after the deal closes, and we respect that.

Does the process work the same way for federal or building automation businesses as it does for HVAC?

The five steps are the same; the diligence content varies by vertical. Federal acquisitions add SDVOSB and contract-vehicle compliance review. Building automation deals add software, services contract, and recurring-revenue analysis. Property and facility services adds route density and contract portfolio review. The framework holds across all four verticals — the specifics adjust.

About Mechanical Trades

What size HVAC or plumbing business do you typically acquire?

Most of our mechanical trades acquisitions fall between $1M and $25M in annual revenue. We've structured deals for owner-operators with single-location residential businesses and for multi-location commercial contractors. If you're in that range and in the Mid-Atlantic or Southeast, we'd want to have a conversation.

Do you keep the company name after acquisition?

Yes. All four standalone brands in our portfolio still operate under their original names — Tim Whistler Plumbing, Fresh Air HVAC, First Aid Air Conditioning, Strategic Heating & Air. The name on the trucks is the asset; we don't rebrand acquired businesses under a corporate parent.

Will my crew lose their jobs?

Eighteen skilled tradespeople across our portfolio have kept their jobs through ownership transitions. We acquire trades businesses because of their teams, not despite them. Team retention can be written into the purchase agreement if it gives you peace of mind.

What if I want to keep running my business after the sale?

That's the 'Operate' path. Sell to us, keep running it as operator or partner, and we bring capital and back-office support. Across our five closed acquisitions, multiple owners chose this structure. There's no minimum or maximum involvement — your call, in writing, before close.

About Property & Facilities

Do you acquire pure janitorial companies?

Not typically. Pure janitorial without diversified services tends to operate on margins too thin for our model. We acquire facility services businesses that combine janitorial with maintenance, exteriors, or specialty services — diversified portfolios with stronger margins and stickier customer relationships.

What level of recurring revenue do you require?

We typically look for 60% or higher recurring revenue. Below that, the business is more project-driven, which changes the deal economics and the operating model. We'd still talk — but the structure of the deal will reflect the revenue mix

Do you operate businesses across multiple markets or just one region?

We're concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast today. We don't impose a multi-market consolidation model on acquired businesses — each operates under its own brand in its own market with its own customer base.

About Building Technologies

Do you acquire pure software companies in building technology?

No. We acquire operating businesses — companies that install, service, integrate, and maintain building systems. Pure software companies have different deal economics and a different operating model than the platform we're building.

Can I stay involved as the technical lead after the sale?

Yes. Many building technology businesses are built around the founder's technical expertise. Multiple deal structures support continued technical leadership — operator partnership, engineering advisory roles, technical director positions. Your call, in writing, before close

Do you have federal contracting capability?

Yes. Trades Mosaic is SDVOSB-designated with cleared personnel — which opens federal facility work for building technology companies inside the platform. If your business has federal customers or wants to enter that market, the SDVOSB designation is a real advantage.

About Federal Services

Will my SDVOSB certification carry through the acquisition?

Set-aside certification continuity through acquisition is a federal-contracting-specific question that depends on deal structure. As an SDVOSB-owned acquirer with pending certification ourselves, we structure transactions to preserve set-aside eligibility wherever possible — and we'd walk through the specifics with you before any deal is structured.

Do you have cleared personnel?

Yes. Trades Mosaic operates with cleared personnel infrastructure as part of how the platform was built. For federal contractors serving cleared facility environments, this means operational continuity through acquisition without the personnel gap that often complicates these deals.

Do you acquire businesses that aren't on the SDVOSB list?