I was thrilled to be featured last month on the Vending & OCS Nation podcast, hosted by Bob Tullio. As the owner of VBB Advisors, I have learned over the years that selling a business is as much a psychological and life-planning decision as it is a financial and transactional one. Based on the reaction I received from operators, the topic got them thinking as they consider their options in 2026.
The December 23rd podcast was based on part 5 of my M&A Best Practices series, written by me for Vending Market Watch. The first four parts of the series, available at vendingmarketwatch.com, were focused on:
• Preparation
• Valuation
• Marketing
• Negotiation
If you are currently contemplating the possibility of selling your business at some point, I urge you to listen to the podcast and read the series of articles. Here are some highlights of the podcast and the article, looking at the questions that must be asked and answered before selling your business.
• Why am I selling now?
• What are my financial goals and needs?
• Am I emotionally and psychologically ready to sell?
• How will the sale affect stakeholders - employees, customers, suppliers?
Real life M&A success stories
It’s one thing to discuss what operators need to think about, but I have seen plentyof real-life M&A success stories. It is so gratifying to be a part of it – to help guide operators through what is usually the most important deal of their lives.
Tom Konop
One great example, Tom Konop was running his 77-year-old operation, The Konop Companies. It all began in 1946, when his dad, Louie Konop, purchased a route consisting of 120 penny peanut machines. It was no easy decision to sell a 77-year-old family business, but these days, Tom knows he made the right decision.
Tom owned the business along with his older brother and sister. The primary reason to sell was one that I see commonly as a business intermediary. “We had no family coming in the business, which was probably the number one factor,” said Tom. “They all had very good jobs elsewhere and I don't know if they wanted to work as hard as we worked through the whole thing, but they all were doing well on their own.”
Tom is very clear about the value of working with VBB Advisors. “If you don’t work with a broker like Mike, you are going to leave dollars on the table. Plus, you can run your company during the selling process and that is important, unless you have multiple levels of financial and legal people on your staff,” he said. “Mike put the company out there for sale, we managed to keep it quiet, which is not easy, and we received multiple offers which worked out well for us. I don’t know if that would have happened without Mike and VBB Advisors.”
I am thrilled that Tom now has the time to visit grandchildren around the country, play a little golf, do charity work and take his time doing household projects. “My life is different and it’s great. I worked 55 to 60 hours a week and always pressed for time to do the things I wanted to do at night and on weekends. This is enjoyable.”
Jodi Glimpse
For Jodi Glimpse of Camelback Vending, selling her business was a dream come true that pointed her and her husband to Hawaii.
Jodi and her husband Mike had a clear plan to retire in Hawaii, a plan that took shape during their 18 years as a full-service operator. They own a home and a sports fishing operation there, and after Jodi helped to support Canteen’s ownership transition for about six months, they moved on to their next chapter.
Gathering data with ease
Glimpse said she appreciated the convenience of VBB’s online system for gathering information. “It was great,” Glimpse said. “Mike would say, ‘I need this list of documents,’ and then I would go in and upload it, giving him access. Once Mike started getting interested parties and they signed their non disclosure, he would give them access to some documents and we could see who was going in and looking at them, which was nice,” she added.
Buyers were interested
There was plenty of interest in her company and Glimpse said she was happy to have a broker who was representing her exclusively. “The fact that Mike is a seller’s broker was very important,” Glimpse noted. “I never wanted to feel like I had someone playing both sides. It's like trying to buy a house using the realtor who is selling the house. You don't ever know if you're getting the most honest feedback or advice. With Mike, I always knew he was looking out for our best interests.”
“A no brainer”
“When evaluating business brokers, we saw that Mike is very data-driven, very structured, in the way that he goes about things. With Mike, his process is very systematic and we're big on that as well. When we started talking about his process, choosing Mike Kelner to sell our business was a “no brainer,” she said.
“Selling a business isn’t easy,” observed Glimpse. “I would highly recommend Mike Kelner and VBB Advisors. He is a straight shooter and was fantastic to work with. He did a great job for us.”
Your dreams can come true!
Jodi’s experience at Camelback Vending is a perfect example of how powerful the VBB Exit Advantage can be. The process starts months before you officially put your company on the market for sale. The VBB Exit Advantage is a customized approach, created for a couple of very smart operators who recognized that if you want to maximize the selling price of your business, you need to take a deliberate and thoughtful approach to your exit plan. It worked so well, we decided to make it the standard approach for any operator who wants to take the most professional route and ultimately experience a business sale that will exceed expectations.
The program is a $10,000 value, a tailored exit planning program, ultimately free to any operator who works with VBB Advisors on the sale of their business. I’m happy to discuss the VBB Exit Advantage, so give me a call.
One of the keys to successful representation is generating multiple offers. Our process at VBB Advisors is built around that concept. Are you ready to take that critical first step? That is often the toughest one to take.
Order my free 2026 Exit Strategy Planner. At the very least, it will provoke some thought, and this is a good time to think about your future.
Whatever your reasons are to sell your company - the timing, a sense of frustration, the desire to enjoy life or an interest in rewarding yourself for years of hard work – VBB Advisors can help you realize your goals.
I am Mike Kelner, the leading sell side intermediary in the convenience services industry. Let’s sit down and have a conversation. Use this appointment scheduler to set up a meeting with me.
Or – give me a call at 704-942-4621
