Most owners can benefits immensely from working with a broker to help them sell their small to medium-sized business. While you can sell your business on your own, the process will be more stressful, and may result in a lower sale price with less favorable terms. The right sales team leverages the expertise of brokers who have helped sell hundreds of businesses.

It’s a familiar tale virtually every M&A firm has encountered: a family-owned chain is successful, but with multiple areas of improvement that may be red flags for buyers. Not wanting to miss out on a strong market, they go to market anyway. And after six months, there’s still no buyer. Worse still, the company is so consumed by the deal process that they’re unable to make improvements or continue building value.

If you plan to sell your business soon, you’ve picked the right time. Consumer confidence is high, and profitable businesses are earning top dollar in a booming economy. Yet many sellers seem overwhelmed. This sense of being overwhelmed can cause them to delay selling to a future date, when the environment for a sale might be less favorable.

Many owners planning to sell their business wonder whether or not to hire a business broker. Many decide not to—and often suffer significant financial harm as a result. Of course, they may never even know that a business broker could have gotten them a better deal. A business broker needs to be a part of your M&A team. Here are 15 simple reasons why:

If you’ve spent decades, or perhaps even a lifetime, building a small business from the ground up, now might be a good time to sell. Valuations are up, and early signs suggest that trend won’t continue forever. You should begin preparing for a sale at least a couple of years before you hope to close a deal. So if you think you might be getting there, here’s what you need to do first.

No matter when you plan to sell your business—soon or many years down the road—a few steps now can ensure a more successful future transaction.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in 2017 has been repeatedly called the most significant change to the tax code in three decades. It’s too soon to know if the legislation will improve the economy, but it’s important for businesses to know the impacts of the new provisions, and to adjust their strategies accordingly.

Getting your idea off the ground and into a business has taken a lot. You’ve hit bumps and rough patches. But now acquirers are taking note. You’ve arrived…almost.