Business broker working with an established firm

Business owners selling their business. The brokerage collects the fee and pays you a share of it.

A split of the commission on each completed sale. Splits vary by firm, and the brokerage may charge desk or marketing fees, so ask before you sign.

• Building trust with business owners
• Basic understanding of financial statements
• Following up with buyers and sellers
• Self-discipline without a boss

• Licensing rules differ by province, so check your provincial regulator before you start
• Whether you are an employee or an independent contractor, which affects tax, GST/HST and insurance
• Read the agreement carefully for splits, fees, non-compete clauses and who owns the client relationships
• Income may be slow to arrive while your first deals work through
• Check whether the brokerage's insurance covers you or you need your own

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $500 to $3,000, depending on the tools you need and whether the brokerage's insurance covers you or you need your own.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the deals you close and your commission split. Income may be slow to arrive while your first deals work through.

Licensing rules differ by province, so check your provincial regulator before you start. Also check whether you are an employee or independent contractor, which affects tax, GST/HST and insurance, and read the agreement for splits, fees and non-compete clauses.