Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Carnes.
Hi Joshua, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I like to say I stumbled into business brokerage by way of marketing and entrepreneurship. I was employee number one at a marketing firm that eventually sold, which gave me a front-row seat to what an exit looks like from the inside. After that, I moved back home to Austin and took a role as an in-house marketing manager at a startup that even had a TV show attached to it.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that I wasn’t built to be “in-house.” I loved working with multiple owners and tackling new challenges. A few mentors encouraged me to explore business brokerage, and once I was introduced to the industry, it clicked immediately. It’s like real estate, but for businesses—complex, dynamic, and full of opportunity.
I cut my teeth at a small regional firm in North Austin and later helped a California-based healthcare M&A firm expand into Texas. Along the way, I worked closely with my now-business partner, Kip Webster. We both believed that the average, owner-operated business deserved the same level of strategy, marketing, and client service that the big national investment banking firms were providing to much larger companies.
That belief became the foundation of Lion Business Brokers—now Lion Business Advisors—which we launched over ten years ago. Today, we specialize in sell-side advisory and exit planning for Main Street and lower middle market business owners. Our mission is simple: guide first-time sellers through the most important transaction of their lives with clarity, strategy, and a level of service they often don’t expect in this space.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all. Starting your own firm is never easy, especially in an industry where the average transaction timeline used to stretch 12 months or more. In the early days, it meant going a year or longer before ever seeing a paycheck, which tests both your patience and your commitment.
Then came COVID. Like every other business, we were thrown into uncertainty when markets shut down. Deals stalled, buyers pulled back, and owners were scrambling just to keep their doors open. That season forced us to get creative and lean heavily on teamwork. Thankfully, we had an incredible group of advisors who pulled together and made sure every possible transaction still crossed the finish line.
Those struggles taught us resilience. They reminded us why we built Lion in the first place: to be a steady guide for business owners during one of the most important, and often stressful, chapters of their lives.
We’ve been impressed with Lion Business Advisors, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Lion Business Advisors, we focus exclusively on one thing: helping business owners sell their companies the right way. We provide sell-side advisory and exit planning services for Main Street and lower middle market businesses, typically owner-operated companies valued between $1 million and $50 million.
What sets us apart is our approach. Many business brokers operate as listing agents, putting a business on the market and hoping it sells. We take a different path. Our roots are in marketing and investment banking, so we approach every engagement strategically. That means preparing owners long before they go to market, accurately valuing the business, and designing a marketing strategy that positions the company to attract serious buyers, whether that’s an entrepreneur, a private equity group, or a strategic acquirer.
We’re known for bringing a corporate-level process down to the average founder-led business. Our clients are often first-time sellers who’ve poured their lives into their companies, and we’re most proud of guiding them through an unfamiliar, sometimes overwhelming process with clarity and confidence.
Brand-wise, Lion stands for strength, guidance, and trust. Over the past decade, we’ve built a reputation not just for closing deals, but for helping business owners achieve exits that align with their financial goals and personal legacy. For us, success isn’t measured only by transaction value, it’s about the peace of mind our clients have when they hand over the keys to the next owner.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
In many ways, this entire industry is built on risk. Business brokerage isn’t like most professions where you can count on a steady paycheck. Even if you’re great at what you do, it takes seven to nine months on average to close a transaction, and everything about that process carries uncertainty. Deals fall apart, buyers change course, financing can dry up overnight, it’s never guaranteed until the ink is dry.
When we started Lion, I knew I was stepping into a career where patience, resilience, and faith in the process were absolutely required. You might work on a deal for months and walk away with nothing if it doesn’t close. That reality keeps you sharp and forces you to build real expertise, because the margin for error is thin.
So yes, I’d say I’m comfortable with risk, but more importantly, I’ve learned to respect it. In our line of work, risk isn’t something you avoid, it’s something you learn to navigate, both for yourself and for the business owners who trust you to handle their life’s work.
Pricing:
- We operate on a structure that aligns our success with the business owner’s. There’s a modest upfront fee that covers valuation and preparation, but the majority of our compensation is success-based, meaning we only win when the owner wins.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lionbusinessbrokers.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacarnes/
- Twitter: https://x.com/LionBizAdvisors
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lionbusinessadvisors
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfZsyg5hB4oq61typh6I_N3G0Z7yzOvoW
Image Credits
“BCB” image is credited of the Texas Association of Business Brokers
