What if the secret to surviving the future of business brokerage isn’t more technology, but deeper relationships? Are you investing enough in face-to-face trust, or are you relying on tools that promise shortcuts but sacrifice connection?

There is a common belief that digital efficiency can replace the hard-earned authority and rapport every broker needs, but real transformation comes not from chasing shiny automation, but from cultivating the network, credibility, and confidence that set you apart—from old-school belly-to-belly connection, to knowing the best sources of high-value referrals.

In this Bonus Episode, Curt Maier of IBA Pacific Northwest Business Brokerage, joins Jason Cutter to discuss what brokers will need to thrive through 2030, the real impact of AI and tech on M&A, and why franchise opportunities are accelerating in today’s market. Curt’s insights reveal that success still hinges on relationships, local authority, and a relentless approach to building a network that delivers quality leads and lasting deals.

Share this episode with a fellow broker who’s ready to shift from hoping for deals to strategically growing their pipeline—then subscribe for more conversations that help you move from transactional to truly trusted advisor.

Are you investing in relationships or just collecting connections? What if your pipeline’s greatest asset isn’t the number of listings, but the depth of your referral network?

Massive growth for business brokers isn’t about chasing random leads; it’s about strategically building and nurturing relationships with the people business owners trust most. When brokers focus on quality referrals and network-driven authority, they move from transactional dealmakers to sought-after advisors that clients actively seek out.

In this episode, Jason Cutter welcomes Curt Maier, Vice President of Business Development at IBA, the Pacific Northwest’s leading business brokerage and M&A firm. Curt shares his journey from Navy submarines to Fortune 300 management to thriving entrepreneur and broker, offering tangible lessons for brokers hungry for growth. From being “in business for yourself, but not by yourself” in franchising, to leveraging referral partners like CPAs and attorneys, to the power of consistently showing up where business owners gather, Curt lays out actionable strategies. He also reveals why knowing your seller’s true motivation and focusing on win-win deals leads to repeat business—and why your network truly is your net worth.

Share this episode with another broker ready to build stronger referral relationships—and subscribe for more battle-tested advice on growing your pipeline and elevating your influence.

What happens when business brokers try to scale without real systems in place? And what can a broker learn from someone who sees behind the scenes of nearly a thousand firms across the country?

In this episode, you’ll learn why the most successful brokers aren’t the ones relying on memory, spreadsheets, or guesswork — but the ones who have clarity, structure, and automation built into every stage of their pipeline. You’ll also discover the hidden pitfalls that quietly kill deals, how time becomes a broker’s biggest enemy, and why “systems thinking” might be the missing link between inconsistent months and predictable growth.

Our guest today is George Wellmer, founder of Tupelo, a CRM + automation platform built specifically for business brokers. With firsthand experience working with nearly 1,000 brokers and an earlier career automating SBA valuations, George brings rare insight into what actually works — and what keeps brokers stuck. He shares the power of narrowing your target market, becoming an industry expert, leveraging automation for repetitive tasks, building a team around your highest-value activities, and preparing listings correctly so deals don’t collapse from delays. If you’re ready to stop hoping for deals and start engineering your pipeline with modern tools and proven systems, subscribe to the Business Broker Growth Show, leave a review, and share this episode with a broker who needs it.