Contact Broker
Ashburn, Virginia
Affiliated Broker
Leo Tudela
About the Company
Selling a Business
When selling a business, it is vital that you use a professional who is experienced in selling businesses. Our Sunbelt of Northern Virginia office will do a complete evaluation of your business to ensure the maximum value for the sale of your business. Our office is the trusted and preferred franchise resale office in the mid-Atlantic for over 130 franchise systems. No matter if your business is a franchise or independent, Sunbelt will work with you to sell your business confidentially, quickly, and for the most value.
Buying a Business
The business brokers at Sunbelt do all of the time-consuming searching for profitable opportunities for you and protect your interests when buying a business. In addition, our office represents nearly 600 franchise and business opportunity concepts and is able to find you the right business for you--no other office in the greater DMV has as many potential business options as our office.
Broker Biography
Introduction
Before I helped people buy and sell businesses, I built, ran and sold multiple. That experience shapes how I work with every client.
I know what it feels like to wake up at 3 AM thinking about payroll. I know what it means to pour years of your life into something — the wins, the close calls, the relationships you build with your team and your customers. And I know that when it comes time to sell, what you're handing over isn't just a balance sheet. It's a story, a legacy, and in many cases, your largest financial asset for others a weight to move along.
That perspective is why confidentiality and trust are the foundation of how I run every engagement.
My approach with sellers
When you list a business with me, the world doesn't find out. Your employees don't find out. Your customers, your competitors, and your suppliers don't find out. Buyers see a carefully prepared Confidential Information Memorandum only after they've signed an NDA and demonstrated financial capability. Your name, your location, and the specifics of your business stay protected until a serious, qualified buyer is in front of you.
I take the time upfront to understand what you've built, where the real value lies, and what a successful exit looks like — not just financially, but personally. Some sellers want maximum price. Some want the right buyer who will take care of their team. Most want both, in different proportions. My job is to understand which version of success matters to you and build the deal around that.
My approach with buyers
Buying a business is part numbers, part fit, part timing. I take time to understand what you actually want before sending listings your way — the kind of work that energizes you, the hours you can sustain, the financial picture you're working with. From there, I bring you opportunities that align, and I'm honest when something isn't a fit.
I'll walk with you through financing conversations, due diligence, franchisor approvals, and closing — answering questions along the way so you can make decisions with clarity rather than guesswork.
Specialty: franchise resales
A significant portion of my practice is built around franchise resales. Franchise transactions come with their own layer of complexity — transfer approvals, franchisor relationships, training requirements, FDD considerations — and I navigate that landscape regularly on behalf of both sellers and buyers.
Backed by the largest brokerage network in the world
I'm part of Sunbelt Business Brokers of Northern Virginia, which is part of the global Sunbelt network — the largest business brokerage organization in the world, with a track record of selling more businesses than any other firm. That means access to a national buyer pool, proven valuation methodologies, and a team of experienced professionals behind every deal I work on.
Let's have a conversation
Whether you're a year or two away from selling, actively planning your exit, or searching for the right business to acquire, I'm happy to have a confidential, no-pressure conversation about what you're trying to accomplish. Reach out anytime.
Services Provided
Selling or buying a business is one of the biggest financial and personal decisions you'll ever make. I'm here to make it feel a lot less overwhelming.
I'm Ian Otto, a business broker with Sunbelt Business Brokers of Northern Virginia — the largest business brokerage network in the world. My focus is on Main Street and lower middle market businesses across Northern Virginia, with particular experience in franchise resales.
For sellers: You've spent years building something real, and the way you exit matters. I work alongside owners to prepare the business for market, value it accurately, position it through a professional Confidential Information Memorandum, and bring qualified, financially capable buyers to the table — all while protecting confidentiality so your employees, customers, and competitors don't know the business is for sale until the right moment.
For buyers: Finding the right business is part numbers, part fit, part timing. I take the time to understand what you actually want — the lifestyle, the hours, the kind of work that energizes you — before sending listings your way. From financing conversations to due diligence to closing, I help you move through the process with clarity instead of guesswork.
Services include:
- Business valuations and pricing strategy
- Confidential listing and marketing (CIM development, buyer outreach)
- Franchise resale expertise — coordination with franchisors on transfer approvals
- Buyer screening, qualification, and matching
- Deal structuring, including seller financing
- Guidance through LOI, due diligence, and closing
- Coordination with attorneys, accountants, lenders, and franchisors
Whether you're a year out from selling or actively searching for your next business, I'm happy to have a confidential, no-pressure conversation about what you're trying to accomplish.
Areas Served
Business For Sale Listings
Fairfax Co., VA
View Details Award-Winning Franchised Juice Bar — Turnkey, Built-Out & Growing
Sunbelt of Northern Virginia and Ian Otto are proud to present an established, award-winning franchised juice bar in one of the most affluent suburban trade areas in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. This is a turnkey opportunity to acquire a fully built-out, fully equipped, and operating health-and-wellness concept — smoothies, acai and pitaya bowls, cold-pressed juices, and wellness shots — under a recognized national franchise brand.The current owners built this business from the ground up: a brand-new professional build-out, all-new commercial equipment, an established multi-channel revenue base, and a trained part-time team. In under two years of operation, the store was named a "Best of 2026" Award Winner in the Juice Shop category (powered by Google Reviews) — independent validation of product quality and customer loyalty.What makes this opportunity stand out is the foundation that is already in place. A new Less
Cash Flow: $130,000
St. Mary's Co., MD
View Details Cookie Franchise | Semi-Absentee | GM In Place | SBA Eligible | $375K
Sunbelt Business Brokers of Northern Virginia and Broker Ian Otto are proud to present a rare opportunity for a qualified buyer to step into a Crumbl Cookies franchise — the only Crumbl location serving an entire Maryland county. This is not a startup. This is not a fixer-upper. This is a fully operational, GM-led franchise that opens its doors every week, bakes fresh product, serves a loyal customer base, and generates positive cash flow — all without requiring the owner to set foot in the store.This Crumbl Cookies location is the only unit in the county — serving a population of approximately 115,000 residents with a median household income of roughly $90,000, above the Maryland state average. The nearest competing Crumbl location is more than 30 minutes away. That market position was built over four years. It transfers with this acquisition. Additional Less
Before I helped people buy and sell businesses, I built, ran and sold multiple. That experience shapes how I work with every client. I know what it feels like to wake up at 3 AM thinking about payroll. I know what it means to pour years of your life into something — the wins, the close calls, the relationships you build with your team and your customers. And I know that when it comes time to sell, what you're handing over isn't just a balance sheet. It's a story, a legacy, and in many cases, your largest financial asset for others a weight to move along. That perspective is why confidentiality and trust are the foundation of how I run every engagement. My approach with sellers When you list a business with me, the world doesn't find out. Your employees don't find out. Your customers, your competitors, and your suppliers don't find out. Buyers see a carefully prepared Confidential Information Memorandum only after they've signed an NDA and demonstrated financial capability. Your name, your location, and the specifics of your business stay protected until a serious, qualified buyer is in front of you. I take the time upfront to understand what you've built, where the real value lies, and what a successful exit looks like — not just financially, but personally. Some sellers want maximum price. Some want the right buyer who will take care of their team. Most want both, in different proportions. My job is to understand which version of success matters to you and build the deal around that. My approach with buyers Buying a business is part numbers, part fit, part timing. I take time to understand what you actually want before sending listings your way — the kind of work that energizes you, the hours you can sustain, the financial picture you're working with. From there, I bring you opportunities that align, and I'm honest when something isn't a fit. I'll walk with you through financing conversations, due diligence, franchisor approvals, and closing — answering questions along the way so you can make decisions with clarity rather than guesswork. Specialty: franchise resales A significant portion of my practice is built around franchise resales. Franchise transactions come with their own layer of complexity — transfer approvals, franchisor relationships, training requirements, FDD considerations — and I navigate that landscape regularly on behalf of both sellers and buyers. Backed by the largest brokerage network in the world I'm part of Sunbelt Business Brokers of Northern Virginia, which is part of the global Sunbelt network — the largest business brokerage organization in the world, with a track record of selling more businesses than any other firm. That means access to a national buyer pool, proven valuation methodologies, and a team of experienced professionals behind every deal I work on. Let's have a conversation Whether you're a year or two away from selling, actively planning your exit, or searching for the right business to acquire, I'm happy to have a confidential, no-pressure conversation about what you're trying to accomplish. Reach out anytime.
