Joan Young, Advisor to Sunbelt Business Advisors, Greater Bay Area, CBI®, CBB®

In 2000, Joan Young acquired SUNBELT BUSINESS ADVISORS, Greater Bay Area, part of the largest business brokerage/intermediary firm in the world. After two decades of advising her clients on preparation for their exit strategies, in April of 2020, Joan sold her successful practice to Helen Liu, a professional Commercial Banker of 20 years with a background in finance and law. Joan’s confidence in Helen’s principals, business practices and experience working with wide variety of business owners in the Bay Area has allowed Joan to pass the torch to the next generation of professional Sunbelt business brokers.

Joan is now enjoying her retirement but remains in Helen’s corner, as an advisor and mentor to Helen and the team.

Joan has been successfully assisting buyers and sellers in small businesses since 1980, long before her venture with Sunbelt. Her diverse business experience ranges from manufacturing and distribution to retail, food, publishing, advertising, placement services, direct and internet sales and, last but not least, business and franchise consulting.

After spending a few years with Memorex Corporation and being named Manager of the Year, Joan co-founded a national publishing franchise company in Ft. Myers Florida and owned two franchises herself in Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida. Joan was VP for three national franchise companies at one time, and in 1990 started FRANNET of the Bay Area, Inc. (FRANNET is the largest franchise consulting group in North America). Joan sold FRANNET in January 2014 after owning it for 24 years.

Prior to starting Sunbelt, Joan worked with one of the premier M&A firms in San Jose for three years. This experience at the M&A firm eventually triggered Joan to acquire SUNBELT BUSINESS ADVISORS, Greater Bay Area, in 2000.

Agent Portrait Photo Example 1 Joan

Joan Young

Broker, CBI®, CBB®

Joan is a member of the California Association of Business Brokers (CABB), has served on its Board of Directors, and holds the Certified Business Broker (CBB®) designation. Joan also instructs the CABB 101 course for new Brokers in the Bay Area. She also belongs to the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) wherein she has been awarded the prestigious and coveted Certified Business Intermediary (CBI®) designation and is an active member of M&A Source.

Bachelor of Arts in Education, Transylvania University
Licensed Broker
Certified Business Intermediary (CBI)
Certified Business Broker (CBB)
Broker of Record – Sunbelt Business Brokers, Greater Bay Area
Industries – Business services, Personal Services, Manufacturing, Wholesale/ Distribution, Retail, and Franchising
Owner of FranNet of the Bay Area
Vice President of 3 National Franchise Companies
Co/founder of TV Scene publishing franchise
Area VP for Memorex Corporation

800 W. El Camino Real, Suite 180
Mountain View, CA 94080
Email: [email protected]

What Client Say About Me

When we decided to sell our school, we researched business brokers and lawyers. We were hoping we could find a buyer on our own and utilize a lawyer for the paperwork. We found out it’s a lot harder than that! After meeting Joan Young at Sunbelt Bay Area, we felt very comfortable starting out with having Joan doing a ‘valuation’ of our company. After getting that number, we had a couple people we knew of who were interested is purchasing the business but could not pay the price we had set.

We returned to Sunbelt and hired Joan to help us. She was able to get the word out to so many potential buyers, we were turning people away. This gave us the opportunity to be selective about who would carry on the preschool. We ended up with 4 solid offers to choose from, 2 of which were over our asking price. We interviewed all the prospects and came to a decision. Joan helped both sides in the negotiations, making it easy for all to work together. The new buyer was able to accommodate our employees and respect the current contracts through the end of the school year.

Joan was there every step of the way; ready to listen, explain, negotiate and do all the paperwork to make sure the sale was a success for all sides in a timely fashion. We listed the school in November 2014, and the sale was finalized in March of 2015. As helpful as Joan was, we feel that the value of her assistance was made clear when we saw the extent of the contacts she was able to make to advertise the sale our business. We never would have been able to generate that kind of interest on our own.

Margaret Nelson, Footsteps Preschool
I have had the great pleasure of working with Sunbelt Business Advisors as both a buyer and a seller and while it was Joan’s professional approach with a personal touch that ultimately led me to Sunbelt as a buyer, it was Joan’s core values that brought me back as a seller.
Joan and her team of professionals take the extra time needed to get to know their clients on a professional and personal level which I believe is necessary when working collaboratively towards a common goal.

When it was time to sell Joan and I discussed in detail our expectations and set out a plan to achieve our goal. Joan was completely upfront and honest and mentioned that while the economy was strong it could take several months to sell. I’m happy to say that several months turned into several weeks. With Sunbelts proven marketing strategy Joan produced 3 qualified buyers within the first few weeks of our listing.

Ultimately our business was sold in less than 3 months to a very capable buyer who is eager to continue to grow the business and provide a stable work environment for many of our long time employees. I would highly recommend the professionals at Sunbelt Business Advisors to anyone who is considering buying or selling a business for the first time or the tenth time. Joan and her team has you covered.

Robert Dette, Maid Brigade
From the beginning until the end of the sale, I felt comfortable working with Joan and John.

They are real professionals who not only had their own buyers they were working with but found other good buyers. They brought me 3 strong offers and a Letter of Intent. We sold it in 7 months from start to finish. They stood up for me in negotiations and got me more than the asking price. Joan and John had excellent follow up and I always knew right where I stood. My buyers are doing 5% more than my projections so that makes me feel good about my decision to sell to them.

Dwayne White, Precision Door
I recently sold my business through Sunbelt Business Brokers. A business associate, Chris Enright, knew I was planning to retire in the next couple of years. Chris was making a career change to become a business broker and approached me to see if I would be interested in signing up with the brokerage he had chosen to work with. I’ve known Chris and his family for a number of years and knew that if he said Sunbelt and Joan Young were reliable people, then I could trust them. Chris has proven himself to be honest and reliable throughout the years I have known him.

The sale of my business was, I think, relatively complex and required extra communication and activity to see the process to completion. Chris and Sunbelt rose to the occasion at every step. They brought me multiple buyer offers, helped me through the buyer selection/vetting process, helped me prepare and move through the due diligence process and worked with me from beginning to the end. Communication was always prompt, discretion was respected throughout and help with some complex issues were there when needed.

I would definitely recommend Chris and Sunbelt. I actually have recommended them to three different friends and business associates already and would recommend them to anyone wanting the professional help a business sale requires. Sunbelt helped me find a qualified buyer, reach a price that was satisfactory, and complete an agreement that makes me confident as I transition from a business owner to a mentor and ultimately to retirement.

I might add that Joan also recommended an attorney, Brad Bosomworth, who she has had clients work with and he was an important factor in facilitating the process and making sure I am protected after the sale. During the sale, it was necessary to work with our county on some zoning issues and Chris went out of his way to help with this process. I am available should someone wish to speak to me about the selling process from my perspective.

Robin Stockwell, Succulent Gardens