Chris Baughman

First Choice Business Brokers - Excellence Team

License Number: 02353181

Phone: Show Phone Number

excellencebusinessbrokers.com


Contact Broker

3610 Central Ave #400,
California, Texas, Florida 33131 (View Map)

Affiliated Broker
Felizardo Gaxiola

About the Company

First Choice Business Brokers has grown to become one of the largest organizations in the U.S. specializing in business sales. We have listed and managed the sale of over $8 billion in businesses for sale. Buyers and sellers alike can enjoy the accessibility and expertise of a national network of professional business brokers and the largest inventory of businesses available for sale.

Our Inland Empire team will help you thru all the steps to sell or buy a business as a part of your business plan. We are a brokerage firm that will guide you from a business valuation to each milestone of the process and back you up as a legal shield avoiding risks and becoming your negotiator for this new lifetime decision.

In summary, if you have a business you would like to sell or are ready to buy a business, the First Choice Inland Empire team would be proud to be your “First Choice” for buyer or seller representation, we genuinely care and understand the plans you have for YOU and your loved ones.

We create opportunities for people:
The Business Brokerage core business is actually a “people business” first and foremost, and we understand this. We create business opportunities that deliver value for people’s life.

We are experts on the process:
With a combination of business finance, marketing and operations, we highlight the real value that business buyers and sellers’ demand. From initial strategic exit planning through valuation, acquisition and marketing to closing the deal.

Structuring, negotiating and closing deals:
Our transactions are life-changing for the business owners, their families and employees. We understand the “psychology of the deal” and the emotions that come with it. We manage all the implications so you can experience a smooth process.

It’s about knowing the true value of your company:
We understand your business and its true value in order to present the opportunity to strategic buyers that are looking for your specific true value, and therefore willing to pay more. Formulation of the right strategy involves experience.

Broker Biography

Introduction

I’m a business broker, business owner, and U.S. Navy veteran. I’ve been on both sides of business transactions ( as a buyer and as a seller) which shapes how I work with clients today.

I don’t come from a traditional real estate background. My experience is rooted in small-business operations, ownership, and transaction management. That matters because selling a business isn’t about square footage or comps alone. it’s about cash flow, systems, risk, financing, and whether a buyer can realistically take over and succeed.

Over the years, I’ve worked directly with owner-operated businesses and understand how personal these decisions are. For many sellers, their business represents years of work, personal sacrifice, and identity. My role is to help translate that into a clear, marketable transaction while protecting confidentiality and managing expectations honestly.

One of my strengths is access to a large and diverse buyer pool, including international buyers looking to acquire U.S. businesses. Many of these buyers are experienced operators or investor-operators who are actively seeking opportunities in California. This expanded reach often increases buyer quality and improves the odds of closing, especially in competitive or niche markets.

Because I’ve personally gone through acquisitions and exits, I focus heavily on:
•Proper pricing from the start
•Real buyer qualification (not just tire-kickers)
•Clean deal structure that lenders, escrow, and attorneys can support
•Anticipating issues before they derail a transaction

I also work closely with buyers, particularly first-time buyers and SBA-financed buyers, helping them understand what matters in underwriting, due diligence, and operational transition. A deal that closes is one where both sides are prepared.

As a veteran, I bring a disciplined, detail oriented approach to every transaction. I believe in clear communication, accountability, and follow through. Sellers know where things stand, and I am in constant communication. Buyers know what’s required. Surprises are minimized as much as possible.

I serve clients throughout California, with a primary focus on Southern California, including San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange County. I regularly work with restaurants, retail businesses, service companies, and other owner-operated businesses, though I’m not limited to those categories.

I’m selective about the businesses I take on. I don’t promise unrealistic valuations, and I don’t believe in “list it and hope.” My goal is to create transactions that make sense, attract the right buyers, and actually reach the closing table. That said there are creative options for justifying specific valuations based on the market.

If you’re considering selling your business or thinking about buying one . I’m always open to a straightforward conversation about value, timing, and options.

Services Provided

I help small and mid-size business owners sell their businesses and guide buyers through acquisitions across California, with a strong focus on Southern California (San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange County).

My services include:

• Business valuation and pricing strategy based on real market data
• Confidential marketing to qualified domestic and international buyers
• Access to a large buyer pool, including international investors and operators
• Buyer screening and financial qualification
• Negotiation and deal structuring
• SBA loan coordination, seller financing, and cash transactions
• Preparation and management of transaction documents
• Oversight of the deal from listing through escrow and closing

I work with asset sales, stock sales, partial buyouts, and succession planning. Most of the businesses I represent are owner-operated including restaurants, retail, service businesses, and light manufacturing.

Because I’ve personally been both a buyer and a seller, I understand the risks, emotions, and practical challenges on both sides of the table. My approach is straightforward, data-driven, and focused on closing real deals not just listing businesses.

Areas Served

  • San Diego County, CA
  • Licensed In

    • California — License number 02353181

    Business For Sale Listings

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    View Details 
    Seller Financing Available - Legal Support Services Business

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    Christopher Ververis Serving Dallas County, TX

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    Chris Baughman Serving San Diego County, CA

    I’m a business broker, business owner, and U.S. Navy veteran. I’ve been on both sides of business transactions ( as a buyer and as a seller) which shapes how I work with clients today. I don’t come from a traditional real estate background. My experience is rooted in small-business operations, ownership, and transaction management. That matters because selling a business isn’t about square footage or comps alone. it’s about cash flow, systems, risk, financing, and whether a buyer can realistically take over and succeed. Over the years, I’ve worked directly with owner-operated businesses and understand how personal these decisions are. For many sellers, their business represents years of work, personal sacrifice, and identity. My role is to help translate that into a clear, marketable transaction while protecting confidentiality and managing expectations honestly. One of my strengths is access to a large and diverse buyer pool, including international buyers looking to acquire U.S. businesses. Many of these buyers are experienced operators or investor-operators who are actively seeking opportunities in California. This expanded reach often increases buyer quality and improves the odds of closing, especially in competitive or niche markets. Because I’ve personally gone through acquisitions and exits, I focus heavily on: •Proper pricing from the start •Real buyer qualification (not just tire-kickers) •Clean deal structure that lenders, escrow, and attorneys can support •Anticipating issues before they derail a transaction I also work closely with buyers, particularly first-time buyers and SBA-financed buyers, helping them understand what matters in underwriting, due diligence, and operational transition. A deal that closes is one where both sides are prepared. As a veteran, I bring a disciplined, detail oriented approach to every transaction. I believe in clear communication, accountability, and follow through. Sellers know where things stand, and I am in constant communication. Buyers know what’s required. Surprises are minimized as much as possible. I serve clients throughout California, with a primary focus on Southern California, including San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange County. I regularly work with restaurants, retail businesses, service companies, and other owner-operated businesses, though I’m not limited to those categories. I’m selective about the businesses I take on. I don’t promise unrealistic valuations, and I don’t believe in “list it and hope.” My goal is to create transactions that make sense, attract the right buyers, and actually reach the closing table. That said there are creative options for justifying specific valuations based on the market. If you’re considering selling your business or thinking about buying one . I’m always open to a straightforward conversation about value, timing, and options.

    Ryan Wilson Serving San Bernardino County, CA

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    Abel Chavez Serving Riverside County, CA

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    Josh Campbell Serving Dallas County, TX

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    Montie Barnes Serving Riverside County, CA

    With a career spanning over 50 years as an entrepreneur, it is proven that Montie Barnes has business deeply intertwined in his DNA. From his first venture as a teenage book salesman to Barnes and Flanagan, a worldwide fiber-optic telecommunications company whose clients included IBM and The Ford Motor Company, Montie understands what it means to not only start a business but to maintain it in a competitive climate. Other notable ventures include a manufacturer's sales representative company, a retail internet service/training provider, a 100-employee international software company based in India, and an industry-changing children’s bicycle helmet company which he would eventually sell to Giro Helmets. In the turbulent world of business, timing is everything. As a Business Broker, Montie can ask you question that he would have greatly appreciated during several of his ventures. “Have you considered selling your business if the price were right? Is it the right time to retire, travel, spend time with family, or get going on that long-overdue bucket list? Having crossed several items from his own bucket list including skydiving, racing a NASCAR, white water rafting, bungee jumping, zip-lining, and hang gliding, he’d like to help you spend time where it matters most to you. Let him help you determine if it’s the right time to sell your business, with no pressure or stress. Montie currently resides in Riverside CA, where he enjoys spending time with family, surfing, and golfing on a regular basis.

    Timothy Waggoner Serving Riverside County, CA

    Blain Holmes Serving Riverside County, CA

    Blain is a licensed agent and has previous experience working in management at two fortune 500 companies. He holds master’s degrees in management/leadership, and most recently in supply chain from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. Blain is also a small business owner which sparked his passion for helping others achieve their dreams of owning their own businesses. Blain is a veteran and still serves as a senior officer in the reserves. He is married with two daughters, and loves to spend time with his family, travel, and play golf as often as possible. CA DRE 02193559.

    Lizette Godinez Serving Riverside County, CA

    Lizette Godinez received her bachelor’s degree in International Business from the UVM university in 2014, a second bachelor’s in Hospitality from GLION Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland, and a diploma in Marketing from Central Michigan University. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for Business she has started, grown, and sold her own businesses. She started her career working for Walt Disney World, Florida, a few years later she open her own Restaurant, after growing it successfully she moved to France to start her next work expedition working for Disneyland Paris. During her career, she has worked for many international companies in France, the USA, and Mexico, including NASCAR, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, Grand Mayan Resorts, Rainforest Café, etc.

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