Business Advisory
Your exit, on your terms.
Sale, succession, or a partner buying in. The best exits are planned years out, and run by people who have taken deals all the way to settlement.
What we do
What we cover
Exit readiness.
It all begins with a plan and a review of your options. We help you understand where the value lies, what buyers will pay for, what to address first and what the business is worth today. Honestly.
Family succession.
We help you create a practical plan to hand the business to the next generation without breaking the family or the balance sheet, with clarity around what needs to be done and when.
External or trade sale.
We assess where the business is today, identify what will enhance its value and prepare it to attract the widest suitable buyer pool and achieve the best available price, terms and conditions. From identifying potential buyers through negotiation and due diligence, we manage the process end-to-end and help you every step of the way.
Buy-ins and pathway to equity.
Whether partners are coming in or getting out, we help with appraisal, structure, decision-making and documentation at every step. This includes shareholders’ agreements and supporting buy-sell documentation, providing clarity for all parties.
The deal that took two flights and twenty years.
A manufacturing client of nearly 20 years decided to sell. We prepared the information memorandum, approached potential purchasers including large multinationals, and flew with him to New Zealand to pitch. We managed due diligence through to completion, sitting across from the buyer's MD, CFO and in-house counsel. He sold for enough to retire on the spot. He chose to go again instead, and we set up the new business too.
Sold to his brother. Now sailing six months a year.
A client of 25 years started with one small business bought on vendor terms. Over the years we helped him buy more businesses and properties, bring his children in to run them, and eventually sell one to his brother, who wanted the lifestyle change. He is now independently wealthy, and tells us often that the difference was having the same team there from day one.
Our process
Three steps. From readiness to settlement.
Planning is everything, whether it’s exit or succession. Where it goes wrong is when it’s rushed. Here’s how we run yours.
Step 1, Readiness review.
Value drivers, structure, tax position and timing, ideally two to five years out. Many owners discover their structure would have cost them badly at settlement; finding that early is the whole point.
Step 2, Prepare.
Clear, clean numbers tell the profit and value story. We fix what can be fixed, agree the priority actions and identify likely buyers or successors. Whether the pathway is an external trade sale, a full or partial buy-in, or succession involving family members, we map out what must be done, by whom and when, to create options and achieve the best outcome for all stakeholders.
Step 3, Run the deal.
IM, purchasers, negotiation, due diligence, settlement, with your lawyer and our tax team at the table. We are with you every step of the way, complementing your existing team and talent.
Common questions
Questions we get asked.
Two to five years before you want out. Enough time to fix what a buyer will pay less for, structure for the small business CGT concessions, and choose your moment rather than take whatever knocks.
We prepare directors' appraisals of business value for planning and negotiation. Where a formal court-standard valuation is required, we work alongside an accredited valuer.
Sometimes both, in stages. And sometimes the honest answer is a partner buy-in nobody had considered. The readiness review surfaces the real options.
Small business CGT concessions can transform the after-tax outcome, but they are unforgiving on structure and timing. This is exactly where planning years ahead pays for itself many times over. (General information only.)
Yes. We have prepared and supported the sale of businesses of all sizes across a range of industries. We prepare comprehensive valuations or simpler information memorandums, approach potential purchasers, including multinationals, manage data rooms and due diligence, and sit alongside you during negotiations to maximise the outcome through settlement and beyond.
We roll up our sleeves and explore every option from the outset, whether we are working with an existing client or undertaking a thorough review for a new client preparing to sell.
ALSO FOR YOU
Financial Advice for Business Owners: The exit funds the retirement. Plan them together.
Like a quick chat to see if we can help?
Confidential, complimentary, and years before you need it is exactly the right time.
Or call (03) 9574 8300
