Articles
Straight answers for service business owners.
Short, plain reads on getting your business to run without you, and selling it when you're ready.
Does your business run without you?
The valuation gap, the holiday test, and what happens if you get hit by a bus.
What is the valuation gap when you sell a business?
The valuation gap is the difference between what you think your business is worth and what a buyer will actually offer. It's usually big, because a buyer has to pay someone to do your job, and that comes straight off the profit.
Read itWhat is the holiday test for a business owner?
The holiday test asks one question. Can you take four weeks off, with your phone off, and come back to less mess, not more? If you can't, the business still runs through you, and a buyer will see that straight away.
Read itWhat happens to my business if I get hit by a bus?
If the business runs through you, it can stop when you do. Customers drift off, the team doesn't know what to do, and your family is left trying to sort it out. A few simple steps now stop that from happening.
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Selling your business
How selling works in Australia: what a business is worth, selling to your team, and the tax side. General information only.
How to sell a trades business in Australia
Make it run without you first. A buyer pays for a business that keeps earning when the owner leaves. Then clean up the books and records, get a rough guide to value, talk to your accountant about tax, and use a broker or lawyer to run the sale.
Read itWhat is my business worth?
Your business is worth what a buyer will pay for its future profit, and how sure they can be of that profit. If the business depends on you, the profit is less certain, so the price drops. Make it run without you and the business is easier to value and to sell.
Read itSelling to your team: how a management buyout works
A management buyout is when your managers or team buy the business from you. It works best when they already run it without you. The deal is often paid for with a mix of a loan and staged payments to you, so get advice from your accountant and lawyer early.
Read itSmall business CGT concessions, in plain words
The ATO has four small business CGT concessions: the 15-year exemption, the 50% active asset reduction, the retirement exemption and the small business rollover. From 1 July 2027 the 50% CGT discount is replaced by indexation for individuals, trusts and partnerships. Reports say the small business concessions are not part of that change. Ask your accountant which apply to you.
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Running the business
Day-to-day pieces on getting decisions, enquiries and your message off your plate.
Leadership and Team
When every decision comes back to you
A practical way to move one recurring decision away from the owner.
Read the articleMarketing
Match your message to your market
Before choosing a marketing channel, get clear about who you want to reach and what matters to them.
Read the articleSales and Marketing
Not every enquiry is ready to buy. Here's how to handle each one.
Build a useful path for people who are learning, comparing and ready to act.
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