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How to sell your business

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How to sell your business?


We're often asked the best way to sell a business. There are two key components at play in the sale of a business: structuring the transaction; and positioning the business to the market. Both elements are important and can significantly impact your result.


Structuring the transaction covers areas such as pricing the business, the terms and conditions attaching to the sale, key terms in the contract, and ensuring the transaction structure is as tax effective as possible. Much of the structuring is about ensuring the vendors secure the most efficient and effective outcome from the sale. It is about maximising the vendor’s position.


Positioning the business for sale is all about ensuring that you achieve a sale and maximise your price. It covers areas such as ensuring there are no hurdles within the business that will limit its saleability, identifying the competitive position of the business within its market segment, ensuring that operating performance is as good as it can be, and that the business benchmarks well in its market.


Positioning also includes identifying the best time to take the business to the market, how to take it to the market, and who the most likely buyers will be.

Positioning is about doing everything needed to maximise the probability of a sale occurring, whereas structuring is about getting the best outcome from a transaction once it has occurred. A lot of people make the mistake of spending most of their energy on the structuring of the transaction. It is important but only becomes important if the sale is achieved.

Structuring should be addressed first to help identify any key decisions that need to be made but put most of your effort into positioning the business for sale. To do this, you need an objective assessment of how the business compares in its market, its competitive position, and what if any impediments to sale exist – all the things a buyer will look at and look for when they assess your business.


Most buyers believe that we are currently in a buyer’s market and will try to drive down price expectations.  Whether or not you are in a buyer’s market depends on your industry segment but regardless of this, you are in a competitive market. Buyers may be comparing your business to similar businesses but also opportunities in other industry segments.


Securing a sale at the best possible price is about having your business positioned for sale. Preparation time is needed to achieve this well in advance of putting your business on the market.

 

Thinking of selling your business?  Talk to us today about preparing your business for sale.



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Skybots: Practical AI and Agentic Workflows Training Course GOLD COAST 3-4 Dec, 2026

AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging ChatGPT, Copilot & Claude for Innovation and Productivity.

Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in GOLD COAST with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using cutting-edge Agentic AI tools including Chat GPT, Claude, CoPilot and Gemini. This workshop is built for accountants, bookkeepers, finance teams, and business owners who want to move beyond basic prompts and turn AI into a reliable, ethical, and practical system for everyday work.


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Skybots: Practical AI and Agentic Workflows Training Course MORNINGTON 30 Nov - 1 Dec, 2026

AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging ChatGPT, Copilot & Claude for Innovation and Productivity.

Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in MORNINGTON with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using cutting-edge Agentic AI tools including Chat GPT, Claude, CoPilot and Gemini. This workshop is built for accountants, bookkeepers, finance teams, and business owners who want to move beyond basic prompts and turn AI into a reliable, ethical, and practical system for everyday work.


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The Critical-5 Financial Metrics That Drive Business Performance

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$35pp includes lunch

Many business owners believe growth comes from more sales. But in reality, the strongest and most profitable businesses grow by improving how the business works, not just by selling more. This session is designed to change that. The 5-Critical Financial Metrics is a practical workshop that shows you where small, targeted changes can create disproportionately big improvements in profit, cashflow and sustainability.


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31 Aug

Live Workshop: Finance Ready So Banks say YES

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Friday 31 August, 4:00pm-6:00pm
Join our practical, educational workshop designed to help business owners understand the lending process and in preparation for funding conversations, learn how lending decisions are really made and what banks actually look for. 


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25 Aug

Live Workshop: Know Your Numbers

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Tuesday 25 August, 10:00am-12:00pm
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24 Aug

Live Workshop: Rising Insurance and Small Business

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Monday 24 August, 5:30-7:30pm

This practical, education-first session helps business owners cut through the confusion and take back control of their business insurance decisions.


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10 Aug

Live Workshop: AI & Automation for Small Business

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
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This practical session, in collaboration with the Mornington Peninsula Shire as part of the Small Business Festival, helps small business owners understand AI and automation and shows how small businesses can use smarter tools to reduce manual work, improve accuracy and create more capacity for growth.


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B.I.T.E Business Conference 2026

Conference // 5 August, 2026 - ALL DAY EVENT
The B.I.T.E. Business Conference 2026 is the Mornington Peninsula’s premier event for bold business owners ready to rethink what’s possible, reinvent how they operate, and reignite their growth. Hear from global keynote speakers including Grant Hackett, Andrew Griffiths and Kate Christie plus local business innovators.


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Skybots: Practical AI and Agentic Workflows Training Course MELBOURNE 22-23 June, 2026

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Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in MELBOURNE with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using cutting-edge Agentic AI tools including Chat GPT, Claude, CoPilot and Gemini. This workshop is built for accountants, bookkeepers, finance teams, and business owners who want to move beyond basic prompts and turn AI into a reliable, ethical, and practical system for everyday work.



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