How do some small businesses manage to grow and thrive while others seem to struggle and miss opportunities that come their way? It appears the most successful business owners display some clear patterns and habits. Here are 8 secrets for achieving growth regardless of the economy. Grow to survive – Many small businesses assume it’s best […]

Get Staff working There are some basics that business owners often forget… Has this ever happened to you?  You walk into an empty shop, and you find the attendant focussed on their phone or computer … and not working? With everyone carrying their phone in their pocket these days, it’s easy for retail staff to […]

Science, Not Luck! So what makes a business owner or entrepreneur successful? Is it: Hard work? Good luck? Being in the right place at the right time? Being clever? Genius? Teamwork? Belief? Persistence? Business success could be due to all of these things, one of these things, or none… In years gone by business owners […]

Here are some business models to consider. Whether you are seeking to start a purely online business, or to expand an offline operation online, there are several business models which you can consider. In this article I wanted to outline some of the various online business models that exist in order to give you some […]

Over the last 24 years we have seen a trend emerge in demand for small businesses. Demand rises and falls in a predictable way, and through mapping the monthly rates of buyer enquiry over the 19 years we have noticed clear trends emerge. Traditionally the busiest months are January, February, April, September, October and early […]

As a business owner, you’re always asking yourself, “What does it take to build an enduring, great company and to continuously improve and grow?” The answer is that in business “You’re either growing or you’re dying,” so you can choose; GROW STAGNATE DIE It’s your choice. But really, there is no choice. Who would seriously […]

Business owners must have three separate business plans: A Business Plan A Marketing Plan and An Exit Plan. Do you have all three? A Business Plan allows the owners and shareholders to plan for the daily operation of the business and to put targets, budgets and operating systems in place. It’s like the “instruction manual” for […]

IT COULD BE WORTH MORE THAN YOU THINK! Did you know that many business owners don’t realise that their businesses are valuable? Often business owners simply close down and walk away from their business without ‘cashing-in’ on the Goodwill that they have built up in their business. What a shame…. all those years of hard […]

Tools to help improve your Small Business A small business is an exceptional investment that will not only increase in value with improved performance, but it will also provide the owner employment, an above average return, a sense of achievement and, in some cases, noncash benefits. But every business owner needs to look at the […]

Good Advertisement – Because You Can’t Sell a Secret It makes it difficult to find the right buyer for your business if you don’t widely promote and advertise. The wider the net is cast, the more potential buyers you will have look at your business. More buyers equals more demand. And more demand equals more […]

Be Totally Honest If you want to get the best possible price for your business, there’s no doubt that you must be completely honest. Not only honest with the buyer. Or your business broker. But you have to be honest with yourself. Before placing a business on the market you need to be brutally honest […]

5 Reasons Why Owning A Business Is Better Than Having A Job There’s no question that owning your own business is a risky proposition. But, working in your business has some benefits which include: Work in an industry that you are passionate about Choose your working hours Decide if you want to be an investor […]

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”… “We do it that way, because that’s the way we’ve always done it”…. These are not the sentiments expressed by successful businesses. These statements were probably the expressions of companies that have gone by the wayside. Companies like Kodak, The Sydney Harbour Ferry Company and Taxi Companies – […]

Honesty One of the essential traits when it comes to creating strong, trusting relationships, as well as a positive reputation at work and beyond, is honesty. In a recent study conducted by a US Research Centre based around the subject of “what makes someone a good leader”, results showed that over 80 percent of participants […]

There are many options when selling a business. One option is to sell the business to family. Family succession Business owners who have invested a lot of time and money in growing a business may have a strong desire to keep that business in the family when they leave. If you plan to transfer your […]

What if you don’t? Pressure Panic Orderly realisation When a business fails to plan an exit strategy, it places the business owner at increased risk in a number of ways. In recent times it has become more common for financiers to look for (and expect) an exit strategy in a business plan, because there is growing […]

An exit plan is simply a plan for EASING OLD OWNERSHIP OUT, AND EASING NEW OWNERSHIP IN. Simple. It is a plan where you can “Exit on your own terms”… not because you have to, but because you want to. This is a plan to get what you want and to know how to get […]

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? Why are you in business? Did you get into this business to: Make a lot of money? Enjoy your passion? Grow the business and then “Flip” the business and make a profit on the sale? Is there any other reason to be in business? What is your “Why?” Do you know […]

By Jay Schaeffer  Posted  January 8, 2018  In Uncategorized 1. Is your business able to be sold? 2. How quickly can it be sold and turned into CASH? 3. Who would buy your business and why? 4. What will someone pay for it? 5. Who would pay the most for it? Here is a simple exercise for you to try. Imagine that you own a […]

The Business Lifecycle has these parts: Start Up Operation and Improvement Wealth Management Exit Business Purchase or Start Up Whether starting a new (or buying an existing business) the following should be considered to ensure you make an educated decision on your going into the business, including: 1. Pro’s and Con’s of the industry 2. Business Planning […]

If you are unsure about what you should consider in a share sale transaction, continue reading and feel free to send me an InMail for some more advice. 1. Continuity – In a share, be carried on by the same entity with the shareholders of that company changing. In some instances, customers and suppliers may not […]

Why Does It Take So Long to Sell a Business? “THE LAG EFFECT” I first heard the phrase ‘the lag effect’ from a colleague that I work closely with (Ian Haggerty). I will get to what it means soon, but for now, I would just like to mention how I feel the market is going […]

You can only sell your business once. You don’t get a second chance, and you can’t go back and do it again. Vendor’s ask: “How much will my business sell for?” You want to get the best possible price that the market will pay. But before we look at how to get the best price, you […]

When someone decides to sell their business, they are making one of the most important decisions they will ever make, – usually after having done a lot of planning, worrying and thinking. Selling can be a very unsettling and disturbing process for the owner, as they don’t want to upset staff, suppliers or clients who […]

There are many versions and definitions of profit. Business buyers need to be aware of the subtle differences in terminology used to describe profit, so that they can understand the impact and implications of these differences. Some of the different methods used in reporting profit are: Owner Operator. The pre-tax return earned by a working owner – […]

What is the effect on retail businesses moving to owned brands? One of the first questions I get asked by acquirers of Food Supply businesses is what % of the business is into Retail? The effect of the movement by retail from Branded to Owned Labels has seen a shift in valuation increase towards businesses […]

Did you know that electricity has gone up approximately 15%, year on year for the past 5 years, and there seems to be no end in sight? We could sit around and wait for the government to do something (highly unlikely) or we can do something for ourselves. Electricity is a necessity in our everyday […]

Business Tips – Selling Your Cafe or Restaurant Websites are populated with food businesses these days, that owners want to sell for a myriad of reasons.  Some of them are being sold at a price that barely covers the fit out cost or replacement value of the plant and equipment. If you plan for the […]

Costs – We Cannot Operate Without Them, But We Can Manage Them! This is the first of a series of blogs where we will look at some of the major costs associated in operating a business and how you might be better able to understand these costs and if there is anything you can do […]

Taking the first steps towards buying your own business is a big step by itself, but then comes various questions Which? What? When? Where? Relating to the business you want to start. Let’s see about Franchise Business model for your new business in this blog. When you start a business you have to learn new […]

HOW LONG TO SELL MY BUSINESS? This question is a Sellers burning question and is commonly asked. The question is right up there with my top three… How long will it take to sell my business? Why are they selling? How long has the business been trading? all good buyer questions. I’m going to talk about […]

Supermarket Sales Australia is the division of Benchmark Business Sales specialising in the sale of Supermarkets and Convenience Stores across Australia. Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations was founded in 1999. Today, Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations is one of Australia’s largest and most progressive specialist business brokerages, with offices in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. […]

NO AGENT-NO FEE VERSUS “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR” Time and time again I see (or hear) of business owners that are trying to sell their business – to save on fees. A business is not like a house or car sale, there is so much more to understand, not just about the business […]

First Impressions Count – Always! We’ve all heard that expression – “First Impressions Count” well it’s no different when selling your business. As a professional business broker I cannot stress enough to my clients the importance about – you can only sell your business once. To optimise the opportunity of selling your business and achieving […]

Kiss …. And Just Do It !!!!   Our business plan for 2017 is… “Kiss… and just do it!” Ours is a simple problem-solving business matching owners wanting to sell their business and buyers who want sound investments. And keeping it simple (Stupid) is our plan for 2017. What Business Sellers should be aware of: 70% of […]

Calm before the Storm in Business Sales in Adelaide Business sellers should “brace themselves for a traditional flurry of activity, immediately following the Xmas break” says Brian Sander, Manager of Benchmark Business Brokers Adelaide Office. Drawing on his 30+ years of experience, Brian says that if you are thinking of selling a business in Adelaide, there […]

DON’T MAKE THESE MISTAKES  Business Owners It takes time… Many business owners spend years building their business to only receive a fraction of what it is worth when it comes time to sell. Although there are many more, here are seven of the most common mistakes that could impact you significantly. Inadequate preparation Sellers who get the […]

Some owners of small businesses are tempted to minimise taxation by not putting all income into the bank, or “through the books”. Many years ago this was thought to be a clever way to run a business, and enjoy a little “spending money” – and reduce tax. Not now. Today, it is simply more efficient, […]

Did you know that Benchmark sells hundreds of businesses every year? As a result we have accumulated a lot of historical sales data on business transactions Australia wide. Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations has many specialty divisions including Supermarket Sales, Childcare Sales, Hospitality Sales, Hair and Beauty Sales any many more. Our Business Brokers have […]

This blog will explain some of the process and the pitfalls buyers need to know in how to buy a business. The buying process… So you are looking to purchase your very first business? we understand its a big decision both emotionally and financially – where do we start?, good question. Identify the type of business […]

What constitutes a serious buyer? Whilst you maybe looking at purchasing your first business or investing in a business the question is always how serious are you about it. When buying a home you investigate the location, you compare houses in the street, you look at local facilities and most times you have been to […]

Checking your finances Buying a business is a significant investment, so you need to sort out your finances early and be well prepared and professional when applying for a bank loan or approaching potential investors. This will give them confidence to back your business and convince the seller you are serious. When checking your finances, consider: […]

IGA AUSTRALIA Owning an IGA store means that you belong to Australia’s leading independent grocery brand. Independent retailing is an exciting and dynamic industry to work in. IGA retailers, in particular, have developed a unique style and enthusiasm for their businesses. The IGA brand has been accepted and embraced in the marketplace, and continues to evolve […]

Ready to buy a Business? Buying a Business is one of the most significant financial & lifestyle decisions you’ll make in your lifetime. From figuring out pricing to why you should choose a certain type of Business, there are many factors to consider before you purchase a business. Out of all the questions we have […]

Just like housing, why does one home in one suburb sell more than the same home in another suburb? There are number of reasons why stores that trade similarly sell at a higher price than the other. These can be location, age of store, type of centre, size of store, Gross Profit, competition, and also […]

There are a large number of brokerage firms and hundreds of business brokers nationwide. You need to know what to look for before engaging a business broker to represent you and deliver a win-win outcome for all. Just as a buyer would conduct due diligence before purchasing a business, you should consider doing something similar […]

I enjoyed a coffee last week with a couple who have owned and operated a small suburban Coffee Shop & fast foods outlet for the last 8 years. They are now ready to move on, and already have their next venture underway. The Coffee shop has been good to them. They have purchased three investment […]