Selling a supermarket isn’t simply about finding a buyer willing to purchase your shelves, refrigeration and stock. You’re selling a complex retail operation with thousands of product lines, sophisticated inventory systems, supplier agreements, lease obligations, food safety requirements and, most importantly, a proven ability to generate consistent cash flow. Whether you own an independent supermarket, […]

Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations State of Market Download Q2 2026 Report

“A Business Broker’s Fee Is Usually Discussed Before Their Value. Which is a bit like judging a parachute on price alone.” Many business owners underestimate the complexity of selling a business. After all, if a business is profitable and attractive, surely a buyer will emerge? In reality, achieving a successful sale is about much more than […]

Selling a restaurant is more time-consuming than most restaurateurs think it will be. The process usually spans between six months to one year from the point at which the owner decides to sell until the actual transfer of ownership. All the actions that occur prior to the listing stage will have a significant impact on […]

Just Remember Every year, the Federal Budget arrives with predictions of major change for Australian business owners. Tax rates shift, thresholds move, incentives are introduced or removed, and economic priorities evolve alongside changing governments and market conditions. While these announcements can influence business confidence and decision-making, experienced business owners understand that long-term success is rarely […]

A childcare business sale is a relatively complicated process compared to other business sales within Australia. Childcare businesses attract buyers due to their governmental subsidies, high barriers to market entry, and recurring revenue models; however, the legal regulation of services approval, licensing, provider changes, and CCS agreements makes it more complicated than any other industry. […]

Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations State of Market Download Q1 2026 Report

Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations State of Market Download Q4 2025 Report  

How much is any business worth?  How much is your business worth? the simple answer is that a business is worth what the market will pay for it. this is also the legal definition of value. There are actually two ways to think about business value, and how to maximize value. These two ways are:  […]

The simple answer is that a business is worth what the market will pay for it. This is also the legal definition of value. But this definition doesn’t quantify the value of a business, or help determine what a business is worth.   Here is a quick & simple guide: When considering what a business […]

How can You Sell a Business When Things Are Tough?  … and get a great Sale Price!  Good times come, and good times go. Tough times come, and tough times go. Selling an SME business in tough times can be tricky, but there are a few things that you can do to get the business […]

Business Brokers are often asked “how can I sell my business quickly”… the answer is that we need to get buyers interested in the business for sale. Over many years we have found that most buyers are local. In fact, about 80% of buyers are locals. Only 20% come other sources – most from interstate. […]

“How can I increase the value of my café?” There are four ways to increase value of your cafe. Improve Profit Reduce Risk Improve the ‘Balance Sheet” Find a “Strategic Buyer” One simple method is to increase your sales. Grow the top line and invariably the bottom line will follow suit. What are a couple […]

Have you had a business “Health Check” done lately? OK, you’ve been running your business for a while now. …. and it’s going … well, the way it’s always gone. Like many other business owners, you might be feeling that there must be a better way of doing things. There are glitches, annoyances and recurring […]

Planning ahead gives you control. By making realistic, simple plans you take control of your business and your life.  The saying is true “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. It seems obvious that having a plan is necessary, but it is surprising, and difficult to understand – why so many business owners don’t spend […]

The ‘Innovation Ambition Matrix’ suggests that there are 3 key areas where businesses should invest in order to look to the future and grow the business. A key activity which underpins the future relevance, viability and growth of any current business is the activity known as ‘Business Digitisation’. This term, for the purposes of our […]

First Impressions Count – Always!  We’ve all heard that expression – “First Impressions Count” well it’s no different when selling your business.  To optimise the opportunity of selling your business and achieving the best possible outcome, there are certain things that need to happen and are the responsibility of the business owner, seller/vendor. Besides all the […]

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 […]

Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations State of Market Download Q3 2025 Report  

If you consider your business to be both a labour of love and one of your most important assets, you are certainly not alone. In Australia, there are nearly 2.57 million businesses actively trading and fuelling the economy, and new entries are registered every day. But while the high entry rate suggests an influx of new ideas […]

Looking back over the last twenty years that I have been in business sales I have learned that there are many different types of business owners. I have “sorted” the types of owners into a “spectrum” of personality types. CONSERVATIVE ENTREPRENEURIAL At one end of the spectrum are the “Conservative” types. These people like to […]

Many café and restaurant owners can lose sight of how to increase sales, they get too busy working in their business rather than working on it. The value of your café or restaurant is underpinned by your sales and net profit figures, so the higher you can get them, the more the business is worth. […]

When you are buying a business, conducting due diligence ensures you have access to important information about the business you’re buying. It’s the best way for you to assess the value of a business and the risks associated with buying it. Through the due diligence process, you thoroughly investigate all aspects of a business for […]

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 best deals are those […]

Change creeps up on us slowly. And it’s only when we look back, that we realise how much has changed, and how quickly it has happened.  It doesn’t seem that long ago, we used to lick a stamp and put it on an envelope to send messages, information and documents. Similarly, we used to pay […]

How to sell your Business for more than you think it is worth.  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, […]

Cash is King. The King is Dead – The Importance of Transparent Financial Management in Today’s Business World  In the past, many business owners subscribed to the notion that “Cash is King,” believing that keeping some income off the books could provide them with a little extra spending money while reducing their tax liabilities. However, […]

After 27 years owning and operating Maleny Supa IGA, Rob and Samantha Outridge decided it was time to sell their business and retire. Maleny Supa IGA is the oldest commercial premises in the largest town in the Blackall Range, in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Rob and Samantha had purchased the store in 1995 and transformed […]

Many business owners are not sure of the issues and factors that cause CGT to be paid (or not paid), when a business is sold. The CGT legislation is structured so that the owner of a small business (who is well advised and uses an appropriate business structure) may never have to pay Capital Gains […]

If you are thinking of buying a Service Station, you should consider if the Service Station is Metro or Regional – and which option offers the best returns  The location of a Service Station will likely be first on your list since the direction of traffic flow indicates if the Service Station is the nearest […]

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 must learn new laws […]

PREDICTABLE TRENDS IN BUSINESS SALES How does buyer demand for businesses change over each year? For more than 25 years Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations has measured trends in demand for small businesses. Demand rises and falls in a predictable way, and through mapping the monthly rates of buyer enquiry over the 20+ years we […]

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 rent. […]

Common terms used in business and what they mean. It does not matter what industry you work in, there always seems to be that inside language, the lingo which is usually spoken in acronyms. I am often asked (mainly by first time buyers or sellers) to clarify acronyms within our Business Broking industry, which in […]

Business owners must have three separate business plans; A Business Plan A Marketing Plan An Exit Plan Do you have all three? The first plan to prepare should be the Exit Plan. Remember to start with the end in mind and work back from there. BUSINESS PLAN A Business Plan allows the owners and shareholders […]

Owning a business can be hard. Business ownership can provide great rewards, but it can be stressful and challenging. The thing is that it can be unrelenting, and eventually business owners will run out of …….. zest, passion, excitement, and drive… or “mojo” – unless something is done. Proactive action is the key. Don’t lose […]

“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 (look it up) and […]

Did you know that Benchmark sells hundreds of businesses every year? In fact we have just passed the 5,000 sales mark. As a result we have accumulated an unparalleled wealth of historical sales data on business transactions Australia wide. Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations has many specialty divisions including Supermarket Sales, Childcare Sales, Hospitality Sales, […]

HOW BUSINESS BROKERS ADD VALUE TO THE SALE PROCESS If business owner wants to maximize the price, they will receive they should trust the process to an experienced specialist business broker and focus on what they do best – running the business. There are 5 good reasons to use a broker: CONFIDENTIALITY Many business owners […]

Evidence, Methodology & Transparency 3 Essential Elements to ensure a Business Will Sell – Evidence, Methodology & Transparency Evidence – Buyers are only interested in the evidence. Why? That is all that matters, the facts, what is transparent, and what is measured and what is declared. Many times I find a Seller is trying to sell their business […]

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 […]

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 […]

As a business owner, retirement isn’t just about stepping away from your career—it’s about transitioning from managing your business to enjoying the life you’ve worked hard to build. For many, retirement planning becomes more pressing in their 50s, especially if you’re thinking about winding down or selling your business. While preparing for retirement opens up […]

Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations State of Market Download Q2 2025 Report  

Use these 17 tips prior to engaging a business broker and you could save time, money and the possible disruption to your business.   We often meet with business sellers who have been given the complete “run around” by salespeople who really has no intention (or clue on how) to sell a business and they […]

Buying a Business? Don’t make these mistakes We often think back to those early days in business, and ponder what would have happened if we knew back then what I know now. Here are 10 lessons that we wish that we had learned before we started!! Here we go: Lesson 10. It is going to be […]

Stamp or transfer duty is a tax levied towards business and property sales. When you purchase a business or property, transfer duty is calculated based on the value of the business or the price you paid and must be paid by the buyer. Transfer duty is in place across all of Australia, but the criteria […]

Transfer or stamp duty is a charge levied when you purchase a property, land, or business. Across Australia, each state and territory has different rules and requirements for stamp duty, making it tricky to know when you need to pay stamp duty as part of a business purchase. Victoria has recently overhauled their stamp duty […]

Transfer duty, or stamp duty, is a levy placed on the purchase of property and businesses across Australia. The levy varies depending on your state, with most states charging your stamp duty based on the cost of the sale or the value of the business, including its assets. Knowing how much stamp duty you need […]

Transfer duty, or stamp duty, is paid when you purchase property or businesses, with a percentage of the value being paid as stamp duty when your sale is completed. The rules for stamp duty vary depending on your state and territory, with specific rules in New South Wales. Recent changes to transfer duty have seen […]