Should You Use a Business Broker to Sell Your Business? Here’s the Real Story

July 21, 2025

Understanding the Risks and the Rewards of Working with a Business Broker

Why you should not use a business broker.

I have just googled “Why you should not use a business broker”. Here is what Google said:

 

While business brokers can be helpful in selling a business, there are some reasons why some business owners choose not to use them. These include high fees and commissions, potential conflicts of interest, and the possibility of a longer sale timeline. Additionally, some owners prefer to maintain more control over the sale process. 

 

Here's a more detailed look at the potential drawbacks:

 

1. Cost:  Business brokers typically earn a commission based on the final sale price, which can range from 5% to 10% or more. This can be a significant expense, especially for smaller businesses or those with complex sales. 


2. Conflicts of Interest: Brokers are motivated to sell the business to earn their commission, which may lead to them prioritizing a quick sale over getting the best possible price or terms for the seller. 


3. Less Control:  When using a broker, sellers relinquish some control over the sale process, including marketing strategies, buyer selection, and negotiation tactics. 


4. Longer Sale Timeline:  While brokers can streamline certain aspects, their involvement can also add steps and potentially slow down the process, especially if they have many clients or if the broker is not experienced in the specific industry. 


5. Misaligned Incentives: A broker's primary goal is to close a deal, which might not always align with the seller's best interests or long-term goals. 


6. Lack of Confidentiality:  While brokers are expected to maintain confidentiality, there's always a risk that information could leak, potentially affecting employees, customers, or suppliers. 


7. Over-reliance on Valuation: Some brokers might inflate the initial valuation to secure the listing, which can lead to disappointment if the business doesn't sell at that price. 


8. Not a Guarantee of Success: Brokers can't guarantee a sale, even with their best efforts. They also can't sell a business that is inherently difficult to sell. 


Why Business Owners Should Use a Business Broker

Selling a business is a significant event, potentially life-changing for many owners. While concerns about cost, control, or timeline exist, leveraging a professional business broker offers distinct advantages that can lead to a faster sale and a better price. Here’s how business brokers directly address and counteract the concerns raised:

 

1. Maximising Sale Price and Value

  • Expert Valuation: Brokers have in-depth industry knowledge and access to market data, ensuring your business is neither undervalued nor overpriced. This attracts serious buyers and maximises your sale price.
  • Strategic Preparation: Brokers help owners identify ways to increase business value before the sale, such as improving financials and highlighting unique selling points.

 

2. Access to Qualified, Serious Buyers

  • Vast Networks: Brokers maintain broad databases and established relationships with qualified buyers, private equity, strategic buyers, and high-net-worth individuals, who may never see a private or DIY listing. This increases competition and the likelihood of obtaining the best price in a shorter timeframe.
  • Buyer Screening: Brokers vet and qualify buyers, ensuring that only those who have the financial strength and intent to purchase advance in the process, reducing time wasted on unqualified leads.

 

3. Professional Marketing and Confidentiality

  • Targeted Marketing: Brokers use proven marketing channels and techniques to present your business at its absolute best, often reaching a targeted audience quickly and discreetly.
  • Maintaining Confidentiality: Brokers use NDAs, confidential listings and act as intermediaries to ensure sensitive information is only released to serious, vetted buyers—protecting employees, clients, and the reputation of your business throughout the process.
  • When to Tell Staff: Qualified experienced business brokers know how and when to manage the communication with staff in the most professional and efficient manner.

 

4. Efficient, Streamlined Process

  • Time Savings: Managing a business sale is complex and time-consuming. Brokers facilitate due diligence, coordinate paperwork, and manage negotiations, allowing owners to focus on running and maintaining the business’s value rather than getting bogged down by procedural details.
  • Faster Sale Timeline: Professional brokers often accelerate the timeline by efficiently handling buyer enquiries and negotiation hurdles, using their experience to keep deals progressing and resolve issues before they derail the process.

 

5. Skilled Negotiation and Deal Structuring

  • Experienced Negotiators: Brokers act as objective, skilled negotiators, aiming for terms that benefit you, not just a quick sale. Their compensation depends on a successful outcome, so they are motivated to secure the best price and conditions.
  • Customised Deal Strategies: They understand tax implications, seller financing, and deal structure options, which can significantly impact your net proceeds and the likelihood of closing.

 

6. Reducing Owner Stress and Risk

  • Less Emotional Strain: Selling a business can be emotionally taxing. Brokers provide objective guidance and keep negotiations professional, reducing emotional conflicts or missteps that can cost money or kill a deal.
  • Mitigating Sale Risks: With experience identifying and addressing common deal-breakers, brokers are more likely to see the sale through to closing compared to owners handling the process alone.

 

7. Boosting the Odds of a Successful Sale

  • Higher Closure Rates: Statistics show that businesses sold via brokers are more likely to reach a successful closing, thanks to structured processes and expert problem-solving.

 

In summary:
Hiring a professional business broker is not about relinquishing value or control; it’s about optimising both. Their expertise, networks, and focus on efficiency are designed to help you achieve the best price in the shortest possible time while reducing stress, maintaining confidentiality, allowing you to focus on daily business operations, and maintaining confidentiality.


Thinking of Selling Your Business? Let’s Talk.


With decades of experience and hundreds of successful business sales, Bruce Coudrey and the team can guide you through every step of the process.


Get in touch today for a confidential discussion and expert advice on how to achieve the best outcome when it’s time to move on.


📞 Call Bruce on 0413 728 400 or
📩
Send an enquiry via the contact form here

July 9, 2025
Practical Ways to Make Your Business More Attractive to Buyers
Small Business Exit Strategic Planning
June 30, 2025
Small Business Exit Strategic Planning
June 23, 2025
You Can’t Run a Great Business if You’re Running on Empty
June 10, 2025
Timing is one of the most critical factors in achieving a successful business sale.
June 9, 2025
Three Ways Business Owners Profit from Their Business
exit planning for small business
June 4, 2025
You Should Sell When You Want To,  Not When You Have To
By Bruce Coudrey August 17, 2021
The Business Lifecycle comprises: 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 before proceeding: Pro's and Cons of the industry Business Planning Marketing strategy Registration and licence requirements Name registrations (including ASIC and Domains) Tax Structures and Asset Protection Workplace Health and Safety Tax Office Compliance Intellectual Property / Trade Marks Insurances – Prof Indemnity, Contents/Building, Public Liab, Workcover, Life, Income protection, Key Man Finance & cash flow requirements Staff and employment requirements and obligations Fixed and Variable expenses, break even analysis Management and reporting systems. Operations and Improvement Sound business operations require the right foundations. This means access to accurate numbers and key measurements in a timely manner so you know what is happening in the business at any point in time. Business owners must be able to regularly review and monitor performance, and make changes quickly. Three main areas for business improvement are: Increasing Gross Profit margins Reducing overheads, and Growing sales. Regular meetings, monitoring and implementation of your strategies enable you to quickly see improvements to your profits. Many businesses fail because of a lack of planning. It is imperative that business owners manage, monitor and measure business performance to know where changes can be made, and to see that business plans are working. Wealth Management What is wealth? To be wealthy simply means you can afford your lifestyle, now, and into the future. Business owners should manage their affairs to grow and build wealth. They should also aim at reducing their input into the business and ultimately retiring. Exit There are many ways that this can be achieved. A succession plan or exit strategy will help your business transition smoothly to the new owner – and derive more value. It clearly outlines your timeframe, expected sales value and who your targeted purchaser is. It is highly recommended to plan your exit early, the sooner the better. That way, you have time on your side to maximise the value of your business for sale. Once your timeline is set you can then clearly set measurable targets to reach your business’s full sale potential. It’s also important to know who your targeted purchaser is, being your family, an investor, a new working owner or your business team. There are many different strategies and planning solutions depending on your ideal purchaser… So start planning your exit strategy now! If you’re thinking of selling your business, send an enquiry to admin@benchmarkbusiness.com.au. One of our brokers will be happy to assist you. If you would like more information, please see tips and advice from the ATO here: https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Privately-owned-and-wealthy-groups/Tax-governance/Tax-governance-guide-for-privately-owned-groups/Starting-your-business/
By Bruce Coudrey August 17, 2021
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 have been successful for as variety of reasons, but in the future business ownership will not be as simple or easy as it has been in the past, and therefore business owners need to eliminate a reliance upon luck, and rely upon “science” to find success. In the past many people have approached business ownership like gambling, or the same way that gold prospectors did in the 1800’s around the world…. And while some people were successful, like gold prospectors, many people were unsuccessful. At Benchmark Business Sales we see many business owners every week who operate their business on the “luck” principle, rather than planning the way that the business will operate. If you rely upon good luck for survival, you will eventually be disappointed. Good luck cannot last forever. How do you turn your business success to a science?… and eliminate the reliance upon hard work and good luck? The answer is to take these steps. The first step is to apply research. The second step is to produce a thesis, or a hypothesis The third step is to test the thesis The next step is to implement the plan The last step is to continually measure and test results. Research is the first step in applying a scientific approach to business. Research the market (who are the potential customers and clients), research their habits, their likes and dislikes, produce a “profile” of the type of client or customer that the business will serve. Research competitors, barriers to entry, financial metrics (profit margins, KPI’s, typical operational costs), the future of the venture, ability to recruit and retain staff, .. there is a lot to learn from researching. Once the research is completed and collated it is time to produce a business plan. A Business Plan is like a thesis on how the business should operate. The plan is based upon the facts uncovered in the research phase, and it covers the way the business will operate financially, operationally, and how marketing and advertising will operate. It also provides a clear plan for how the business is to be operated. A plan which could be handed over to anyone, who could implement that plan and run the business. With the plan completed it can be tested. Once the plan is implemented and tested the results can be measured and tested against the research, and the thesis. If the actual operation of the plan produces unexpected results the plan can be altered and tested again…. This is the scientific approach to business ownership and management, and this is the best way to take the risk out of business ownership and operation. Don’t rely upon “luck” for business success. Turn to ‘science’ and make sure that your business isn’t just successful, but your success is sustainable. Read our News Article: Why Business Owners have to grow their Business: https://benchmarkbusiness.com.au/why-business-owners-have-to-grow-their-business Learn how to health check your with and improve your Business with our 8 Tips: https://benchmarkbusiness.com.au/how-to-health-check-your-business
By Bruce Coudrey August 17, 2021
Are you sure that you are ready to own your own business? Are you prepared to do what you need to do? Many people, with all levels of expertise and enthusiasm, don’t take time to make sure that they are ready to be a business owner. Here are a few questions (and tips) that may help you to ensure that you really are ready to “be your own boss”. As a business owner there are things that you must be prepared to do. Here are a few examples of the things that a business owner must be prepared to do: Pay others before yourself Work longer and harder than anyone else (especially your competitors) Only take holidays and leave when it suits the team Pay for great advice Find the best advisors Take time to sit down and make plans (don’t “wing it”) Be prepared to invest in advertising and marketing Get rich slowly Turnover is not as important as “leftover” Know yourself (some people are employers and some are employees) As a business owner you need to be many things. Many talents are required. If you are deficient in any of these areas, you really need to do something about it… You must be: A leader A diplomat A marketer An accountant Have basic legal knowledge A planner and problem solver Have vision for the business Set standards You have to be a “giver” not a “taker” Ask yourself if you are an “employee” – or if you are an employer. If you are not instinctively an employer – business ownership may not be for you. Start a business – or buy an existing business? Many people like the idea of starting a business, rather than acquiring an existing business. I have done both, and I in my experience it is much better to buy a business rather than “starting from scratch”. Really think about the benefits of acquiring an existing business and improving that business – rather than starting a new business. Be prepared for the risks. If you look at the statistics, most people who start a business will fail. Of course failure is not guaranteed, because if it was the world of business and entrepreneurship really would be dead, but the statistics are not encouraging. Almost 70,000 new businesses and start-ups commence operation with great enthusiasm and optimism each year in Australia. Unfortunately, 60 per cent of them will be gone within the first 3 years. The reasons for failure are many, one big reason is failure to address the points listed above. Remember that even a turtle has to stick its neck out to make progress. Business is a risk, and to get the rewards – you must take risks. So take time to critically analyse yourself. Think about your strengths and your weaknesses. Do you have what it takes to be a business owner? What do you need to change to give yourself the best chance of success? Here are some resources that may be helpful https://www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/business-advice/starting-your-business/business-skills https://www.failory.com/blog/startup-failure-rate https://www.asbfeo.gov.au/resources/small-business-counts# https://www.bizfilings.com/toolkit/research-topics/launching-your-business/planning/do-you-have-the-right-stuff-to-run-a-small-business http://www.benchmarkbusiness.com.au