Australia’s Business Brokers

John O , 25 Jul 2019 “Sylvia has been totally professional, knowledgeable and there at every twist and turn. We had a number of problems along the way and each time Sylvia kept the sale on track and took action to get the deal done. At times our emotions got the better of us but  Sylvia made us feel that we were in safe hands. Sylvia, actually found a buyer quickly for our Salon and we settled within 4 months, the purchaser is the perfect fit for my Skin Clinic, allowing me to walk away with confidence and knowing my clients will be in good hands. I strongly recommend Benchmark Salon Sales." Benchmark Business Sales and Valuations

"This is the second time buying a business through Benchmark and I returned to them because John is an experienced broker that knows the buying process and has delivered for me in the past. This time we hit quite a few difficulties but John was able to assist in getting the job done. Good to have you on board again." - Nilay Bhagat | 06 Feb 2020 John Kasapi receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. John really prides himself on offering his clients exceptional customer service, combined with his wealth of sales and industry knowledge. He has “been there and done that”, as he has owned his own business, and he has worked in many top salons around the world – and has experienced everything this industry has to offer. Get to know more about John Kasapi and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. John Kasapi is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

"John you are an absolute champ! Thanks for all your help mate. You really went above and beyond helping me with leasing and negotiable lower rental and even a cracking fitout contribution amount. I will be calling you for the next one." John Kasapi receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. John Kasapi specialises in the sale of hair and beauty salons across all states in Australia. He has more than 15 years of experience working in the hair and beauty industry – so he really knows and understands the industry and the marketplace much better than most. Get to know more about  John Kasapi and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. John Kasapi is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

J. Hoppe , 13 Dec 2018 ” I first met Michael from Benchmark Business after I made a phone call to enquire about Benchmark Business, systems and ended up making an appointment to meet with Michael, that was in August 2013. Michael travelled from Brisbane to Toowoomba to meet with me and I was able to find out what he thought he could to sell our business and he found out all he could about our business, my husband, myself and why we wanted to sell. I was quite impressed with what Michael thought he could do to sell our business but I had to convince my husband to go with him as after having a couple of not so good experiences with other big name brokers and feeling ripped off he was very hesitant. Michael was persistent and rang me on average every two months for a chat and to see how we were going and did not pressure me at all. I got so used to his calls if he missed ringing I would ring him and touch base as I did not want to lose contact with him as I felt I could trust him to do the right thing when we were ready to list our business. Early in 2015 we were ready to list the business and property for sale so Michael came and met with my husband Graham and myself and everything went from there, there was only a small fee for the putting together of the business information memorandum for prospective buyers to view, this I felt he had done a great job putting together, the information in it was spot on. There were a few interesting enquiries and many discussions with Michael and I always felt comfortable with him and knew he understood where I was coming from so trust was growing for both of us then in the end of March and early April thing started to get interesting with lots of information going back and forth for several interested parties and by June we thought we had a buyer but then they backed away just before settlement in July, what a disappointment for us and Michael as we had worked so hard. Michael followed up with another party that had shown quite good interest and with lots more to-ing and throwing of information and much patience from both Michael and ourselves we finally got an offer we were happy with and accepted and things progressed from there and Contracts were signed and our business was sold on the 4th of December 2015. During 2015, our eldest daughter was seriously ill and I had to spend many months in Cairns caring for her, which made it very hard at times, but Michael always asked how she was and how I was coping and offered great support, this I greatly appreciated. During the time spent working with Michael over two years to achieve a successful sale, I felt we had built a bond of respect, trust and honest with each other and a friend ship had formed between us which I hope continues for many years. I am thankful I went with my gut feelings and put my trust in Michael of Benchmark Business. ” Yours sincerely J. Hoppe

ReGroup Solutions , 12 Aug 2020 Ian’s client was a director who had been in business for 51 years as cladding contractor. The Company had up to 100 employees working from owned factory premises and on-site at large commercial building sites nationally. The Director had been thinking of succession and made contact with Ian to investigate the sales potential of his long-standing and reputable business. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis struck and the Company’s supply chain was severely impacted. The Director sought the advice of a registered liquidator, who recommended external administration. The Director’s hopes of achieving a positive sale quickly diminished and the position with the bank meant there was now a serious risk he would lose his family home.  Operating nationally, Benchmark has a huge database of prospective buyers and Ian had already generated significant genuine interest by drafting an impressive Information Memorandum and selectively negotiating with several key interested parties. Ian was concerned over the liquidator’s advice to his Client. The Director was being pressured into placing the company into voluntary administration (which Ian could see was premature and too drastic). Ian had identified his Client’s potential and felt that any insolvency procedure would unnecessarily destroy the company’s goodwill and asset values.  ReGroup Solutions would like to give a huge thanks to Ian for referring his client, the Director, to us for a second opinion. After conducting our preliminary analysis, ReGroup Solutions advised the Director on his capacity to utilise the ‘insolvency safe harbour’ under section 588GA. The new legislation, effective since September 2017, provides directors with protection from insolvent trading personal liability whilst they explore a range of restructuring and turnaround strategies. This enabled the Director to continue trading his business so that a ‘going concern’ sale could still be actively pursued by Ian. This meant Ian could still maximise the outcome for his Client by continuing his strategic negotiations.  ReGroup Solutions provided initial crisis management advice and then proceeded to investigate the various restructuring and turnaround options with the Director. The insolvency Safe Harbour provided the director with breathing space and enabled Ian Haggerty to continue his negotiating with key interested parties. The team at ReGroup Solutions worked closely with Ian Haggerty throughout the entire process – despite being an extremely complex matter, made worst by the COVID crisis, we’re delighted to say that Ian successfully negotiated a tremendous outcome for his Client!   Ian lead the way in agreeing a sale of his Client’s business, assets and the large factory premises. This not only meant the majority of workforce kept their jobs but the indebtedness to the bank could also be fully satisfied. The Director’s home was no longer at risk and Ian’s Client stands to walk away with potential surplus of $1.5m. The deal stands to return 100c in the dollar to trade creditors. Ian even secured his client a two year consultancy position with the purchaser - and at an exceptional rate! Ian’s Client can now take a well-deserved step back, with his impeccable reputation intact.   On a personal level, it was an absolute pleasure collaborating with a skilled negotiator such as Ian. The very purpose of the insolvency Safe Harbour is to help the director find a ‘better outcome’ for all stakeholders by utilising a skilled team of professionals. In this particular case, Ian was able to get an outstanding outcome for his Client on multiple levels. This was despite the extremely difficult and volatile market conditions.  Congratulations to Ian Haggerty on what has ended up being a landmark Safe Harbour win for his Client! Ian Haggerty receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. Ian was the Managing Director/Owner of Pipe Shield, a specialised pipeline inspection, maintenance, rehabilitation company. Ian sold his business to Veolia. He has also worked internationally for companies such as Trafalgar Water Inc., where he was a consultant to a number of North American companies within the utilities, services and water industries where his main role of operations was in mergers and acquisitions, consolidation proposals, market analysis, securing funding for growth, and new technology introduction and acceptance. Get to know more about Ian Haggerty and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. Ian Haggerty is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

Catherine McLoughlan, 29 August 2021 - Michael was invaluable in the process of selling our property. His enthusiasm and professionalism ensured that our property was presented positively to prospective buyers and he efficiently dealt with any problems that arose. Michael was always approachable and listened to any input that we had regarding the sale. We would recommend Michael and the Benchmark team to anyone selling commercial properties. Michael Vitullo receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. Michael Vitullo is a Fellow of CPA, and a member of the AIBB (Australian Institute of Business Brokers) with over 30 years’ experience in a diverse range of senior management roles in various industries. With his knowledge and success in business, he offers genuine opportunities for both sellers and buyers to realise their goals and targets. Michael believes buying and selling business is about trust, professionalism, communication, transparency and the art of creating possibilities. Get to know more about Michael Vitullo and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. Michael Vitullo is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

"We initially tried to buy a business which in the end the seller didn’t want to sell, we thought this was crazy but John referred us onto a new one that came on the market and this one worked out to be a better fit. It was an absolute delight in chatting to John during our salon hunt and he guided us so professionally throughout the entire time and now my partner has her dream salon. Thanks again and good luck with the cricket." - James Polland | 11 Sep 2019 John really prides himself on offering his clients exceptional customer service, combined with his wealth of sales and industry knowledge. He has “been there and done that”, as he has owned his own business, and he has worked in many top salons around the world – and has experienced everything this industry has to offer. receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. John really prides himself on offering his clients exceptional customer service, combined with his wealth of sales and industry knowledge. He has “been there and done that”, as he has owned his own business, and he has worked in many top salons around the world – and has experienced everything this industry has to offer. Get to know more about John Kasapi and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. John Kasapi is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

" We found them so helpful all the way through the sale which took quite a while and required a lot of changes from the buyer. Keith communicated with us and kept us up to date with the sale the whole time. The team were great help with guidelines on forms and emails that needed to go to our solicitor to keep the sale on track. Keith helped me through many issues and his knowledge was amazing on what we needed to move forward with. Keith was one of the most professional people I have ever worked with and would recommend him and Benchmark to any of my business associates when selling. Thank you to Benchmark and your team it was hard going but with you having our backs we got there." - Sandi and Roy Koops | 11 Dec 2021 Keith Brewster receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. When it comes to putting a sale together that works for all parties, his principles are: Transparency. Doing business honestly and transparently, is in his words; “the only way to go, anything else is too stressful” Communications As a communicator Keith is clear, concise and frank. He makes sure everyone is in the loop and maintains a clear focus on the needs of each party. Enthusiasm and Positivity Keith knows that enthusiasm and positivity are essential ingredients of sales success and he has both in spades. Customer Care For Keith looking after the needs of his clients comes first and foremost in everything he does.  He has a long track record of facilitating sales built on a foundation of customer care. Get to know more about Keith Brewster and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. Keith Brewster is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

Gino , 05 Feb 2020 Bought the salon through Nikki a year or so ago and decided that I would go back to my old career, so contacted Nikki for her help in selling it. She helped with all the negotiations with the buyer and made the whole thing go smoothly. She sold the salon in a matter of weeks! Benchmark Salon Sales

"It’s amazing that Ashmore Carpets was sold the first time around over 20 years ago. Bruce did a great job then and we knew he was the person to contact when we decided to sell again. Once we listed the business with Benchmark and met Keith, we knew it was only a matter of time until he found the right buyers. From the beginning, we were very impressed with Keith’s professionalism and attention to detail. Nothing was too much trouble. His positive attitude and experience with dealing with obstacles that occurred, such as the buyers obtaining a new lease were second to none. He was always contactable and always followed up every step of the sale process. If anyone is considering selling their business, large or small, we would thoroughly recommend Keith and the team at Benchmark Business. Thank you again Keith. It was a pleasure working with you and best wishes for the future."  - Alan and Donna Weatherall | July 2021 Keith Brewster receives another Benchmark Business Sales Review. Keith has an enviable reputation at Benchmark, built upon these principles. Testimonials and Google reviews from both buyer and sellers attest that this is what his clients can expect. He has a thorough understanding of the sales processes for business sales of both small to large businesses, across many sectors, with a principal focus on sales in the automotive sector. Away from work Keith enjoys long distance bike rides, fun runs and is a regular gym junkie. He enjoys a wine with social tennis, whilst at the same trying to keep the ball between the white lines. Get to know more about Keith Brewster and his accomplishments by clicking the "View Profile" button below. Additionally, you can read other Benchmark Business Sales Testimonials from the "Broker" section above. Keith Brewster is a business broker at Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.