The best time is before you have to
Many owners sell because something forces them to: their health, a partner's health, burnout, or a bad year. A forced sale is a weaker sale. There is less time to find the right buyer, less room to say no, and the business may already be slipping because the owner is running out of steam.
Nikita started PPR after seeing this happen too often. Owners stayed longer than they wanted to, or the business was simply wound down because there was no clear path forward. That is why we exist.
Signs it may be time
- You think about it often, even if you haven't said it out loud.
- The business is going well, and the last few years are strong.
- Your energy for the hard days isn't what it was.
- None of your family wants to take it on. See my kids don't want the business.
- You'd like to see it handed over properly while you can still help.
- Most of what you own is tied up in the business, and you'd like some of it out.
Signs it may be worth waiting
- You've just had a weak year for a reason that has passed. Buyers look at where the business is heading, so a strong year or two behind you helps.
- A big contract or change is about to land and will show in the results soon.
- The business depends on you for almost everything, and a year spent building up your second in charge would make it easier to hand over.
- You aren't ready, and you know it. That is a real reason, and it's fine.
What about tax?
Tax timing matters, but it shouldn't be the only reason to sell. Capital gains tax rules can change, and changes have been announced that are not yet law. Ask your accountant how the current rules, and anything announced, apply to you before you decide anything. This is general information, not tax advice.
Letting go is the hard part
For many owners, the hardest question isn't money. It's who they are without the business, and what Monday morning looks like.
It helps to picture your next chapter before you sell, not after. More time with family, more travel, more golf, a project you've put off. And letting go doesn't have to mean disappearing. With us, how the handover works depends on your goals and the needs of the business, and we map it out together. If your priority is a fast exit, we'll support you.
How long it takes once you decide
On the open market, advisers commonly quote 6 to 12 months for a sale. With us, from the moment we make you an offer and you accept it, the process typically takes 60 to 90 days to complete, and you'll have our written offer within two weeks of our first conversation. See what to expect when you sell to us.
But the decision can take as long as you need. We're very happy to speak with you for a year or more before anything formal starts. You decide when the time is right. Until then, there is no obligation, and the conversation costs you nothing.
What it looked like at CMR
Peter Bourke opened CMR Recycling in Mackay in 2010 with a small shed, a weighbridge and one truck, and built it into a yard the region relies on. At 74, he wanted to step back while the business was going well. Closing the gate was never an option.
These days Peter still drops in most weeks for a cuppa with his son Ronnie and the team. The rest of the time he is on the golf course.