Kevin Koton has been a part of the PSS family for many years, bringing humour, warmth and enthusiasm into every interaction he has. We consistently get fantastic feedback from our sellers and buyers about him, but what do people really know about the man behind the deals?
Where is he from? What does he do in his spare time? and did he really know Henry Schein (the man behind the company)? We decided to interview Kevin to give our clients a chance to get to know him a little better.
Q1. Where were you born and when did you arrive in Australia?
A1. I was born in Johannesburg South Africa in 1962. I emigrated with my wife and 3 kids to Australia in July 1998. One of the best decisions I ever made.
Q2: How did you get into business broking?
A2. I had just sold my retail business and was looking for something totally different, when a mutual acquaintance introduced me to Simon Palmer. We hit it off straight away, and I instinctively felt that business brokering, especially as it would be such a client-facing role (I am a people person, and loved the idea of bringing together sellers and buyers and finding a deal that would leave both parties happy), was something I could naturally do. It’s been almost 7 years and I haven’t looked back – I like to think there was a little bit of fate involved…
Q3. You have a dental family background is that correct?
A3. Yes that is correct , my dad is a dentist in South Africa. He is 85 years old and still practices 4 half days per week. I have many fond memories of spending lots of my early days at the surgery. I also have my brother-in-law who is a periodontist in Los Angeles.
Q4. I hear that you have an unusual claim to fame in this industry in that your father knew Henry Schein (the founder of the consumable company) quite. well. Tell us about that.
A4. My dad studied Endodontics in Boston many years ago. He needed supplies and contacted Henry Schein. At that point, Henry (the man not the company) was just starting out, my parents became good friends with Henry and his wife. When I was a kid he came to South Africa and they came to visit us at our home and when we travelled to the US we had dinner with them. I still have a handwritten letter from Henry to my dad.
Q5. Coming from South Africa, have you noticed any big differences between their dental industry and the Australian dental industry?
A5. The South African dental industry is very strictly controlled by the Medical Aids, not many people can afford private dental treatment, making fees very low. There is also no market to sell your practice when the time is right. The South African banks do not understand funding Goodwill and, as a result, dentists just close down or sell their equipment to a new dentist.
Q6. What do you like about being a business broker?
A6. I love meeting new people and interacting with them. I have been very fortunate that through my dealings with both buyers and sellers, I have made some great friendships. It is extremely rewarding when a deal is concluded and you have a happy seller and an excited buyer with a bright future ahead of them.
Q7. What has surprised you the most about being a business broker?
A7. No two deals are the same. I have had to call on my years of life experience at times to act as psychologist or advisor when the going gets tough.
Q8. What do you like to do outside of work?
A8. I am keen golfer and am a member at St Michael’s in Sydney. I have a passion for Single Malt whisky, which I love sharing whenever I can. I am also the president of my son’s football club and I always look forward to watching games on the weekend, especially when my son is playing.
Q8. Tell us something that people would be surprised to learn about you.
A8. I love cooking, but due to lack of time, most of it involves making meals on the BBQ. During Covid, I bought myself a smoker. It has been lots of fun learning the different smoking methods and I think (not sure what others would say) that I have now mastered smoked beef ribs and hot smoked salmon…still working on the brisket!
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