Selling a business is one of the most significant financial and emotional decisions a person can make. For many vendors, their business is not just an asset — it’s a deeply personal creation. It represents years (or decades) of risk, resilience and relentless hard work. So, when it comes time to sell, the emotional weight can surprise even the most rational and well-prepared owners.

In business sales, one of the biggest mistakes a seller can make is entering into negotiations with a single buyer in isolation.

As experienced brokers in Australia, my team and I are always amazed at the misconceptions that some vets have about the process of buying and selling a practice. In this series of articles, we thought we would address some of the more commonly heard and persistent seller misconceptions that we hear:

As experienced vet practice brokers in Australia, my team and I are always amazed at the misconceptions that some vets have about the process of buying and selling a practice. In this series of articles, we thought we would address some of the more commonly heard and persistent misconceptions that we hear from sellers:

My team and I are always amazed at the misconceptions that some veterinarians have about the process of buying and selling a practice. In this article, we thought we would address some of the more commonly heard and persistent misconceptions that practice buyers have:

When your practice has been stable, or on a growth trajectory for the past few years, it’s easy to start believing that it will always be like this. That tomorrow will always be the same as today and next year will be like this year. It is easy to start believing that the strength of your practice, and its valuation if put to market, is secure into the future. 

You’ve asked around and you know how much it would cost to build your practice from scratch. 

When purchasers put forward offers to buy a practice, they will sometimes make a request like the following with their offer: 

Understanding the tax implications of a practice sale is essential in determining the net proceeds you’ll take home. We frequently receive inquiries about the taxes payable on the purchase and sale of a business. 

One of the most common questions that we get from people when they hear what we do is: