SELLING TO AN ENTREPRENEUR WHO STAYS
You spent decades building a team that counts on you, customers who trust your name, and a reputation that means something in your community. Walking away from that is not a simple decision, and it shouldn't be. SMEVentures finds one person to take over your business. Not a corporation or a private equity fund. A single entrepreneur who will buy it, run it full-time, and be there on Monday morning, every Monday morning, for years. They are not coming in to rebrand it, relocate it, or strip it for parts. They are looking for one business to run for the next decade. Your team stays. Your customers stay. Your name stays on the door.
We have completed five acquisitions across Australia and New Zealand. Every one of those businesses is still operating under the entrepreneur who took over. The staff stayed on. The customers did not notice a thing. If you have been quietly thinking about what comes next, we are happy to have a conversation. There is no obligation and no timeline. When you are ready, not before.
Training organisation, Victoria. Rob took over in 2021. Still operating under Rob today.
Manufacturing, AU & NZ. Jason took over in 2024. The full team stayed on.
Manufacturing, Victoria. Stijn took over in 2025. Business as usual from day one.
WHY OWNERS CHOOSE US
Every business our entrepreneurs have acquired is still operating under the leader who took it over. The teams stayed on. The customers did not notice a thing. No business has been rebranded, relocated, or broken apart. We are selective about who we back, and we stay involved long after the handover to make sure the transition holds. Owners trust us because we have done this before, and they can talk to the people we have done it with.
Meet the entrepreneurs
You do not need to have anything figured out before reaching out. There is no paperwork and no commitment. Here is what the first conversation usually looks like.
We talk about your business, what you have built, and what matters to you. Nothing is written down. Nothing is shared.
If it feels right, we introduce you to an entrepreneur whose background and values match your business. You decide whether to keep talking.
The handover happens on your timeline. We stay involved after completion to make sure the business keeps running the way you built it.
ROUGH TIMELINE
From first conversation to completed handover, typically 6 to 12 months. Every situation is different, and nothing moves faster than you are comfortable with.
Curious what your business is worth today?
SMEVENTURES · ANZ BUSINESS OWNERS
A 4-minute read of your business through the eyes of a buyer like us. We buy and operate ANZ businesses from retiring owners. You'll see where a business like yours tends to land in today's market, and what's pulling your number higher or lower.
Start →Results are directional, based on recent ANZ deal benchmarks. This is not a formal valuation and should not be used as one. A proper valuation uses comparable recent transactions in your specific sub-sector and is produced by a qualified broker or M&A advisor.
We find one entrepreneur to buy and run your business long-term. We handle the introductions and the transition, and we stay involved after the handover. The entrepreneur we match you with will understand your industry and your region, and they will meet your team before anything is agreed.
Private equity firms typically buy to consolidate, restructure, or flip. Our entrepreneurs buy one business to run for a decade. They move in, work the business, and protect what you built.
Introductions to qualified entrepreneur-buyers, transaction structuring, and post-handover continuity. We are not a broker. We work alongside your existing advisers, not instead of them.
The handover happens over months, not a single day. We support both sides through the transition. You stay involved as long as you want to, and the entrepreneur ramps up at the right pace for your team.
Profitable, established, owner-managed businesses with AUD $5M to $50M revenue and AUD $2M to $7M EBITDA. Asset-light service businesses in Australia or New Zealand. We have a more detailed criteria list on our Advisors page.