Trust is one of the most powerful yet underestimated forces in business sales.
Having lived and done business in both China and Australia, I’ve seen firsthand how differently people view trust — and how much it impacts the outcome of every transaction.
For many business owners with Chinese backgrounds, a lack of trust is often the biggest barrier to doing business. It’s understandable. Years of complex business environments can make people cautious, sometimes even skeptical. But in Australia, where the business environment is more regulated and transparent, trust plays an entirely different role — it becomes the foundation that allows deals to move forward smoothly.
I still remember one client years ago who wanted to visit my home before paying a deposit, just to ensure my brokerage wasn’t a shell company. I laughed and politely declined. He laughed too — and then made the payment immediately. That small moment reflected the delicate balance between doubt and trust.
More recently, a buyer wanted to “try running a supermarket for three months” before deciding whether to purchase it, fearing that the seller’s numbers might not be genuine. Although I fully understood his concern, I had to explain that such arrangements simply don’t work in Australia — legally or practically. Ultimately, deals built on uncertainty are rarely worth pursuing.
In contrast, last weekend, a buyer flew in from New Zealand to inspect a business. After reviewing the documents and having a few phone discussions, she met the seller, confirmed her decision on the spot, signed an agreement that afternoon, and paid the deposit the next day.
It was one of those rare, seamless transactions — not because the process was simple, but because there was trust. Both buyer and seller placed their confidence in me to handle everything fairly. They may not have read every line of the agreement in detail, but they trusted me to act in their best interest. That level of trust comes with responsibility — and it’s something I never take lightly.
A few days later, while finalising another agreement, I asked a young restaurant owner:
“What do you think is the biggest value a business broker brings?”
He replied, “Getting the deal done.”
I smiled and said, “Not quite — it’s building trust.”
That moment stayed with me. Because while completing a deal is important, what truly makes it possible is trust — between broker, buyer, and seller.
In every transaction, trust is the invisible currency that holds everything together. It takes integrity, transparency, and empathy to earn it — but once you have it, the entire process flows naturally.
As brokers, our ultimate role isn’t just to connect buyers and sellers — it’s to connect trust.
