In business sales, there is a common misconception:
the smaller the business, the simpler the transaction—and the less effort it requires.
Reality is often the opposite.
For many small business owners, a failed sale doesn’t just mean inconvenience. It means time wasted again and again, emotional energy drained, and sometimes a direct impact on retirement plans and family arrangements.
The transaction value may be modest, but the margin for error is small and the pressure is intense.
That’s why our experience has been consistent:
small businesses often need to be taken more seriously, not handled more casually.
What sellers actually remember
One client shared this after working with us:
After working with three different brokers and still failing to sell our business, we had almost lost hope. Everything changed when we started working with Sinosmart Business Brokers. From the very beginning, their level of professionalism and commitment was clearly different. Violet, in particular, put in more effort and care than all our previous brokers combined. She was proactive, detail-oriented, and stayed with us every step of the way. Thanks to Violet and Barton, we were finally able to complete the sale. We would confidently recommend them to anyone looking for a serious and reliable brokerage team.
What’s notable in this feedback is what wasn’t mentioned.
There was no talk about marketing channels or pricing tactics.
What the seller remembered was whether someone stayed with them, took them seriously, and was willing to walk the entire journey step by step.
And that, more than anything, is what small business owners care about.
A small deal, but an extremely complex one
This reality became especially clear in a regional transaction we recently completed.
The deal involved the transfer of a Donut King franchise in Newcastle.
The transaction value was not large, but the execution was highly complex, involving:
renegotiation and signing of a new lease
coordination of store refurbishment requirements
multiple rounds of communication with head office and the shopping centre
layered approval processes
mandatory training for the buyer in Queensland lasting several weeks
Any single issue could have stalled the entire deal.
During the process, the first buyer withdrew after paying the deposit, overwhelmed by the complexity. We didn’t give up. We restructured the approach, sourced a new buyer, and continued coordinating each moving part.
The seller was of Chinese background, while both buyers were of Indian background. Although English was used throughout, it was not the first language for any party. Even small misunderstandings could easily have derailed progress.
In the end, through joint effort from buyer and seller—and with our continued coordination with head office, the shopping centre, and lawyers—the transaction was completed successfully.
After settlement, I personally drove to Newcastle with flowers to congratulate both parties—wishing the seller well in the next chapter of life, and the buyer success in their new business.
At that moment, one thing became very clear to us:
even the smallest transaction, when treated seriously, is worth every bit of effort.
What this says about how we work
Small businesses are not simple because they are rarely just “assets in a portfolio.”
They are often a family’s livelihood, a life stage, or the closing of a long chapter.
For us, deal size has never dictated effort.
No matter how large or small the business, we hold ourselves to the same standards:
fully understanding the business
carefully managing information disclosure
patient, step-by-step communication
never walking away when things become difficult
We also see a clear market trend:
in many regional and suburban hospitality businesses, buyers are increasingly coming from Indian and Middle Eastern backgrounds, while Chinese and local Australian buyers are no longer the dominant group.
This raises the bar for brokers—not just in language skills, but in patience, judgement, and cross-cultural communication.
Final thoughts
Deals come in different sizes.
Responsibility does not.
For us, being serious is not determined by commission or scale,
but by the choice we make every time we accept a client’s trust.
