The Adventures of Lee The SME Owner

Lee sat at his desk, tapping his pen against an open notebook. For weeks now, the idea of selling the business had lingered in the back of his mind. It wasn’t that he was ready to walk away just yet, but the thought of eventually stepping back—maybe even completely—was becoming harder to ignore.

But every time he imagined the process of selling, one thing stopped him cold: he had no idea what needed to be done to prepare for it. Sure, he could clean up the books, make sure the accounts were in order, and tidy up the shop, but selling a business was more than just presenting a tidy operation. There were processes, systems, clients, contracts—all things that, to his mind, would need to be in tip-top shape if anyone was going to take over. And he wasn’t sure where to start.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. I’ve never sold a business before. I wouldn’t even know what’s important to a buyer.

It wasn’t like building the business from the ground up, where every step was clear because you could feel your way through it. Selling was different. It felt like stepping into a maze where he didn’t even know what the walls were made of, let alone where the exit might be.

Julie had suggested talking to someone—maybe an advisor of some sort—but Lee had bristled at the idea. Consultants? No thanks. He’d seen what happened when his mate Chris tried that route.

Chris had been trying to sell his small construction business, and it had turned into a disaster. First, the consultant arrived in a shiny sports car that looked more suited for Auckland's high-end districts than for a company yard. The guy had been full of confidence, tossing around jargon like "synergy" and "optimising verticals." None of it made any sense to Lee—or Chris, for that matter.

“I spent the whole meeting feeling like an idiot,” Chris had told him later. “He talked a mile a minute and left me with a bill so high I could’ve bought a whole new ute! And for what? A bunch of fancy charts and not one concrete suggestion.”

Lee had grimaced at the thought of it. He wasn’t going to be caught in the same trap. That consultant had screeched out of Chris’s yard in his fancy car, leaving nothing behind but frustration and an eye-watering invoice. And worst of all, Chris still hadn’t sold his business.

Lee had never forgotten that story. He hated the idea of paying someone to tell him things in words he didn’t understand, only to be left with more questions than answers. He wasn’t one for flashy presentations or buzzwords. What he needed was practical, no-nonsense advice—something grounded in the real world, not in some consultant’s PowerPoint.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realised he couldn’t figure this out on his own. There was so much to consider. The business was a well-oiled machine in many ways, but what about the things he’d never bothered with? The things that buyers would care about, like clear processes, long-term client contracts, or how reliant the company was on him personally?

He grimaced at that last thought. The truth was, the business was still very reliant on him. He was the one with the relationships, the one people called when things went wrong, the one who made the big decisions. Could someone else step into those shoes? And if not, was the business even sellable?

Maybe there was a middle ground—someone who wasn’t a “consultant” in the traditional sense. Maybe he needed an advisor who had actually been through this process before, someone with practical experience, not someone who would roll in with a clipboard and an expense account.

But where would he even find someone like that? He wasn’t part of any business owner networks, and the few people he knew who had sold their businesses had mostly relied on consultants—the very thing he wanted to avoid.

Lee sighed. He was stuck. On the one hand, he didn’t want to go in blind and make a mess of things. On the other hand, the idea of bringing in some flashy, fast-talking consultant made his blood pressure rise.

Maybe he could start by reaching out to someone he trusted. Chris didn’t get it right, but what about Mike? Mike had sold his business a few years back—a small printing company. He wasn’t flashy, and he didn’t strike Lee as the type to be wooed by corporate-speak. He’d kept things simple and practical. Maybe he’d have some advice on how to begin without getting sucked into consultant chaos.

Lee scribbled down a quick note to give Mike a call later that afternoon. It wasn’t a solution yet, but it was a step in the right direction. Maybe Mike could point him to someone, or at least give him an idea of what to expect without all the jargon and high fees.

For now, though, Lee closed his notebook and glanced out the window. The yard was as busy as ever, but in his mind, the wheels were turning. He had options. He just needed to find a way to explore them without getting lost in a world he didn’t understand.

One step at a time, he reminded himself. After all, he wasn’t one to rush into things without a plan. And while he hated the idea of bringing in outside help, Lee knew he needed some guidance—he just had to find the right kind.

And that, as with everything else, would require a bit of thinking.