Understand the business behind the numbers.
A business transaction can shape your finances, working life and future opportunities for years. Whether you are considering an acquisition or preparing to sell, the most important questions go well beyond the asking price.
At Small Biz Optimize, we help Australian SME owners and prospective buyers assess commercial realities, identify risks and opportunities, and prepare for more informed decisions.
Led by Mahtab Lahijany (Matty), our practical approach draws on experience acquiring, operating, improving and selling businesses — and reviewing acquisition opportunities across different industries.
A good decision depends on what can be demonstrated — not simply what is promised.
Every business has a story. Financial reports tell part of it; operations, customer relationships, people, systems and the owner’s daily involvement tell the rest.
We help you step beyond first impressions and consider how a business actually performs, how transferable that performance may be, and which questions need stronger evidence.
Our role is to make the commercial picture clearer, identify areas requiring specialist review, and support practical next steps.
Know what you are stepping into.
An attractive business listing does not automatically make an attractive investment. Even profitable businesses may depend heavily on their owners, carry hidden operating demands or require further capital after purchase.
Our acquisition assessment support can help you examine:
Revenue patterns, costs, reported earnings, cash flow and the evidence supporting the figures.
Which customer relationships, decisions, licences, processes and capabilities sit with the departing owner.
Key people, suppliers, contracts, workflows, equipment and the resilience of existing systems.
The assumptions that need testing, possible weaknesses and practical opportunities for operational improvement.
Where appropriate, we help you organise findings, frame questions for sellers and advisers, and determine what additional due diligence may be needed before proceeding.
A business that is easier to understand and operate may be easier for a buyer to assess.
Sale readiness begins well before a business is advertised. The quality of documentation, reliability of operations and extent of owner dependency all influence how a prospective buyer perceives value and risk.
We help owners identify improvement priorities such as:
Key people, suppliers, contracts, workflows, equipment and the resilience of existing systems.
Documenting processes, strengthening delegations and making responsibilities clearer.
Understanding business systems, customer concentration, team capability and ongoing commitments.
Prioritising improvements and assembling information for qualified brokers, accountants and legal advisers.
Our aim is to help you understand where the business stands today and what preparation could make a future sale process more orderly.
A structured way to connect facts, judgment and decisions.
Matty developed TBVAM™ to organise the commercial questions that arise when assessing business acquisitions and value. It brings together three connected stages:
What can actually be proven? Review reliable information, identify gaps and distinguish facts from assumptions.
What does the evidence mean? Consider sustainability, owner dependency, operating risks and practical improvement requirements.
What can the evidence reasonably support? Identify a defensible discussion range, transaction considerations and matters requiring specialist advice.
This is a practical commercial assessment framework, not a certified business valuation or a substitute for independent accounting, legal or other regulated professional advice.
Experience matters when commercial decisions have real consequences.
Matty’s approach has developed through direct involvement in business acquisitions, turnarounds and exits.
Acquired an underperforming hospitality business, invested in improvements and new revenue channels, and later sold her ownership interests in two stages for a combined $125,000.
Acquired an established training business through a transaction funded from business cash flow, then reduced overheads, strengthened operations and introduced automation to reduce daily owner involvement.
Reviewed 24 Australian businesses offered for sale over a two-year period, with asking prices from approximately $500,000 to $5 million, examining performance, owner dependency and operational resilience.
Clear questions, careful assessment and practical next steps.
Discuss what you want to achieve, the stage of your transaction and the questions that matter most.
Agree on the advisory scope and identify available evidence, documents and information gaps.
Review the business through operational, financial and owner-dependency lenses at a level appropriate to the engagement.
Summarise material observations, uncertainties, risks and opportunities, and agree on practical next steps.
Where needed, work alongside your accountant, solicitor, licensed business broker or other appropriately qualified advisers.
Each engagement is tailored to its objectives, the information available and the decisions being considered.
Wyndham provides mentoring, workshops, AI training, grants, innovation programs, and capability development.
Businesses needing long-term support often use consulting programs at Small Biz Optimize.
Yes. It is designed for small businesses with no technical experience.
Many SPARK workshops and mentoring sessions are free or low-cost.
Yes. Start-ups have access to mentoring, workshops, planning help, and capability programs.
Owners wanting structured planning can access start-up support from Small Biz Optimize.
Buying, improving or selling a business is a significant decision. You deserve practical questions, sound commercial thinking and a clear view of the risks.
If you are reviewing an acquisition opportunity or considering the future of a business you own, we welcome a conversation about what you need to understand before moving forward.
