Bringing Lease Expertise to Business Broking with Fiona Napier
Bringing Lease Expertise to Business Broking with Fiona Napier
Business broking may be a new chapter for Fiona Napier, but her career has always been about supporting businesses to thrive. Now a business broker with Stockbridge Business Brokers, Fiona brings years of commercial property expertise to her work. Her goal is to help business owners get the most value from their businesses.
“I’m excited because I’m new to broking in the sense of being an actual business broker,” Fiona said. “But I’ve been involved in lots of transactions from the other side, as a landlord’s representative dealing with lease assignments when a business was selling.”
That background helps her understand the emotions behind each deal. “I’ve had plenty of experience in what vendors and buyers go through, particularly when there’s a lease involved,” she added.
A Career Grounded in Property
Originally from Melbourne, Fiona began her career in commercial real estate leasing. Later, she moved into shopping centre management at the landmark Chadstone Shopping Centre, then wholly owned by the Gandel family. Here she learned to appreciate the people behind the stores.
“When you work in shopping centres, you end up doing a lot of leasing,” she recalled. “Sixty per cent of the job was supporting retailers through their challenges. If you don’t have successful retailers, you don’t have a successfully trading shopping centre.”
That real-world experience with retailers became the foundation of her career. After relocating to Brisbane, she continued in centre management before launching her own tenant-advocacy business, representing clients in negotiations with landlords.
From Advocate to Broker
Networking has always been part of Fiona’s DNA. As a long-time committee member with her local Chamber of Commerce, she met Stockbridge director Davina Lacey from Stockbridge Business Brokers at an event. Their conversations revealed an opportunity for both of them: few brokers have the leasing expertise needed to manage the process of lease assignments and lease negotiations during business sales.
“Generally brokers leave it to the buyer, the vendor, and their solicitors to work through the lease matters,” Fiona explained. “I started collaborating with Davina as someone who could pull it all together and make life easier for everyone.”
That collaboration soon led to an invitation to join Stockbridge as a broker. “One thing led to another. We had meet-ups, coffees, lunches,” she laughed. “Then Davina said, ‘I think you’d make a great business broker.”
Today, Fiona focuses wholly on broking while drawing on her leasing knowledge to add value for clients. “I’m lucky. The network I built in commercial real estate now knows I’ve added another hat,” she said. “The referrals have been wonderful.”
The Power of the Lease
Lease terms, Fiona believes, can make or break a sale. She routinely checks rent calculations, CPI clauses, and renewal options often uncovering hidden opportunities.
“Many businesses at the point of lease expiry or option renewal start thinking about selling,” she explained. “I’ve helped clients negotiate better terms, even new air conditioners, which instantly adds value.”
Her perfectionism in the details pays off. “I like to unpack everything first, get it clean and sorted, then prepare the business for sale,” she said.
A Memorable Sale
One standout transaction involved a mechanical workshop. The long-time owners were hesitant about a buyer who wasn’t a mechanic, but Fiona arranged a Zoom meeting to let both sides talk through their plans.
“It was enlightening for the vendor to hear how this young fellow could implement systems and scale the business,” she recalled. “By the end, the vendor even wanted to work for him.”
For Fiona, guiding both parties through that learning curve was deeply satisfying. “On paper, it might have been a deal they’d knock back,” she said. “But with conversation and understanding, the owners saw the potential.”
Women Finding Their Place
Fiona is encouraged by the growing number of women entering the business broking sector. She sees clear advantages for clients as well as for the profession.
“Women often place greater emphasis on communication, relationship-building, and trust,” she noted. “That understanding helps secure clients and builds the confidence needed for a successful sale.”
She also observes a shift among business owners themselves. “There are more women running businesses, and many want a broker who understands them,” she said. “Seventy-five per cent of the people I’m talking to are middle-aged women, often part of a husband-and-wife team.”
Still, Fiona believes there’s space for everyone. “Referrals come because people know you’re a good fit, and that applies to men and women,” she added. “There’s room for all of us.”
Giving Back Through Mentoring
Alongside broking, Fiona is expanding her contribution to Queensland’s business community as a mentor in the state government’s Mentoring for Growth program. This program gives eligible Queensland businesses free access to volunteer business experts and helps companies navigate challenges and grow in today's market.
“I’ve just been accepted as a mentor,” she said. “There are about 400 of us around Queensland, all with different skill sets. We work in groups to support businesses, and I’m excited to see where that takes me.”
Looking Ahead
At this stage of her life, Fiona sees her move into business broking as a perfect late-career landing. “I finally feel like I’ve arrived where I need to be,” she reflected. “This is a profession you don’t have to step away from at a certain age. As long as you enjoy talking with people, you can keep going.”
Her goal now is simple: to use her lease expertise, empathy, and network to help owners secure the best possible outcome for their business. Starting fresh in business broking can open doors at any stage of life.
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