As a former accountant and financial planner with almost 50 years in the industry, Allan has a wealth of experience to share. Offering his unique perspective on business, Allan is part of the Bsale writing team.

Published Articles

Don’t Buy a Business Until You’ve Seen Its BAS, PAYG, and Superannuation Payments

Don’t Buy a Business Until You’ve Seen Its BAS, PAYG, and...

Allan Johnson10 December 2024

The headline says it all. Reviewing the tax compliance of any business you are considering as a potential purchase is essential. You must include it as part of your due diligence. Here’s why.  But first, we must make sure we all understand where to... Read More » 3 min read

Does The Cyber Monday Hype Have You Thinking About Buying an E-commerce Business?

Does The Cyber Monday Hype Have You Thinking About Buying an...

Allan Johnson26 November 2024

BFCM is nearly here …  This abbreviation will excite online shoppers (and isn’t that many of us? - it’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales), but what if you are thinking of buying an online business instead of buying from an online... Read More » 3 min read

AIBB Deal Maker: How Jonathon Parker is Dominating Hospitality and Retail in WA

AIBB Deal Maker: How Jonathon Parker is Dominating Hospitality...

Allan Johnson25 November 2024

Winning the prestigious AIBB Deal Maker of the Year for 2024 was a pleasant surprise for Jonathon Parker, a creative business broker in Perth. “It was quite a surprise actually, and at my first AIBB Conference. But it was really good to actually attend the... Read More » 4 min read

Assessing Business Systems and Processes Before You Buy

Assessing Business Systems and Processes Before You Buy

Allan Johnson19 November 2024

Whilst financials are important when buying a business, arguably one of the most important aspects of a business is its systems and how well it operates. Especially when you are buying a business and the current "big boss" is stepping away. You need to know... w... Read More » 3 min read

Does a Business' Debt Matter When Buying a Business?

Does a Business' Debt Matter When Buying a Business?

Allan Johnson12 November 2024

Short answer: YES! But that’s not the end of the story. Read on to get the whole picture. Every business owner knows that debt can cripple a business, so when buying a business, avoiding existing debt is the best outcome. A buyer can acquire a... Read More » 3 min read

What a Depreciation Schedule Means When Buying a Business

What a Depreciation Schedule Means When Buying a Business

Allan Johnson5 November 2024

When buying a business, the financial details can sometimes feel overwhelming, and one term you’ll likely encounter is the depreciation schedule. The good news is that the mechanics of a depreciation schedule are straightforward (see below). However... Read More » 4 min read

Understanding Cash Flow Statements and Their Importance in Business Sales

Understanding Cash Flow Statements and Their Importance in...

Allan Johnson29 October 2024

You know the business is profitable, asset position is strong, and the business is growing, but is it a deal? Maybe, but have you considered the business's cash flow requirements? Before you commit, you need to dissect the cash flow statement. A cash flo... Read More » 2 min read

EBITDA, EBITA, and EBIT: What These Mean and Why Accountants Use Them

EBITDA, EBITA, and EBIT: What These Mean and Why Accountants...

Allan Johnson21 October 2024

The late Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s long-term business partner, is quoted as saying: “Every time you hear EBITDA, just substitute it with ‘bullsh*t’.” Probably a bit harsh!  When used as an analysis tool, EBITDA (and its... Read More » 3 min read

How Can an Accountant Help Sell Your Business?

How Can an Accountant Help Sell Your Business?

Allan Johnson15 October 2024

The decision to sell your business can be an emotional one.  This event is the culmination of your ownership as you “cash in” all the time and dollars you have invested into this business. It also represents a significant change in your life -... Read More » 2 min read

7 Ways Your Accountant Can Help in Due Diligence When Buying a Business

7 Ways Your Accountant Can Help in Due Diligence When Buying a...

Allan Johnson8 October 2024

So you’ve found the ideal business. You’re excited at the prospect of owning it. What now? Before you get too carried away, you must complete the critical due diligence process to make sure you know exactly what you are buying. Having an accountant... Read More » 2 min read

Ray Dye: A Business Broker’s Journey of Trust, Relationships and Realism

Ray Dye: A Business Broker’s Journey of Trust, Relationships...

Allan Johnson30 September 2024

With a career spanning three continents and three unique business environments, Ray Dye brings diverse experiences to his role as a business broker at Ozpax Business Sales. Ray’s family emigrated to Australia from Tanganyika when Ray was relatively young.... Read More » 6 min read

Kathryn Wilkie: The Role of a Business Analyst

Kathryn Wilkie: The Role of a Business Analyst

Allan Johnson22 July 2024

An unwavering passion for client service has driven the career of Kathryn Wilkie, a business analyst at Xcllusive Business Sales in Newcastle. Kathryn started her career in finances in banking. “I loved being able to bring people's finances into lig... Read More » 7 min read

Specialisation Pays Off: Brad Potter's Success in Selling Healthcare Related Practices

Specialisation Pays Off: Brad Potter's Success in Selling Heal...

Allan Johnson20 May 2024

For Brad Potter, a four-time winner of the National Specialist Broker of the Year Award & 2023 Business Broker of the year & Deal Maker of the year, finding a market and becoming an expert in that niche has been a formula for a success in the business broking... Read More » 7 min read

Ray White Commercial to Embrace Business Sales

Ray White Commercial to Embrace Business Sales

Allan Johnson26 March 2024

His varied and exciting career experiences have equipped Brett Buckley of Ray White Business Sales with the knowledge and skills needed to be an outstanding business broker. From leading and managing large private, listed and local government organisations... Read More » 7 min read

Opportunity to Acquire Gilgai Tavern, a Cornerstone in Kalbarri's Community

Opportunity to Acquire Gilgai Tavern, a Cornerstone in Kalba...

Allan Johnson22 February 2024

Situated on the mouth of the Murchison River as it flows into the Indian Ocean is the picturesque town of Kalbarri, almost 600 kilometers north of Perth. At the heart of the friendly community of Kalbarri is the newly-renovated Gilgai Tavern. With two fully... Read More » 2 min read

The Business Broking Trifecta: Performance, Passion and Profit

The Business Broking Trifecta: Performance, Passion and Prof...

Allan Johnson25 January 2024

Education has been a key feature of life for Travis Latter, the newly appointed education chair at AIBB. His involvement encompasses almost 25 years of experience providing educational opportunities to Australians. He started his own successful Registered... Read More » 6 min read

The Energy Equation: Sabrina Xia's Recipe for Success as a Business Broker

The Energy Equation: Sabrina Xia's Recipe for Success as a Busi...

Allan Johnson20 November 2023

After gaining valuable experiences, first as an accountant and then as a small business owner, Sabrina Xia regards these experiences as being the foundations to her success as a business broker.  Having gained a Masters's Degree in Commerce from UNSW and... Read More » 7 min read

Sip, Sell, Succeed: Hugo Martin's Approach to Business Broking

Sip, Sell, Succeed: Hugo Martin's Approach to Business Broki...

Allan Johnson19 September 2023

As the dynamic co-host of a weekly online video series that has been running for over four years, Hugo Martin has proved that he is willing to think differently when it comes to business broking. “My wife encouraged me to start building an online presence... Read More » 6 min read

Powerhouse Partnership: Dynamic Duo Sets New Standards as Business Brokers

Powerhouse Partnership: Dynamic Duo Sets New Standards as...

Allan Johnson13 July 2023

Are two heads better than one?  “Absolutely!” say Steven Mostafa and Nadia Polzella of LINK Business Brokers in Melbourne. This multi-award-winning team has worked together since 2020, but their paths to becoming business brokers were vastly... Read More » 7 min read

Lessons Learnt from Building and Selling a $20 Million Business

Lessons Learnt from Building and Selling a $20 Million Busin...

Allan Johnson11 July 2023

The experience of watching his parents lose everything in bankruptcy while he was still a teenager has become a powerful inspiration for Kobi Simmat, the author of How to Build a Business Others Want to Buy. Kobi explained the impact this experience has had on... Read More » 4 min read

Veteran Business Broker Tony Arena Explores the Future of Business Broking

Veteran Business Broker Tony Arena Explores the Future of...

Allan Johnson18 May 2023

As a veteran of the business broking industry, Tony Arena has a wealth of experience and knowledge to share, so the opportunity to meet with him can lead to a riveting conversation. After graduating with an Arts/Law degree, Tony immersed himself in the legal... Read More » 8 min read

Don’t Sell a Business - Until You Understand Your Tax Obligations

Don’t Sell a Business - Until You Understand Your Tax Obli...

Allan Johnson20 April 2023

You don’t need to be a tax guru, but there are some things you need to understand. You don’t need me to tell you that selling your business is a big deal. It’s your chance to cash in on the years of hard work, lost family time, and mental... Read More » 6 min read

Why Your Accountant and Business Broker May Recommend A Different Asking Price

Why Your Accountant and Business Broker May Recommend A Diff...

Allan Johnson3 April 2023

So you’ve decided it’s time to sell your business. Whatever your reason(s) for selling, one of your first questions will be, “what can I sell the business for?“. For most business owners, the logical starting point is the accountant. ... Read More » 3 min read

When Selling a Business, it’s Important to Consider the Buyer

When Selling a Business, it’s Important to Consider the...

Allan Johnson23 March 2023

Bill Gates famously observed that “people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.” For Barton Cha, the director of Sinosmart Business Brokering in Sydney, the last decade has been one of significant... Read More » 7 min read

LINK’s Expansion Fuels Success

LINK’s Expansion Fuels Success

Allan Johnson19 January 2023

From an inauspicious start as an entrepreneur, Farzin Hesari has worked hard to build powerhouse business brokerages – first in Tasmania before expanding to Melbourne and, more recently, Adelaide. In the early 2000’s, Farzin realised... Read More » 10 min read

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