FOR BUSINESS BROKERS AND M&A ADVISERS

Turn today’s “not ready” into tomorrow’s sales pipeline.

Some owners want to sell, but the business still relies on them for everything. Introduce them to Clarity. We work with the owner and their team to reduce that reliance, while you stay connected for the future sale.

Talk to Lee about one owner Calculate your potential fees

Lee speaks with you first. No owner contact without your agreement.

THE PROBLEM WITH “NOT YET”

“Come back when you’re ready” needs a plan.

You have already met the owner and started the relationship. But if the business cannot run without them, taking it to market may be premature. Clarity gives them a practical next step while you keep the sale conversation open.

THE PLAN

Three steps.
You stay connected.

Already helping owners prepare for sale? Clarity can support the operational work while you continue advising them.

Talk to Lee.

Tell us about an owner whose business is not ready to sell. We speak with you first and agree whether an introduction makes sense.

We work on the business.

If the owner proceeds, we work with their team to improve how decisions are made, responsibilities are shared and everyday work gets done.

Revisit the sale with evidence.

You stay informed through agreed updates. When the business is ready, you can revisit the listing with a clearer picture of how it runs.

WHAT OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE MEANS

A business that runs
without its owner.

Operational Independence means helping businesses run without their owner, so they are better prepared for a sale or handover. Here is how Clarity Systems does it differently:

We work with the owner’s team to put practical operating systems into everyday use, not just write a report.
Progress is assessed against defined requirements. Clarity checks each step against a written standard; the owner doesn’t mark their own work. This is Clarity’s assessment, not independent certification.
A Record of Independence documents the evidence: what changed, when, and what still relies on the owner.
You continue to handle the sale. Clarity doesn’t list, broker or sell businesses.

How the programme works

ClarityOS is Clarity’s 12-month programme for reducing a business’s reliance on its owner. It is made up of 29 practical steps (we call them Installs), done in a fixed order with the owner’s team, across three stages.

STAGE 1

Stabilise

Take the owner out of the daily bottleneck. Set how decisions get made.

STAGE 2

Systemise

Get knowledge out of the owner’s head and into the business.

STAGE 3

Liberate

The owner steps back. The business shows it can run without them.

Making progress, being ready to list, completing a sale and earning a commission are different milestones. The programme works on the first two; the sale and your commission depend on the business, the buyer and the market.

ILLUSTRATIVE SAMPLE, NOT A REAL CLIENT

Record of Independence (example layout)

What depended on the owner	What changed	Evidence of progress (example)	What still needs attention before a listing conversation
Every quote signed off by the owner	Pricing rules written down; two team members trained to quote	Example: a month of quotes issued without owner sign-off	Quotes above an agreed limit
Top customers only dealt with the owner	Account manager introduced to key customers	Example: account meetings held without the owner	Two customers still call the owner directly
All spending approved by the owner	Spending limits set for managers	Example: purchase log within limits	Hiring decisions

Illustrative example only. This shows how progress and remaining gaps could be documented; it is not evidence from a real client.

YOUR NUMBERS

What could today’s “not ready”
clients be worth tomorrow?

Use your own numbers to explore the future sales opportunity in the owners you already meet.

How many owners do you meet each month whose business isn’t ready to sell?

Of those 24 owners, how many could come back and complete a sale with you after getting help?

Use your own estimate. Count completed sales, not just introductions or listings. These sales may happen over several years.

How do you charge? A commission percentage I use a fixed fee or a different fee structure.

What might one of these businesses sell for?

Use an estimated average sale price for the businesses you have in mind.

What commission percentage do you charge?

This uses your estimated average sale price and your own commission rate. It is not an industry average.

Refine your estimate

What percentage of the commission does your firm keep?

Allow for any agent or referral split.

How many of those completed sales would you have won anyway? What extra costs would your firm incur to win and complete these sales?

Include additional follow-up, staff time and sale-delivery costs for these owners. This is your estimate, not a Clarity fee quote.

Your potential future sales fees

A$180,000

3 completed sales × A$60,000 per sale.

From one year’s introductions. Sales and fees may occur over several years. This illustration uses your estimates; it is not a forecast or guarantee. Fees are before costs and exclude GST.

Retained by your firm per sale
Additional fees (excluding sales you’d win anyway)
Net additional fees after your costs
Return on your extra costs

You make the introduction. We work on the business. You handle the sale.

Talk to Lee about one owner

PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Your relationship stays yours.

Lee speaks with you first.
Owner contact requires your agreement.
Updates are agreed with the owner’s permission.
Clarity handles operational preparation; you handle the sale.
The first conversation and Independence Score are free.
Paid work is discussed separately with the owner.

Does an introduction commit the owner to anything?

No. An introduction does not commit the owner to the paid programme. The first conversation and Independence Score are free. Any paid work is discussed separately with the owner.

Do I have to do the preparation work?

No. Clarity does the operational work with the owner and their team. You make the introduction, stay informed through agreed updates and handle the sale. This isn’t a referral scheme: Clarity doesn’t pay referral commissions, and future fees depend on a sale actually completing.

Is Clarity a broker or a listing service?

No. Clarity Systems focuses only on helping the business run without its owner. You manage the sale and your client relationship.

How long does it take?

The ClarityOS programme runs over 12 months. When the business is ready to list depends on the business itself.

What can a buyer or adviser actually review?

The Record of Independence shows what relied on the owner, what changed, the evidence of progress, and what still needs attention. It is evidence of progress, not a valuation.

Is a sale or a higher price guaranteed?

No. Sale outcomes and valuations depend on the business, the buyer and the market.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

Think of one owner
you’d tell “not yet”.

Give them a plan instead of a waiting game, and stay connected for the future sale.

Talk to Lee about one owner Lee speaks with you first. No owner contact without your agreement.

An owner exploring this for your own business? Get your Independence Score ↗