Most business owners think their business will sell because of the numbers — the profit, the growth, the potential. But step into a business broker’s world, and you'll find that's not what kills deals. It’s fear.

In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, host Sam Penny is joined by Australia’s #1 business broker Sally Stuart, who sold 35+ businesses in just the past two years. Together, they unpack exactly why businesses don't sell — even when the financials look strong — and what actually makes a business irresistible to buyers.

Sally reveals:

• 🔥 The surprising reason most buyers walk away
• 💣 Why your lawyer might be the biggest dealbreaker
• 💡 What makes a business “sexy” and sparks bidding wars
• 🧾 The accounting mistakes that scare buyers off
• 🏢 Why short leases quietly destroy business value
• 🛑 How ego, overpricing, and bad timing sabotage the sale
• ✅ The 3–5 things every owner should do 12–24 months before listing
• 💬 Why a broker isn’t just a sales agent — they’re a dream facilitator

If you’re a business owner thinking of selling, or an investor who wants to understand what really moves the needle in a deal, this episode is your blueprint. Straight from the broker’s mouth.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• 📞 Book a call with Sam Penny: https://sampenny.com/chat
• 📚 Learn more about Sally Stuart: https://linkbusiness.com.au/business-broker/sally-stuart/
• 🔍 Free Business Sale Readiness Report: https://sampenny.com/readiness

⏱️ Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro: What really kills deals?
• 02:45 – Sally’s journey into business broking
• 04:00 – What business brokers actually do
• 08:30 – The lawyer trap that destroys deals
• 11:00 – What makes a business spark a bidding war
• 15:20 – The self-sabotage sellers don’t see coming
• 20:30 – How leases quietly crush deals
• 24:00 – Why owner-dependence kills valuations
• 28:55 – What buyers really want (and where they’re from)
• 33:15 – The biggest mistake sellers make around timing
• 36:15 – 5 things to do 12–24 months before listing
• 42:00 – Culture, values, and why your website matters
• 44:00 – Sally’s lightning round: Dealbreakers, red flags & wisdom

🎧 Episode Summary:

Think your business will sell because it's profitable? Think again.

In this powerhouse episode, business coach and advisor Sam Penny reveals the real reason businesses sell—and why the ones that should sell often don't. Spoiler: It's not EBITDA. It's not your P&L. It’s not even your systems.

It’s alignment.

Buyers don’t just want a business that makes money—they want one that feels like home. One that reflects their values, their leadership style, their vision for the future. And when they see themselves in your business? They move faster. They pay more. And they need less convincing.

This episode unpacks how to position your business for a premium exit by focusing on what really drives buyer decisions.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why buyers walk away from profitable businesses
• The 4 Pillars of Magnetic Positioning™
• How to attract not just any buyer—but the right one
• The surprising type of buyer who’ll pay the most (and it’s not who you think)
• How to build values into your IM, pitch deck, and brand
• A real-world case study where values-based positioning added over $500k to a deal
• Tools you can use today: Business Readiness Report, Brand Mastery Course, Exit Strategy Roadmap

🔑 Key Takeaway:

💥 Bonus:

Sam walks through his step-by-step framework to turn your business into something buyers believe in, not just buy into.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• 📊 Business Readiness Report – Assess your sale readiness across 8 value drivers
• 🧭 Brand Mastery Course – Turn your values into a strategic asset
• 📌 Exit Strategy Roadmap – Your plan to increase valuation and reduce risk
  All available at sampenny.com

🎯 Want to Position Your Business for Premium Buyers?

Book a free strategy session with Sam at
👉 sampenny.com/strategy

🔜 Next Episode Teaser:

"Build a Sale Process That Doesn’t Blow the Deal"
Learn how to control the deal narrative, pace the process, and build trust while keeping your power. Don’t miss it.

📱 Subscribe & Review:

Follow Built to Sell | Built to Buy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your preferred platform. And if this episode hit home—leave a review. It helps more founders find the insights they need to exit right.

Episode Summary:
In this critical episode of the Built to Sell | Built to Buy podcast, business coach Sam Penny dives deep into one of the most overlooked (yet most expensive) parts of buying a business: risk. Not revenue. Not growth potential. Risk — and how to spot it, quantify it, and price it into your offer.

Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned investor, this session will change how you think about due diligence. Sam breaks down the 3 categories of risk every acquirer must assess — operational, financial, and transfer risk — and reveals the tactics smart buyers use to protect themselves and avoid overpaying.

Learn how to go beyond glossy pitch decks and charming sellers, and start stress-testing the business like a pro. You’ll walk away with real frameworks, tools, and a case study that shows exactly how to reduce risk — and price it into the deal.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• Why most buyers overpay by ignoring risk
• The 3 core risk categories and how to spot red flags
• How to price risk into your offer and use it to negotiate better terms
• A real-world deal that looked great on paper… until it didn’t
• The tools elite investors use: checklists, red flag sheets, scorecards, and more

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• Free Due Diligence Checklist
• Risk Scorecard
• Red Flag Tracker
• Business Readiness Report
  👉 Available at sampenny.com

🧠 Quote of the Episode:

🎯 Call to Action:

💼 Buying a business? Book a free 30-minute strategy call to gut-check your deal before you sign:
👉 sampenny.com/strategy