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Preparing a Business for Sale NZ

Thinking About Selling Your Business? — 21 Things to Fix Before You Talk to a Buyer

The first conversation with a buyer sets the tone for the whole sale. Messy accounts, an expiring lease or one customer making up half your revenue can all knock thousands off the price — or kill the deal entirely.

This checklist lists 21 practical things New Zealand owners should tidy up before going to market. Each one is something a buyer’s accountant or lawyer is likely to find during due diligence, so fixing them early puts you in control of the negotiation.

What’s inside

  • Financial clean-up: accounts, add-backs, debtors and stock
  • Leases, contracts, IP and compliance to have in order
  • Staff, key people and customer concentration risks
  • Documents to prepare for due diligence

Who it’s for

Owners planning to sell in the next one to three years who want a smoother sale and a better price.

General guidance only — not legal, tax or financial advice.

More free resources

Start Here

Start Here — Business Health Check and Pick Your Pathway

New to SBNZ? Start here: a business health check scorecard, a one-page guide to picking your pathway, and a weekly CEO meeting agenda.

4 files · PDFsLearn more

Step-by-Step Plans

Choose Your Outcome — Six Step-by-Step 30-Day Pathways

Six step-by-step plans: cashflow rescue, leads to sales, delivery systems, people and hiring, owner step-back, and exit and succession.

6 files · PDFsLearn more

HR & Employment Toolkit

HR, Employment & Immigration Toolkit — Hire, Manage and Keep Great People

Twenty templates and guides covering recruitment, employment contracts, onboarding, performance reviews, retention, culture and employment issues.

20 files · PDFsLearn more

Quick Wins Toolkit

Quick Wins Toolkit — Fast Improvements for Cash, Sales and Profit

Seven fast-action guides: debtor chase scripts, expense trim checklist, price-rise email, follow-up scripts, review requests and a weekly planner.

7 files · PDFsLearn more

Weekly Rhythm & KPI Toolkit

Weekly Rhythm & KPI Toolkit — Know Your Numbers and Run a Tight Weekly Routine

A weekly rhythm and KPI system: KPI builder, scorecard, 90-day priorities, meeting agenda and a dashboard spreadsheet.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Systems & Process Toolkit

Systems & Process Toolkit — Get the Business Out of Your Head and Into Systems

Document how your business runs: process maps, SOP templates, role clarity, handover checklists and a systems register.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Cashflow & Profit Control Toolkit

Cashflow & Profit Control Toolkit — Stay on Top of Cash and Protect Your Profit

Weekly cash and debtor routines, monthly targets, a pricing review checklist, crisis action plan, 13-week forecast and breakeven calculator.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Cashflow Rescue Toolkit

Cashflow Rescue Toolkit — A Done-for-You Pack for When Cash Is Tight

A complete pack for when cash is tight: a 13-week forecast, weekly routine and supplier negotiation scripts.

5 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Lead Generation Toolkit

Lead Generation Toolkit — A Simple Lead System That Creates More Enquiries

A simple lead system that creates more enquiries and improves conversion: offer builder, follow-up sequence, weekly rhythm and lead tracker.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Hiring & Onboarding Toolkit

Hiring & Onboarding Toolkit — Hire Well and Set New Staff Up to Succeed

The complete hiring pack: hiring plan, role scorecard, job ad builder, phone screen, interview questions and scorecard, reference scripts, offer checklist, 30-60-90 day plan and trackers.

13 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Sales Pipeline & Follow-Up Toolkit

Sales Pipeline & Follow-Up Toolkit — Turn More Quotes into Sales

Stop losing quotes to silence: pipeline stages, discovery call notes, follow-up scripts, objection handling and a weekly sales review.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Marketing Engine Toolkit

Marketing Engine Toolkit — Simple, Consistent Marketing That Brings in Work

Build a simple marketing engine: offer one-pager, lead magnet builder, referral and review systems, campaign planner, content calendar and metrics tracker.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Delivery & Job Management Toolkit

Delivery & Job Management Toolkit — Run Jobs on Time, on Budget and Profitably

Run every job smoothly: job pack, pre-start, site diary, variations, quality control, handover checklists, plus scheduling and job profitability spreadsheets.

9 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Exit & Succession Readiness Toolkit

Exit & Succession Readiness Toolkit — Build a Business Someone Will Want to Buy

Get ready to sell or hand over: exit readiness scorecard, value drivers checklist, owner-dependence plan, buyer pack index and a 12-month action plan.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Compliance & Health and Safety Lite Toolkit

Compliance & Health and Safety Lite Toolkit — Practical H&S Basics for Small Business

Cover the health and safety basics: H&S policy, hazard and risk register, incident forms, toolbox talks, inductions and a compliance calendar.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Customer Experience Toolkit

Customer Experience Toolkit — Keep Customers Happy and Coming Back

Map the customer journey, set service standards, handle complaints, request reviews and deliver great handovers with ready-made templates.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Strategy & 90-Day Execution Toolkit

Strategy & 90-Day Execution Toolkit — Turn Your Plan into Action Every Quarter

Put strategy on a page, set 12-month targets, plan quarterly rocks and run weekly execution meetings, plus a 90-day plan spreadsheet.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Financial Reporting & Management Accounts Toolkit

Financial Reporting & Management Accounts Toolkit — Understand Your Numbers Every Month

Run a monthly close, produce a one-page management report, review budget vs actual, find profit levers and manage working capital.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Owner Step-Back & Delegation Toolkit

Owner Step-Back & Delegation Toolkit — Get Out of the Day-to-Day

Audit your time, decide what to stop or delegate, set decision rights, hand over well and build a weekly rhythm that frees you up.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

AI Productivity Toolkit

AI Productivity Toolkit — Save Hours Every Week with AI

Use AI safely to save time: a 15-minutes-a-day plan, copy-paste prompt library, meeting-notes-to-actions workflow, safety and privacy rules and a workflow tracker.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Business Exit Readiness Checklist NZ

Could You Sell Your Business Tomorrow? — The 25-Point Exit Readiness Checklist

The 25-point exit readiness checklist. Score your financials, people, customers and legal setup.

2 pages · PDF checklistLearn more

Business Succession Planning Checklist NZ

The NZ Business Owner’s Succession Planning Checklist

Plan a handover to family, staff or a buyer — goals, successors, protection and tax.

2 pages · PDF checklistLearn more

How to Value a Business NZ

What Is My Business Really Worth? — A Practical Guide for NZ Business Owners

A practical guide to normalised profit, valuation methods and what moves the multiple.

2 pages · PDF guideLearn more

Business Runs Without Owner Checklist

Could Your Business Run Without You? — A 5-Minute Owner Dependence Test

A 5-minute owner dependence test with a score and three quick wins.

2 pages · PDF self-testLearn more

Staff Assessment Form

Staff Assessment Form

A fair, printable performance review form with scoring, goals and sign-off.

2 pages · PDF templateLearn more

Template

One-Page Business Plan

Your whole plan on a single page — customers, goals, numbers, risks and next actions.

1 page · PDF templateLearn more

Spreadsheet

12-Month Cashflow Forecast

Enter money in and out each month — totals and bank balance calculate automatically.

Excel spreadsheet · CalculatorLearn more

Spreadsheet

Simple Pricing Calculator

Work out your price, margin and break-even point from your costs.

Excel spreadsheet · CalculatorLearn more

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