It was only 12 short months ago that two well-known local businessmen joined forces to create and launch Merchant Business Brokers, a Newcastle-based business brokerage.
In that time, they have built a successful and sustainable business, which is already on a significant growth trajectory.Leading Business Brokers and Founders, Shane Fox and Ian Jones, have listed and/or sold over $80M worth of businesses, with 75 businesses across 31 industries/sub industries.
Shane said the support they have received from the entire business community has been amazing, which promoted them to hold an event to mark the one-year anniversary.
“From the first day of opening our business, we had colleagues contacting us to help their clients with their businesses,” Shane said.
“As word spread about our new business, we then saw more and more business owners coming to us directly.It was great to invite our key clients, referrers and stakeholders to help us celebrate the amazing first year we’ve had in business.”
On Friday 22 September 2017, the Merchant Business Brokers hosted an intimate gathering at The Edwards. It was also an opportunity to launch their inaugural award for Business Broker of the Year.
“We’ve been talking about establishing an award from the start and after the phenomenal year we’ve had, I decided that it was only right that Shane should be the inaugural winner,” Ian said.
“It’s probably an understatement to say that Shane was surprised and thrilled!”
“Shane is an experienced Business Broker having commenced his successful business broking career under the leadership of past Australian Institute of Business Brokers (AIBB) President and founding member Garth Griffiths,” Ian continued.
“Since this time Shane has established himself as one of NSW’S leading business brokers, having been instrumental in the successful sale of many hundreds of businesses.”
Friday night also saw the firm awarded the prestigious Financial & Real Estate Services award at the Hunter Region Business Excellence Awards, and Shane won the Business Leader of the Year award.
“It was a day of celebrations all round!” Ian said.
This year also saw Ian become a member of the National Executive Committee of the Australian Institute of Business Brokers (AIBB) and contribute as a speaker and workshop presenter at the annual Australian Institute of Business Brokers (AIBB) National conference as a multi award winning business broker and winner of the industry’s premier Rising Star Business Broker of the Year award in 2015.
“The feedback we received from attendees was amazing,” Ian said.
“Our industry peers were really impressed with our commitment to innovation, technology and marketing.”
One of the first key points-of-difference for Merchant was to invest heavily in a highly advanced and innovative technology platform used by major institutions in other sectors and which provides a superior level of connection between buyers and sellers.
The Merchant team understand that buyers and sellers want different things – sellers want to maintain confidentiality throughout the selling process and they want to sell their business in a timely manner and for the highest possible price, while buyers want to find their perfect business and not waste their time looking for businesses that aren’t suitable. Their approach, systems and technology allow them to connect the right buyer with the right seller sooner and helps both parties achieve a better outcome.
IMAGE | Co-founders of Merchant Business Brokers, Ian Jones and Shane Fox, celebrating their anniversary.
