Business Broker
Business brokers value and sell small to mid-sized businesses, setting a realistic asking price, finding qualified buyers and holding a deal together through to settlement.
- Median salary*
- $88,400
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 570
5.0%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +3%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
Business brokers act for owners who want to sell a business and for buyers looking to acquire one, handling the appraisal, the confidential marketing and the negotiation in between. Most work in business broking or real estate firms and carry several listings at different stages at once, because a sale can take months. The role is easy to confuse with residential real estate: here the sale covers the trading business, its goodwill, equipment, stock and often a lease, so the numbers and the buyer's questions go well beyond the property.
How much do business brokers earn?
The median full-time salary for a business broker is $88,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,700 since 2018.
Business brokers are usually paid by commission on the sale price, sometimes with a retainer or a share of the listing fee, so income follows settled deals rather than hours worked. The fee on a large manufacturing or services business is a different scale of money from one on a corner cafe, and the split between the broker and the firm varies from practice to practice. Some brokers are employees on a salary plus bonus, while others run their own brokerage and keep the fee.
What does a business broker do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Working out what a business is worth, using earnings multiples, asset values and recent comparable sales
- Writing the information memorandum that sets out the financials, staff, leases and equipment for interested buyers
- Marketing a listing confidentially to a database of buyers without alerting staff, suppliers or competitors
- Screening enquiries, checking a buyer has funds or finance in place, and managing non-disclosure agreements
- Sitting between the buyer's accountant and the seller's lawyer through due diligence, then negotiating terms through to settlement
What skills do business brokers need?
Employers look for financial analysis and modelling, selling and negotiation, marketing analytics, backed by Microsoft Excel fluency and strong client relationships and advisory.
Specialist skills
- Financial analysis and modelling
- Selling and negotiation
- Marketing analytics
Software and tools
- Microsoft Excel
- Xero
- Salesforce
- Rex Software
General skills
- Client relationships and advisory
- Stakeholder management
- Attention to detail
- Written communication
Is the job growing?
About 570 people work as business brokers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 3% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a business broker?
Here's the path most business brokers take, step by step.
- 1Study business, commerce or property
A bachelor degree in business, commerce, accounting or property is the most common background, held by 38% of the people doing this job. A diploma in business or property is a recognised alternative and is what 24% of the workforce holds.
- 2Get the licence or registration your state requires
In most states, selling a business counts as business agent or real estate work, so you need a registration certificate or licence before you can list one, and some states also expect a Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419). The class of licence and the study required differ between states, so check with your state's property regulator.
- 3Start with an established broking firm
Most brokers learn the job as an assistant or associate, building valuation models, preparing listing documents and working the buyer database under a licensed broker's supervision. This is where you see how a deal actually moves, including the ones that fall over.
- 4Build a buyer list and a record of settled sales
Sellers choose a broker on completed sales, and buyers come back to brokers who showed them something real, so the two assets that carry a career here are a database of active buyers and a list of businesses you have taken to settlement.
Ready to apply as a business broker?
Whether you're working toward becoming a business broker or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a business broker move to?
Moving into Finance Broker typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $45,600 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Broker Business brokers bring deal structuring and client advisory skills to arranging finance for business purchases. | +$45,600 | 41% | reskill |
| Mortgage Broker Deal management and client relationships carry into mortgage broking, though lending accreditation and product knowledge are needed. | +$45,600 | 39% | reskill |
| Insurance Broker Brokerage client advice and business risk understanding transfer to insurance broking, with compliance training. | +$45,600 | 59% | short course |
| Buyer's Agent Valuation and negotiation skills suit representing property buyers, with a short course for licensing. | −$2,600 | 53% | short course |
| Real Estate Agent Property transaction experience and negotiation carry into residential or commercial sales, with a registration certificate required. | −$10,200 | 53% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a business broker?
The typical business broker is 56 years old; 84% are men, 63% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 56
- Median age
- 16%
- Female share
- 63%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a business broker?
The job runs on a pipeline rather than a daily routine, with several listings at different stages at once, from an owner's first enquiry to a settlement months later. Much of the week goes on the phone and in meetings with owners, buyers, accountants and lawyers, with valuation work and paperwork fitted around those conversations. It suits people who are comfortable selling, patient with long timelines and willing to talk through money and business performance in detail.
What people like
- Every listing is a different trade. One month it is a cafe, the next a plumbing wholesaler or a freight business, and each one has its own numbers, staff and quirks to understand before you can price it.
- You are in the room when a business changes hands. For many owners the sale is the payoff after decades of work, and guiding it through is a more personal assignment than a standard property transaction.
- The work mixes analysis with time on site. Valuation models and financial statements matter, but so does walking the premises and understanding how the operation actually runs day to day.
- Long timelines give you room to organise your own week. Apart from settlement deadlines and buyer meetings, much of the scheduling is yours to set, which suits people who dislike a fixed daily routine.
What people find hard
- Most listings do not sell. Owners often hold out for a price the market will not pay, and a listing that sits unsold for months earns little and leads to difficult conversations.
- Confidentiality ties your hands. You cannot market in ways that would alert staff, customers or competitors, so the campaign is quieter and slower than selling a property.
- You sit between two sides who want opposite things. Buyers want to pay less and keep the seller involved after settlement, while sellers want the full price and a clean exit.
- Due diligence can unwind a deal late. A buyer's finance falls over or the accountant finds something in the books, and months of work can end without a sale.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ business brokers?
Real Estate Services employs the largest share of business brokers, followed by Financial and Insurance Services.
Top employing industries
- 1Real Estate Services
- 2Financial and Insurance Services
- 3Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- 4Administrative and Support Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 38% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 24% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 20% | |
| Postgraduate | 10% | |
| Other | 8% |
Will AI replace business brokers?
Business broking sits in the middle: the analytical and writing side of the job is increasingly assisted by AI, while the parts that actually close a deal stay personal and confidential. Valuation models, information memoranda, listing copy and buyer reports are quicker to produce with software drafting a first version. What AI does not change is reading whether an owner is genuinely ready to sell, keeping a campaign quiet from staff and competitors, and holding a transaction together when due diligence exposes a problem.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Writing the information memorandum and listing copyAI drafts the business summary, financial highlights and buyer-facing copy quickly from the seller's records, leaving the broker to check the figures and sharpen the story the numbers tell.30%high
- Valuing a business and setting the asking priceSoftware can pull comparable sales and apply an earnings multiple, but deciding which comparable businesses are genuinely alike still comes down to the broker's knowledge of the sector.25%moderate
- Running due diligence and negotiating to settlementDocument requests and checklists can be tracked automatically, but the back-and-forth over price adjustments, stock and handover terms is where a deal is won or lost.25%moderate
- Screening buyers and managing confidentialityDeciding which enquiry is a genuine buyer, confirming funds are available and keeping a sale quiet from staff, suppliers and competitors happens in conversation, one buyer at a time.20%low
Common questions about becoming a business broker
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do business brokers earn?
Business brokers earn a median of $88,400 per year before tax. Commission is what moves that figure: your income depends on how many listings you hold, the size of the businesses you sell and the split you have agreed with your firm, so two brokers in the same market can earn very different amounts.
How do you become a business broker?
You need a qualification in business, commerce or property plus the licence or registration your state requires, then a start in an established broking firm. Most people enter as an assistant or associate under a licensed broker and learn valuation, listing paperwork and buyer management on the job. A bachelor degree is the most common background, but a diploma or a Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419) is a recognised route.
Are business brokers in demand?
Business brokers are currently not in shortage. Employment is projected to grow 3% over the decade to 2035, and with only about 570 people in the role, openings are few and tend to come through firms, franchise networks and personal contacts rather than job ads. The work also tracks the business cycle, since owners list when they decide the time is right to sell and buyers need finance to complete.
Will AI replace business brokers?
AI tools already draft listing copy, summarise financial statements and speed up comparable-sales research, so the writing and modelling side of the job is exposed. What holds up is the confidential, negotiated part: judging whether an owner is genuinely ready to sell, keeping a campaign quiet and holding a deal together when due diligence turns up a problem. Brokers who use those tools well spend more of their week on the client work that closes deals.
What can business brokers move into?
Business brokers move into finance broking, where deal structuring and client advisory carry across and median pay is $45,600 more, or into insurance broking, which draws on the same business risk knowledge. Residential real estate uses similar transaction skills and needs only a short course, though real estate agents earn $10,200 less on median figures. Plenty of experienced brokers instead open their own brokerage or franchise, and that is often where earnings grow.
I'm a real estate agent. Can I move into business broking?
Yes. Residential agents already handle appraisals, vendor conversations and contract timelines, so the transaction side will feel familiar. The gap is the financial analysis, because you need to read profit and loss statements, add back owner drawings and work out what a business is worth without a title or straightforward comparable sales to lean on. You also need a licence or registration that covers business agency work in your state before you can list a business.
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