When the time comes to sell or merge one of the first questions is: What’s the right pathway? For some firms, a public marketplace is the best way to generate momentum and competition. For others — particularly large regional practices or city firms — discretion is essential, and a private marketplace offers the safer, more effective option. At Practice Exchange, we facilitate both. With over 5,000 registered accountants and financial planners on our platform, we can create reach through our open marketplace while also offering a carefully managed, invitation-only process via our Private Broker Network™.
When the Public Marketplace Delivers
The public marketplace is ideal when the goal is broad exposure and competitive tension. By showcasing your firm to a targeted, pre-qualified audience of professional buyers — from acquisitive firms to consolidators and investors — the public approach can quickly create strong demand.
Example: A $1M+ Sydney practice went to market publicly. Within six weeks, five serious offers were on the table. The structured competition added more than 15% to the final price — proof that an open campaign, when managed properly, can deliver real premiums.
When the Private Marketplace Protects Value
There are times when discretion is not just desirable — it’s critical.
Large regional practices: In a smaller town, advertising publicly makes it immediately clear which firm is for sale. That can unsettle staff, clients, and competitors before any deal is done.
Similarly very large city firms: In metropolitan markets, some practices are so visible that even subtle advertising would expose their plans. For these firms, confidentiality is paramount.
This is where our Private Broker Network™ comes in. Through this invitation-only channel, we make targeted introductions to a considerable pool of qualified buyers — including mid-tier firms, family offices, and roll-up groups. Many are prepared to pay $5M or more for the right business.
The process is discreet, structured, and designed to protect client and staff relationships while still achieving premium terms.
Why Private Doesn’t Mean Limited
Choosing a private pathway doesn’t mean reducing buyer competition. With Practice Exchange, the pool of serious buyers is strong enough to ensure genuine competitive tension, while still keeping the process under tight control.
That’s why some of our largest transactions — particularly those above $5M — are facilitated privately. Vendors get the discretion they need, without losing the leverage that comes from choice.
Hybrid Pathways: Flexibility in Action
Often, the best results come from a staged approach. We may begin in the Private Broker Network™, approaching handpicked strategic buyers. If the right deal doesn’t emerge, we can pivot seamlessly into a public campaign, leveraging the scale of our open marketplace to broaden the buyer pool.
This way, vendors don’t have to choose one path too early. Both channels remain open — and both are managed end-to-end by us.
Final Word
The best pathway to sale isn’t always obvious. Sometimes public exposure creates the right energy. Other times, discretion is worth its weight in gold. At Practice Exchange, we provide both — a public marketplace for reach and a private marketplace for control — ensuring your outcome is maximised either way.
If you’re considering a sale, merger, or equity transition in the next 18–36 months, book a confidential initial discussion with Mark Witt CA using this link or email me at mark@practiceexchange.com.au or call me direct on 0407 006438. Together, we’ll determine whether a public, private, or hybrid pathway will best secure your price, your people, and your legacy.
