Am just back from a visit to Sydney and had great meetings with Zambrero and Charlie Lovett. Things are progressing very nicely with both companies and I really hope to have them here in New Zealand sooner rather than later.

Zambrero is an interesting one with Mexican takeaways being the fastest growing category in the fast food space worldwide. Lots of reasons for this I would think, best of which would be that it is a healthy option and also tastes good.

Enquires for business owners looking to exit seem to be on the increase. It looks like small businesses results improved a little last year, and owners with improved results are thinking it could be their time to move. Valuations are a little tricky though because we often only have one good year to look at.

An interesting enquiry last month could have offered me a new line of opportunity. A long standing client asked if I would put together an application for finance for a proposed MBO (Management Buy Out) of his company. The document is probably the easy part because it really is getting all the stars, and players, in a line first so the document can be put together. Lawyers, accountants, valuers, purchasers and their families all have to contribute information to get the document done.

Has been an interesting experience and I think it is a service offering that we will soon make available to the market. 

Purchasers often go about gaining finance for business purchases in an ad-hoc manner and if the application is handled correctly the resulting finance offers can be on significantly better terms. Please keep an eye out on this site or give me a call if this is of interest to you.

An update on Paul’s situation? He is still chugging along and still receiving chemo treatments. His golf handicap is now over 20 so would be dangerous to play him for money.