Upcoming webinar

Building a business that can run without the owner

Tuesday 27 October 2026

12:00pm – 1:00pm AEST

Up to 1 CPD hours available 

Register now

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Session Overview

The single biggest factor in what a business is worth is whether it can run without the person who built it. A company that depends on its owner for revenue, relationships and decisions is fragile, and buyers price that risk accordingly. One that runs on systems and a capable team is worth considerably more, and it sells far more reliably.

This session looks at owner dependence as a value and risk issue, and what it takes to reduce it over time. We work through the practical building blocks, documented processes, a second layer of management, and clean, transferable customer relationships, using real examples of businesses before and after they made the shift.

For financial advisers, this matters twice over. It is the lens to apply to a business owner client’s largest asset, and it is directly relevant to advisers preparing their own practice for eventual transition. Advisers will leave able to recognise owner dependence early and describe, in plain terms, what reducing it looks like.

Meet your speakers

Simon Bedard

Founder and CEO, Exit Advisory Group

Simon Bedard is Founder and CEO of Exit Advisory Group and a leading Australian expert in business succession and exit planning. With more than 25 years’ experience across business, investments and financial markets, he helps business owners prepare for and navigate the sale of their businesses.

Simon is National Chair of the Australian Institute of Business Brokers, a Registered Business Valuer, Licensed Business Broker, MBA graduate and author of Exit Like an Expert: The Ultimate Guide to Selling Your Business. He also hosts the Buy Grow Sell podcast and writes regularly on succession and exit planning.

Having started, acquired and exited businesses himself, Simon brings practical expertise to one of the most significant financial events in a business owner’s life. He is a recognised advocate for improving business succession outcomes in Australia and believes financial advisers can play a critical role in helping clients maximise business value and successfully transition their wealth beyond the business.