Business sale advisory, done properly
Westbourne Business Transactions helps mid-tier business owners prepare, position, and sell their business with clarity, structure, and confidence.
We exist because the industry needed to change
For too long, business sales have been handled the wrong way. Rushed to market with incomplete information, represented by brokers who disappear after finding a buyer, and left to fall apart in due diligence. We started Westbourne because we believe business owners deserve better than that.
We take a different approach. We prepare businesses thoroughly before they go to market — verifying financials, addressing risks, and structuring documentation so buyers and lenders get clarity from day one. And we stay involved from first conversation through to settlement, because that is where deals are actually won or lost.
What we believe
Meet the founder
Simon Sheridan brings a rare combination of corporate experience and hands-on business ownership to every engagement.
He spent 14 years in corporate financial markets recruitment in London, working at the highest levels of professional services. He then spent another 12 years as a business owner in Melbourne, building and running multiple SMEs under his own investment company. That dual perspective — understanding both the corporate rigour and the reality of running a business — is central to how Westbourne operates.
Simon founded Westbourne because he saw an industry that needed to change. Too many brokers were focused on volume — listing as many businesses as possible, rushing them to market, and moving on. His experience selling his own business confirmed it: the broker disappeared, the process dragged on for months, and nobody was managing the gap between offer and settlement.
Westbourne was built to fix that. Simon works with a small number of business owners at any one time, taking a methodical, structured approach to preparation. His first question is always the same: "What do you want out of this?" — because the answer shapes everything that follows.
Part of The Business Finder network
Westbourne is part of The Business Finder — a national network that is changing how businesses are bought and sold in Australia. Through this partnership, businesses we prepare go through the Deal-Ready certification process, giving buyers and lenders a verified standard they can trust.
The network gives our clients access to a wider pool of verified buyers, distribution across all major business-for-sale platforms, and infrastructure built for serious transactions. It means we can focus on what we do best — preparing businesses and guiding owners — while the network connects the right buyers with the right opportunities.
Better outcomes start with better preparation
Business transactions rarely happen in isolation. Accountants, lawyers and lenders can all play an important role in moving a deal forward. Working closely with the right third-party advisors helps keep transactions clear, prepared and progressing.
Accountants
Clear financials are critical to a well-prepared transaction. Working alongside accountants helps ensure the numbers are understood, supported and ready to stand up to scrutiny.
Lawyers
Strong legal preparation helps avoid unnecessary delays later in the process. Early coordination keeps documentation organised and key issues addressed before they become obstacles.
Lenders
Where funding is involved, clarity matters. Providing the right information early helps lenders assess the opportunity properly and keeps the transaction moving.
I remove the grey and therefore the ambiguity.
When that's done, buyers see clarity, can easily assess risk and transact with confidence.
Simon Sheridan, Founder, Westbourne Business Transactions
