Industry Expertise / Accounting Firms
Selling or scaling an accounting firm is a once-in-a-career decision.
The profession is moving through its largest ownership transfer in a generation. Whether you are building toward a future exit or ready to test the market now, the difference between a good outcome and a great one is the advice at the table.
The market right now
More principals are exiting than the traditional market can absorb.
A wave of founding partners is stepping back at the same time, while private-equity-backed consolidators, hub-and-spoke mid-tier firms and listed groups compete for quality practices. That imbalance is creating genuine opportunity — but it also means owners are being approached without knowing what their firm is truly worth, or who the right buyer is.
Two conversations we have every week.
Most accounting-firm owners we speak with sit in one of two positions. Both benefit from planning early — long before a term sheet lands on the desk.
You’re building toward a future sale.
You may be three to five years out, but the decisions you make now — client concentration, recurring revenue, the strength of the team beneath you, systems and succession — are exactly what sets your future price. We help you build a firm buyers compete for, and time your run to market.
Plan your growth & exit →You’re ready to test the market.
Whether you’ve been approached or you’re initiating the process, a competitive, well-run sale protects both value and confidentiality. We identify and qualify the right buyers, manage the process end to end, and negotiate terms — not just price — with your interests firmly at the centre.
Explore a sale →What actually drives the value of an accounting firm.
Headline multiples make for good conversation, but real value is earned in the detail. These are the factors buyers scrutinise — and the ones we help you strengthen before you go to market.
Maintainable earnings
Current and future sustainable profit — stress-tested against real performance, not historical peaks.
Client base quality
Stickiness, recurring fees, concentration risk and the mix of compliance versus advisory work.
Depth of team
The calibre of the people beneath the principals — buyers pay for a firm that runs without you.
Systems & technology
Cloud platforms, workflow, data and AI adoption that make the practice scalable and transferable.
Growth trajectory
A credible, evidenced path forward — the story a buyer can carry into their own investment case.
Deal structure
Earn-outs, restraints, retention and completion terms — where value is quietly won or lost.
“The right valuation is the one that closes a transaction with a credit-worthy buyer — not the highest number on a piece of paper.”
The Quinn M&A approachWhy firm owners choose Quinn M&A.
A boutique advisory built for significant private transactions — where the person advising you is the person at the table.
Rare dual expertise
Led by a Chartered Accountant and admitted Solicitor, so valuation, tax and deal structure are considered together — not handed between firms.
Genuine sector insight
We understand how accounting firms are built, valued and bought — which sharpens both your positioning and buyer targeting.
Confidential throughout
Your staff, clients and competitors learn nothing until you decide. A controlled process protects value and reputation alike.
Speak with Michael Quinn
Let’s talk about your firm — in confidence, with no obligation.
Whether an exit is years away or already on the table, a short conversation now will tell you where you stand and what a strong outcome could look like.
+61 2 9223 9166
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