Valuing a Professional Services Business in New Zealand

Accounting, consulting, legal-support, design, agency and other professional services businesses are often valued around the quality of relationships and future work, not just current billings.

Separate the owner from the client relationship

Map the top clients, renewal or repeat behaviour, contract terms, margin and the person who owns each relationship. If clients follow the founder personally, the buyer may need a longer handover or a lower price.

Measure team depth and delivery

Review utilisation, staff retention, subcontractor dependence, workflow, intellectual property, pricing and capacity. A documented method and a capable team can make revenue more transferable.

Be careful with “recurring” claims

Retainers and repeat projects are useful, but test cancellation, concentration and margin. Start with OpenBiz's AI valuation, then document the evidence behind your revenue quality and client retention.