About Bruce Coudrey
Bruce Coudrey is the founder and Principal of Benchmark Business & Commercial Sales. Since 1999 he has guided Benchmark to become one of Australia's largest and most dynamic national business brokerages.
Under his leadership, Benchmark has flourished, expanding into a variety of specialized areas including M & A/Corporate Transactions, Childcare sales, Service Stations sales, Hair & Beauty, Self Storage, Supermarkets, the Education sector, - and Benchmark Business Advisory. With a vibrant team of over 50 dedicated specialist business brokers, Bruce’s passion for connecting people with their business goals shines through every day.
As a Registered Business Valuer and trusted court-appointed expert witness, Bruce brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record in advising government departments on service stations and small business matters. His expertise in the service station industry is widely recognized, and he is celebrated as a leader in the field.
Bruce’s entrepreneurial spirit was ignited early—after completing a mechanical engineering traineeship at John Lysaght Australia in 1983, he embarked on a successful journey as a service station owner, operating multiple stations across Wollongong and beyond. His diverse experience also includes owning a Thrifty Car Rental franchise, car washes, and mechanical repair workshops. His involvement in industry councils and pioneering multiple franchise initiatives—such as Car Spa, Autocare, and the Shell Shop program—demonstrating his innovative approach and dedication to industry advancement.
Since 1995, Bruce has specialized in the sale and leasing of service stations across Queensland and Australia, completing hundreds of transactions with enthusiasm and integrity. He’s also dabbled in outdoor advertising, further broadening his expertise in the business landscape.
With around 5,000 successfully completed business sales under his belt, Bruce’s passion for helping others succeed is evident. He’s also committed to sharing his knowledge, serving as Chair of the Australian Institute Of Business Brokers Education & Training Committee and establishing and managing education and training programs nationwide. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, he was honoured with the AIBB President’s Medal in 2010.
Bruce’s commitment to excellence is reflected in his extensive qualifications, including Certified Practicing Business Broker, AIBB Registered Business Valuer, multiple real estate licenses across Australian states, and a Mechanical Engineering Certificate.
Whether working on valuation assignments or guiding clients through complex transactions, Bruce approaches every opportunity with positivity, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to make a difference. His friendly, upbeat attitude and wealth of experience make him a trusted partner for businesses and individuals across Australia.
“In the 37 years since starting my first business I have owned many successful ventures, and have learned a lot – mainly from making many fundamental mistakes…. and from vowing not to repeat those mistakes again!”
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Selling A Business
After many years in selling businesses – there aren’t many challenges that Bruce hasn’t seen or overcome before. So when you want to sell a business, he can show you how to make it easy. In fact, he has developed a proven formula to ensure that a business is sold within 90 days.
Buying A Business
Bruce helps both private individuals and public companies, working one-on-one to help them understand how they can identify and acquire the most appropriate businesses. This consultative approach often involves the need to produce a business valuation.
Business Valuations
Bruce has been valuing small businesses since 2003. He has appeared in Court many times and is a highly regarded expert witness. The large amount of market data that Bruce has available places him in an ideal position to be able to value many types of small business.
Download Bruce's CV
Bruce offers clients:
- Exit Planning
- Strategic Planning
- Business Planning
- Introduction to proven experts in fields such as marketing, crisis management, PR, law, accounting, HR management, risk analysis, finance, and leadership.
Bruce says, “Over the years I have been fortunate enough to have owned many businesses, and I have made lots of mistakes. I believe that I have learned more from my mistakes than I have from successes, and I know that I can assist my clients by helping them to avoid the types of errors that I made.”
Bruce has enjoyed a very successful career in business and has helped many successful business people to grow their businesses through acquisition and divestment.
Career Highlights:
- Nationally recognized leader in business sales, business advisor, business valuer and financial expert.
- Expert witness used by Government authorities for compensation and compulsory acquisition
- Created and grown Australia’s largest privately owned business brokerage, taking a company from one employee in 2000, to a team of over 60 operating from five offices in five states.
- Assisted in numerous high-stakes negotiations, settlements and transactions.
- First IPO involvement in 2003
- Has advised entrepreneurs from start-ups to multi-million dollar companies.
- Creator of training programs that provide the business brokers with proven processes and systems.
- Authored numerous texts, articles and programs on business sales and valuation.
