Aptly-named business brokers, Savvy Business Sales, have proven that building exceptional systems and keeping a positive attitude to bolster client confidence in a tough market is a winning formula.

Savvy took out the prestigious Small Business of the Year award at the 2011 Sunshine Coast Excellence in Business Awards on Saturday night.

Principal Rod Russell said that Savvy continues to enjoy success, in spite of challenging times.   “Business broking Australia-wide is finding life very tough with many formerly profitable businesses becoming unsaleable. In contrast, we’re going from strength-to-strength.

“In fact, by the end of this year we’ll have doubled the size of our team to cater for the growth we’re experiencing,” he said.

Mr Russell said he was extremely proud of his team, and praised their contribution in Savvy Business Sales being recognised as the Sunshine Coast’s best small business. “Most businesses are small businesses, employing less than 20 staff. So to be named as the best small business on the Coast is an incredible accolade.”

Small business plays a pivotal role in economic prosperity, with 96 percent of all actively trading entities being small businesses. Collectively they employ almost half of the nation’s workforce.Specialising in business sales above $300,000, Savvy lives up to its motto of “raising the standards in business sales” – proof being that nearly 70 percent of sales originate from referrals or repeat clients.

“Many of our clients have bought or sold businesses through Savvy previously, and return to us because we’re forthright and don’t offer false hopes. Most also appreciate our innovative marketing and the systems we’ve developed specifically to support their sale,” Mr Russell said.

Savvy has achieved more than $140 million in business sales over the past four years.

“I feel that the outlook for businesses on the Sunshine Coast is really looking up, and accordingly Savvy has set an ambitious target for attracting new clients in 2012.

“This is our third Sunshine Coast Excellence in Business Award. We previously won the Business Services category in 2008 and 2009, and so it’s fitting that we’ve taken out one of the major awards,” Mr Russell said.