About Us

Who We Are

Through the Seven Steps to REFIRE we utilise a structured approach to improve and grow your business, which will assist you to achieve your dreams and goals.

Your professional business consultant will; provide ongoing support to implement your flexible and tailored plan, ensure ongoing performance monitoring and management, and work in partnership with you to achieve real and measurable results.

  • You’ve worked hard for many years to build a successful business, so when it comes time to consider the next phase of your life and business then it’s important you know how to maximise the wealth you can extract from your business. To do this you will need expert advice and personal guidance to ensure you get the best possible personal and business outcomes. When it comes to transitioning the ownership of your business, whether it be to sell, pass on to family or to create an ongoing passive income you should choose the experts in the field.

    We are experts in helping business owners build their business and supporting them to get ready to sell, exit or transition their business.

    Our commitment to you is to create a plan that will give you the best possible chance of achieving your business, personal and financial goals.. Using our systematic approach we work with business owners to increase the value of your business and improve your profit, which allows you to exit your business and move on to the next phase of your life with confidence and certainty.

    Ascend Partners engages with a highly motivated and experienced network of qualified business professionals, who have all the skills required to deliver a wide range of business outcomes. We work collaboratively with selected Accountants, Financial planners and Lawyers who have proven expertise and are as passionate about improving your business as you are.

    The driving force of Ascend Business Partners is Greg Johnson; an experienced Business Consultant, Certified Exit Planner and Licenced Business Broker, in Melbourne.

    • Partnering with businesses to improve profitability and increase value

    • Achieving your vision, dreams and goals

    • Delivering exceptional outcomes for clients both professionally and personally

    • Leading the industry in expert advice and knowledge

    • Forming lasting relationships with our clients

    • Honesty, integrity and trust

  • Ascend Business Partners work in partnership with clients to improve the value of their businesses, achieve organisational change and create a more certain future for them, their stakeholders and their families.

    • We specialise in creating successful exits for business owners

    • Our unique system for identifying and building business value

    • Our extensive business and professional experience

    • Experience in strategic thinking, tailored advice and integrated solutions

Find out why we're different

Greg Johnson

Principal Consultant, Ascend Partners
B.Bus (Acct), CPA, CEPA

"As a trusted professional adviser I assist business owners, to improve profits, increase the value of their business, and improve the quality of their life. My passion is making a positive difference in the lives of others."

The Man Behind Ascend Partners

Greg Johnson is a highly experienced strategic adviser, coach and succession/exit planning specialist with an extensive range of skills gained over 25 years.

Greg’s emphasis is on assisting business owners plan, design and implement their ultimate exit and succession strategy using his expertise to create a proven track record within the SME market.

Senior leadership and management roles, held within a number of publicly listed Australian companies (Coles Myer, Country Road, and Newcrest Mining) have provided Greg with exceptional people management, business transformation and financial management skills.

He has a keen eye for financial analysis, which he uses to create substantial improvements in business performance. His broad commercial experience and diverse industry background are invaluable in building robust, valuable businesses for clients of Ascend Partners.

Greg’s drive and passion for success empowers clients to develop the right strategies to achieve their business, personal and financial goals.

Most business owners underestimate their true potential and Greg empowers his clients to increase profits and improve cash flow, with a view to increasing the value of their business that provides his clients with personal and financial freedom.

As a Certified Practicing Accountant, Qualified Coach, Accredited Business Consultant and Certified Exit Planner Greg has the skills to help businesses achieve results which exceed his clients expectations

Additionally, Greg has developed exceptional people management, business transformation and financial management skills during his career in senior leadership and management roles, held within a number of publicly listed Australian companies (Coles Myer, Country Road, and Newcrest Mining).

As a seasoned speaker, Greg can draw on his many years of experience in corporate and consulting roles, bringing together his unique skills and wide knowledge base in engaging presentations. He can present on a variety of topics relating to business exit planning, succession planning and employee engagement.

Are you looking for an engaging business speaker?

Greg Johnson is an experienced speaker and an expert in business exit and succession planning. As a Certified Practicing Accountant, Qualified Coach, Accredited Business Consultant, Certified Exit Planner, and author Greg has got the expertise you are looking for as well as the ability to engage audiences.

Presentation topics can include:

  • What is it, and how does it help increase your wealth?

  • How to get employees to think and act like a business owner.

  • The things most business owners don’t know that can cost you a fortune.

What others have said

    • “Greg's work with our company has been instrumental in the planning, valuing and smooth transition from existing founding owners through to new owners and managers. His ability to independently provide exit planning and guide the business through this transitional stage ensuring absolute confidence in the process for all parties is highly recommended.”

    • “Greg was enormous help to us and our business. He was always available, courteous, good humoured and a great support no matter what the question or the degree of difficulty. He organised an exit strategy whereby he found a buyer for our business, and handled the whole transaction. He has a very broad knowledge and I have no hesitation in recommending him.”

    • “Greg Johnson was recommended to us by a contact in AusIndustry to help us sell our IT company. We have just completed the sale following three months of intense negotiations led by Greg. During this time Greg became the fourth member of our Management team and was indispensable as a sounding board, finance and accounting advisor, coach and negotiator. He was the voice of reason when we were all losing ours, and his calm, sensible approach helped us to get through the whole stressful process with an excellent result.”

    • “The appointment of Greg Johnson twelve months ago has allowed me as owner to take a step back from the day to day operational activities and better focus on business fundamentals . The implementation of a strategic plan and key business activities being reviewed constantly has significantly improved profitability making it a much more attractive proposition for a potential buyer allowing me to transition into semi retirement.”

    • “After ten years of growing a successful business, it was time to take it to the next level  that commanded the implementation of a management team that would not only support significant domestic growth, would position the business for international expansion whilst reducing dependency upon me as the owner - paving the way for succession. Greg guided me through a detailed process that brought together all my strategic goals to best position my business reach its full potential, whilst maintaining agility to respond tactically. After 18 months of working with Greg, if I chose, I can now confidently present my business for sale. Knowing its well positioned to achieve maximum return enabling me to think about those other important things in life, now that I truly have an exit strategy.”

  • “Greg has not only been an enormous help in getting the company back on its feet for both now and way into the future, and he has done it with an enormous amount of patience. It was obvious from the very start that he was here to help, and help he would.  Also right from the start he made himself a friend and confidant, and with his friendly character made it very easy to ask any question, which helped us get the important things done. Greg has put the partners on the right track, and with the right focus on business strategies they now expect to achieve their personal and business objectives.”

    • “Greg and I worked together to identify the potential of my business, the strengths and weaknesses, and by identifying the weaknesses it meant we focused on them and changed them. After 18 months of working with Greg I can now proudly present my business to a prospective purchaser knowing that my business has been prepared for such a moment, enabling me to get the best return on my now great business, and isn’t that what we are all working towards…the exit strategy!”

How to get started with Ascend Partners

Getting started with us is easy. We work in partnership with you to achieve real and measurable results.

  • Contact us now for an obligation free discussion about your business, goals or project

  • You can Score Your Business using our online diagnostics. We'll have a look at the results and give you an initial report for free.