Is an approach from MAXUS Capital an offer?

No. An approach is an expression of interest, not an offer — it commits you to nothing. Offers come much later, usually in writing as an indicative offer or term sheet, and only after both sides have chosen to engage.

Do I have to reply straight away?

No. There is no clock on your side of the conversation. A considered reply a week later reads better than a rushed one the same afternoon, and a genuine buyer will still be there. You set the pace.

Should I share my financials with MAXUS Capital?

Not in a first conversation. An early, low-specificity approach rarely warrants sharing numbers. If the conversation gets serious, information changes hands progressively and under a signed NDA — at a pace you control.

How do I know if MAXUS Capital is serious?

Read the approach itself: who sent it (a partner or CEO signals more intent than an analyst template), how specific it is about your actual product, customers, or numbers, and whether there is a concrete reason they are reaching out now. Generic praise that could have been sent to a hundred companies usually means a routine sweep.

Do I need an advisor before responding?

Not to acknowledge an email. But before sharing anything material — numbers, customer names, growth plans — a second opinion from someone whose only job is to represent you tends to pay for itself. An advisor can read the approach, tell you how much interest it really signals, and keep your options open.

What happens if I just ignore it?

Usually nothing bad — an unanswered email doesn't close any doors, and a genuinely interested buyer will follow up. What you give up is information: understanding why they reached out now can tell you a lot about how your business is being seen, even if you have no intention of selling.

← Who is MAXUS Capital?

If you’ve been approached

MAXUS Capital approached me — what now?

An acquirer reaching out can feel like a big moment, and it’s normal to be unsure what it means or how to respond. An approach is not an offer, and it doesn’t commit you to anything — it’s the start of a conversation you get to run at your own pace.

The most useful thing to do first is slow down and understand what kind of approach this actually is. The rest of this page walks through who MAXUS Capital is, how to read the signals, and the practical moves that keep your options open.

Who they are, in short

MAXUS Capital is a private investment firm based in Gold Coast (Pimpama), Queensland, trading as MAXUS Capital Pty Ltd. It focuses on acquiring, integrating and optimising established Australian e-commerce businesses over the long term. MAXUS buys 100% of the equity in each deal, rather than taking a minority stake. It funds purchases from its own liquid reserves plus commercial debt or vendor finance, rather than a pooled fund. After close, it runs a 'Ghost ownership' model: strategic oversight rather than day-to-day task execution, aimed at businesses that already operate on fewer than 20 hours a week of owner involvement. MAXUS does not identify any completed acquisition publicly.

Read the full profile of MAXUS Capital

What they look for

MAXUS looks only at Australian-registered e-commerce businesses. It is sector-agnostic within e-commerce, preferring Consumer Goods, Industrial Supplies, SaaS and B2B Distribution businesses. It looks for a defensible market position—brand equity, proprietary designs or exclusive supplier contracts—and low SKU complexity. Its published mandate targets Seller's Discretionary Earnings of AUD $150,000-$300,000 a year with a minimum 20% net profit margin. It also targets a purchase price of AUD $400,000-$1,000,000 including stock at valuation. It states AUD $200,000 in liquidity is immediately available for a deposit or cash-at-close. MAXUS does not publish a platform/bolt-on strategy, target revenue, target ARR, hold period or AUM figures.

Sector focus: Sector-agnostic, prioritising profitability and ease of remote management over specific niches. Preferred categories: Consumer Goods, Industrial Supplies, SaaS and B2B Distribution (homepage phrases this as 'Consumer Goods, Lifestyle, or specialized B2B niches with high customer retention and low SKU complexity'). Requires a defensible market position — brand equity, proprietary designs or exclusive supplier contracts.
Geography: Australia only — targets must be Australian-registered e-commerce businesses.
Ownership: Outright 100% equity buyout with a 'Ghost ownership' post-acquisition model: MAXUS provides capital and strategic oversight rather than daily task execution, and targets must require under 20 hours/week of owner involvement, ideally already supported by virtual assistants or automatable via AI-driven customer service.
Majority or minority: Majority — specifically 100% equity buyouts (full change of control), not minority stakes.
Target EBITDA: Not disclosed as EBITDA specifically — the firm states a target Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) of AUD $150,000-$300,000 per annum, with a minimum 20% net profit margin, as its equivalent earnings/profitability threshold.
Enterprise value: Not disclosed as 'enterprise value' specifically — the firm states a target Purchase Price Range of AUD $400,000-$1,000,000 (including SAV, stock at valuation) per acquisition.
Investment size: AUD $200,000 in liquidity is stated as immediately available for cash-at-close/deposit; the overall per-deal purchase-price range is AUD $400,000-$1,000,000, funded via a combination of internal/liquid reserves and commercial debt or vendor finance.
Capital model: Privately held investment firm (not a traditional pooled/blind-pool fund) using internal liquid reserves combined with commercial debt and vendor finance; offers flexible settlement structures including cash-heavy closings, vendor carry-backs or performance-based earn-outs.
Founder ownership: Not a founder-retention model on the seller side — MAXUS seeks 100% equity buyouts (full change of ownership) rather than the seller/founder retaining ongoing equity; day-to-day operations are expected to continue via existing virtual assistants/automation rather than continued founder involvement post-close. On the MAXUS side, the firm is led by its Managing Director, Stephen Maxwell.

How they run acquisitions

MAXUS's website provides a general enquiry channel. It offers flexible settlement structures—cash-heavy closings, vendor carry-backs or performance-based earn-outs—funded from its own liquid reserves plus commercial debt or vendor finance rather than third-party equity. Post-acquisition, MAXUS runs a 'Ghost ownership' model—capital and strategic oversight rather than day-to-day operating involvement. Existing virtual assistants or automation are expected to keep running the business day to day. MAXUS does not publish a diligence checklist, transaction timetable, or a stage-by-stage process from initial enquiry through to close.

Reading the approach

Not every approach means the same thing. A serial acquirer might be running a wide net, or might have a specific reason to want your business. Here’s how to tell the difference.

The signal

Routine BD outreach

Genuine acquisition intent

Who sent it
Routine BD outreachAn analyst or associate, often via a generic template or LinkedIn note.
Genuine intentA partner, principal, or the platform's CEO — someone who can actually transact.
How specific it is
Routine BD outreachPraises the sector and your growth in general terms; could be sent to a hundred companies.
Genuine intentReferences your actual product, customers, or numbers — they've done real homework.
What they ask for
Routine BD outreachA quick intro call to learn more and get to know you for the future.
Genuine intentA view on whether you'd consider a transaction, and often an early sense of scale.
Their timeline
Routine BD outreachOpen-ended relationship building with no particular urgency.
Genuine intentA concrete reason they're reaching out now — a fund mandate, a thesis, a nearby deal.
Where it leads
Routine BD outreachAdded to a pipeline and periodically checked in on.
Genuine intentToward an indicative offer, diligence, and a process — if you engage.

Neither is bad, and neither is a commitment. The point is to read the approach for what it is before deciding how much time and information to give it — an early, low-specificity note rarely warrants sharing numbers, while genuine interest is worth understanding properly.

The moves that protect your position

Whatever the intent, a few simple habits keep you in control of the conversation and your information.

Reply politely and keep the door open — you lose nothing by being courteous.
Ask who they are, why now, and what stage of interest this is.
Take your time; a serious buyer will wait for a considered response.
Get your own read on what the business could be worth before discussing price.
Loop in an adviser who represents you, not the buyer, before sharing anything sensitive.

Don’t

Don't name a price first, or react to a number floated casually on a call.
Don't share detailed financials or customer data before there's an NDA and real intent.
Don't negotiate against yourself by signalling how keen — or how nervous — you are.
Don't let a single unsolicited approach turn into an exclusive, one-buyer conversation.
Don't agree to a binding timeline or exclusivity just to keep them interested.

Common questions

Is an approach from MAXUS Capital an offer?: No. An approach is an expression of interest, not an offer — it commits you to nothing. Offers come much later, usually in writing as an indicative offer or term sheet, and only after both sides have chosen to engage.
Do I have to reply straight away?: No. There is no clock on your side of the conversation. A considered reply a week later reads better than a rushed one the same afternoon, and a genuine buyer will still be there. You set the pace.
Should I share my financials with MAXUS Capital?: Not in a first conversation. An early, low-specificity approach rarely warrants sharing numbers. If the conversation gets serious, information changes hands progressively and under a signed NDA — at a pace you control.
How do I know if MAXUS Capital is serious?: Read the approach itself: who sent it (a partner or CEO signals more intent than an analyst template), how specific it is about your actual product, customers, or numbers, and whether there is a concrete reason they are reaching out now. Generic praise that could have been sent to a hundred companies usually means a routine sweep.
Do I need an advisor before responding?: Not to acknowledge an email. But before sharing anything material — numbers, customer names, growth plans — a second opinion from someone whose only job is to represent you tends to pay for itself. An advisor can read the approach, tell you how much interest it really signals, and keep your options open.
What happens if I just ignore it?: Usually nothing bad — an unanswered email doesn't close any doors, and a genuinely interested buyer will follow up. What you give up is information: understanding why they reached out now can tell you a lot about how your business is being seen, even if you have no intention of selling.

Want a second opinion?

If it would help to talk it through with someone whose only job is to represent you — not the buyer — that’s exactly what we do. A short, no-obligation conversation is often enough to know where you stand.

Approached by MAXUS Capital? Get a straight, unconflicted read before you reply.

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General information, not legal, financial, or tax advice. Every situation is different — talk to an adviser about yours.