Real Stories From Australian Businesses

We've worked with small businesses and growing companies across Australia since 2019. The feedback we get tells us what's working and where we need to improve.

These aren't cherry-picked success stories. They're honest accounts from people who needed help with tough negotiations and complex financial discussions.

Some came to us after failed deals. Others wanted to avoid mistakes they'd seen competitors make. Most just wanted someone in their corner who understood the numbers and the psychology.

Business professionals reviewing negotiation strategies in modern Australian office

What Our Clients Actually Say

We asked clients to be candid about their experience. Here's what they shared about working with marlenexivo on their toughest financial negotiations.

"

Had a supplier trying to lock us into a three-year contract at prices that made no sense. marlenexivo walked through the whole proposal with us, found clauses we'd missed, and helped us negotiate terms that actually protected our margins. The supplier wasn't thrilled, but they came back with something fair.

Portrait of Callum Varga, manufacturing business owner

Callum Varga

Manufacturing Director, Brisbane
"

Honestly thought we'd lose the deal when negotiations stalled for six weeks. marlenexivo didn't promise miracles. They mapped out three different paths forward, helped us understand what the other side actually needed, and we found middle ground. Took another month, but we got there.

Portrait of Henrik Sørlie, technology sector client

Henrik Sørlie

Tech Startup Founder, Melbourne
"

The preparation sessions before our investor meetings were worth every cent. marlenexivo helped us anticipate questions we hadn't even considered. When investors pushed back on our valuation, we had solid answers because we'd already worked through the objections.

Lachlan Devereux

Co-Founder, Sydney
"

Brought marlenexivo in when a partnership agreement was falling apart. They didn't take sides or try to be mediators. Instead, they helped each of us understand the financial implications of different exit scenarios. We ended up restructuring instead of splitting, which worked better for everyone.

Tobias Lindroth

Retail Business Owner, Perth
"

The bank wanted personal guarantees on a business loan that felt excessive. marlenexivo showed us which parts were standard and which were negotiable. We went back with specific counterproposals, and the bank actually removed two of the guarantees. Saved me from putting my house on the line unnecessarily.

Jarrett Kowalski

Construction Company Owner, Adelaide
"

What I appreciated most was the straightforward approach. No jargon, no complicated frameworks. Just practical advice about what leverage we actually had and how to use it. The client meeting went smoother than any we'd done before, and we closed the contract two weeks ahead of schedule.

Fraser Keighley

Consulting Firm Partner, Canberra
Professional business negotiation taking place in contemporary Australian boardroom

When Standard Advice Doesn't Cut It

Most negotiation training focuses on theory. Win-win scenarios. Building rapport. Finding common ground.

That stuff matters, sure. But when you're sitting across from someone who holds better cards, those concepts feel pretty abstract.

One of our clients from 2024 was negotiating with their largest customer—a relationship that represented 40% of their revenue. The customer wanted to renegotiate pricing downward while extending payment terms. Standard advice would be to diversify your customer base. Great long-term strategy, terrible short-term help.

We spent three weeks analyzing the customer's actual alternatives, their internal processes, and their pain points with competitors. Turned out they'd already tried switching suppliers twice and came back each time.

Armed with that knowledge, our client could negotiate from a position of understanding rather than fear. They kept the pricing mostly intact, offered a modest payment term extension, and added a service component that the customer actually valued more than a discount.

The deal took six weeks to finalize. It wasn't elegant or quick. But it preserved margins and strengthened a relationship that could have been damaged by defensive negotiating.

Discuss Your Negotiation Challenge

How We Support Australian Businesses

These numbers represent real work with real companies across Australia. Not projections or hypotheticals—actual engagements completed between 2022 and early 2025.

147
Negotiation Consultations Completed
23
Industries Represented
89%
Clients Would Recommend Us
6.2
Average Weeks to Resolution
52
Supplier Contracts Reviewed
31
Partnership Restructures Supported
18
Investor Pitch Preparations
64
Client Contract Negotiations