To be successful in this industry you will need to be able to discern between fact and "want to be fact" – often miles apart! You will need to enjoy meeting with people, be capable of writing meaningful reports, have an eye for detail, and have the patience of Job while dealing with buyers. You must be able to work at varying degrees of intensity, from quiet days where the phone never rings, to crazy times where there is barely time to eat, sleep or attend to personal habits.

Being a business broker does not guarantee instant wealth, and you would be well suited only if you are able to support yourself financially outside the industry for at least three months, but more likely six months. You are unlikely to close a deal by the weekend, no matter what you have been led to believe, or how high you estimate your selling skills to be! The ability to budget one's own financial affairs for extended periods is very important. You should have a reliable motor vehicle and mobile phone. Our brokers all work on an above average commission only basis.

We will not require you to source businesses for sale by the droves. Instead, we will encourage you to find only the shiny articles amongst the dros, secure the rights to sell each business and report properly on it. We will then show you how to sell to the maximum benefit of the seller, the buyer and yourself. We will not guarantee you leads, sales, success, riches or happiness, but association with our group of brokers may give you an above average chance of achieving at least some of these ideals.

We don't care about your race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age or any of the other divisive categories into which people are placed by others. However, you must have some business experience, and have seen the good and the bad of life. You must be computer literate to the extent that you are able to use Microsoft's Office programs including email, Word and Excel, and you should have your own late model computer with legal software installed. You must be presentable, and able to communicate with both clients and customers. Our existing brokers must be able to introduce you with pride to both our existing and future clients and customers. You should not be a person who would typically place members of a particular group in a box, or who talks about them as "they are all crooks, smelly, ugly, rich, etc." If you have an existing network of influential people; that's great, but not a prerequisite. Your positive contribution without being a "yes man" will be welcomed by the group as a whole.

We are ourselves prejudiced in that we are only interested in positive people with a healthy outlook on life and business in South Africa. Please don't respond if you're a smoker or unrecovered alcoholic. We will charge you a small administrative fee for the privilege of joining our group, once we have approved you, and there will be a continuing monthly admin fee, just to keep you focused. We will also require you to pass the Estate Agency Affairs Board Exam, and undergo continuing education more specific to the business broking industry, from within Suitegum.