The Vision Nobody Believed In 

Peter Sarai had a problem that most business owners would love to have. 

His financial planning firm in Brisbane was already doing $3M annually. He had two talented sons working alongside him. The business was profitable, growing, and respected in the Indian community they served. 

But Peter wasn't satisfied. 

Not because he was greedy or reckless. Peter understood something fundamental that most business owners miss: you can't truly master your business until you get above it. And you can't get above a single-brand, single-location operation without diversifying and scaling. 

So, in his mid-50s (when most successful business owners start thinking about winding down), Peter decided to get bigger. 

His strategy? Strategic investment into accounting firms to diversify and strengthen Modoras' market position. 

Simple in concept. Brutal in execution. 

Especially when you're an Indian family-owned financial planning business trying to buy established Australian accounting firms in the early 2000s. 

When the Market Says "No" 

I met Peter and his business partner Jita during what should have been a straightforward engagement. They had the capital, the vision, and the capability to integrate acquisitions successfully. Finding willing sellers should have been the easy part. 

It wasn't. 

Over a 3-4 month period, as I got to know Peter and understood his philosophy, something became painfully clear: the market wasn't ready for what Peter was proposing. 

We searched everywhere: Toowoomba to Shepparton, Parramatta to Albury Wodonga. Quality firms with succession needs. Principals are ready to transition. Perfect strategic fits on paper. 

And every single one said no. 

Not because Peter's offer wasn't fair. Not because Modoras wasn't credible. But because (and let's be honest about this) no one wanted to sell their life's work to an Indian family-owned financial planning business. 

The prejudice wasn't always explicit. Sometimes it was wrapped in concerns about "cultural fit", "client expectations," or "maintaining our brand identity." But Peter and I both knew what we were really facing. 

The question was: would Peter give up, or would he prove them all wrong? 

The Persistence That Changes Everything 

Here's what separated Peter from every other ambitious business owner I've worked with: his persistence matched his vision. 

Lesser people would have taken the market's "no" as final. They would have convinced themselves that diversification wasn't necessary, that their current success was enough, that maybe this wasn't meant to be. 

Peter didn't operate that way. 

Every rejection refined his approach. Every "no" taught him something about positioning his value proposition. Every closed door meant he'd knock harder on the next one. 

And my team kept pushing alongside him, because when you find a client with that level of determination combined with genuine capability, you don't quit on them. 

We retained the engagement and committed to finding Peter his breakthrough opportunity. 

The Melbourne Breakthrough 

After months of searching, we identified two potential acquisitions in Melbourne that could change everything: DGF in Altona and Anna Pandolfo's firm on St Kilda Road. 

Both principals were open-minded enough to look past the surface-level concerns that had stopped other deals. Both recognised that Peter's vision and Modoras' capability mattered more than their ethnic background or business model differences. 

We structured deals for both firms. 

Now, not everything works out perfectly in M&A, and Anna Pandolfo's practice ultimately didn't integrate as planned. That happens. Cultural alignment on paper doesn't always translate to successful integration in practice. 

But DGF? That deal absolutely delivered. 

In its first year alone, the DGF partnership generated over $800K in new financial planning revenue for Modoras. Not incremental improvement. Transformational growth that validated Peter's entire diversification strategy. 

More importantly, it proved to the market that Peter could successfully acquire and integrate accounting firms. The first deal-breaking through opened doors that had been firmly closed before. 

Suddenly, other firms started taking Modoras seriously. 

Building Momentum (When Success Compounds) 

With DGF performing strongly, we moved on to the next target: a firm in Parramatta, in Sydney's western suburbs. 

By now, Peter had refined his integration playbook. He knew how to honour the existing firm's identity while introducing Modoras' systems and capabilities. He understood which staff to retain, which clients to prioritise, and how to communicate value without triggering resistance. 

The Parramatta acquisition added another strong revenue stream and expanded Modoras' geographic footprint into Sydney. 

But the real breakthrough (the acquisition that would define Modoras' trajectory for the next 14 years) was still ahead. 

The RJ Sanderson Transformation 

When we identified RJ Sanderson in Victoria as a potential acquisition target, the firm was already substantial: $5M in annual revenue. 

This wasn't a small practice looking for an exit strategy. This was an established firm with strong market presence, quality staff, and loyal clients. 

Most acquirers would have been intimidated. Peter saw an opportunity. 

The deal structure required more sophistication than the previous acquisitions. The integration would be more complex. The cultural alignment had to be absolutely right because the stakes were significantly higher. 

But by this point, Peter and his team had developed genuine M&A capability. 

They weren't just buying practices and hoping things worked out. They had systems for due diligence, frameworks for integration, and proven methodologies for retaining both staff and clients through ownership transitions. 

RJ Sanderson became Modoras' flagship investment. 

The 14-Year Transformation 

Here's where Peter's story moves from impressive to extraordinary: 

From $5M at acquisition to $35M in annual revenue 14 years later. 

That's not just growth. That's a seven-fold increase in value creation through disciplined management, strategic investment, and patient relationship building. 

Think about what that required: 

• Maintaining the firm's core identity while introducing Modoras' capabilities 

• Investing in staff development and retention year after year 

• Expanding service offerings without compromising quality 

• Building systems that could scale from $5M to $35M sustainably 

• Navigating economic cycles, regulatory changes, and competitive pressures 

RJ Sanderson's success proved Peter's original thesis: get bigger to get above. 

The $100M Reality 

Today (and this still amazes me every time I think about it) Modoras operates three distinct brands across Australia's east coast. 

Annual revenue: $100M. 

Team size: 500+ employees. 

From a $3M financial planning firm that couldn't buy an accounting practice to a $100M diversified financial services group operating multiple brands across three states. 

Peter Sarai proved that persistence, properly applied, can overcome any initial market resistance. 

The Lessons (That Every Growth-Minded Owner Needs) 

Peter's journey from rejected acquirer to $100M empire builder teaches us principles that apply far beyond M&A: 

Vision Without Validation 

Peter didn't need the market to believe in his strategy before he pursued it. He knew what needed to happen and committed to making it happen regardless of initial feedback. 

Persistence Beats Prejudice 

Every "no" could have been the end. Peter chose to make each rejection the beginning of a better approach. When the market wouldn't accept him, he proved them wrong through results. 

First Success Opens Doors 

DGF's $800K first-year performance did more to change perceptions than any pitch deck could have. Nothing argues like actual results. 

Integration Capability Compounds 

Each successful acquisition made the next one easier. Peter built genuine M&A expertise through repeated execution, not theoretical learning. 

Patient Capital Wins 

Growing RJ Sanderson from $5M to $35M took 14 years. That's not "get rich quick." That's "get extraordinary through discipline." 

Scale Creates Strategic Options 

At $100M with 500 employees across three brands, Modoras now has options that simply weren't available at $3M. Getting bigger really did get Peter above his business. 

What This Really Proves 

You know what I love most about Peter's story? 

He started with a vision that the market rejected, and ended up building something bigger than anyone (including his initial doubters) thought possible. 

That transformation didn't happen because conditions were favorable. The market actively resisted what Peter was trying to do. 

It happened because Peter combined vision with persistence, backed by genuine capability and patient execution. 

The Indian family-owned financial planning business that "nobody wanted to sell to" is now a $100M empire that transformed every firm they acquired. 

Sometimes the best revenge is just building something extraordinary. 

The Broader Implications 

Peter's story matters beyond Modoras' success because it proves something essential about strategic growth: 

Market resistance isn't always market wisdom. 

Sometimes "no" just means "not yet" or "you haven't proven it to me yet." Sometimes prejudice masquerades as prudent caution. Sometimes the breakthrough requires refusing to accept the initial verdict. 

If Peter had listened to the market's initial response, he'd still be running a $3M firm in Brisbane. Successful, yes. But nowhere near the $100M empire he built by refusing to accept "no" as final. 

The firms that rejected Peter's initial offers? They missed out on participating in one of Australia's most impressive financial services growth stories. 

Meanwhile, the firms that said yes (DGF, Parramatta, RJ Sanderson) became part of something far bigger and better than they could have built independently. 

Your Next Step 

If you're a practice owner with strategic growth ambitions that others don't understand yet, Peter's framework can work for you too. 

Our Strategic Growth Program follows the same principles Peter applied: clear vision, disciplined search, cultural alignment over convenient deals, and patient execution that compounds over time. 

Because here's what Peter proved through 157 transactions and a $100M empire: getting bigger to get above isn't just possible. It's the only way to truly master your business and realise your full potential. 

Ready to pursue growth that others don't believe in yet? 

About the Author 

John Peterson facilitated Peter Sarai's initial acquisitions that launched Modoras' transformation from $3M to $100M. Having worked on 157 practice transactions and currently executing his own $13M roll-up, John understands both the vision required for strategic growth and the persistence needed to overcome market resistance. His client-first approach ensures every acquisition creates compounding value that extends far beyond the settlement date. 

"Sometimes the market's 'no' is just the universe testing whether you really mean it. Peter proved he did, and built an empire in the process."