Business Consultants & Advisors
If you want to improve the performance of your business, simply meeting your accountant once or twice a year is putting your business at risk.
Our firm helps change, transform and improve your business. We get you thinking and acting with discipline and confidence.
We are experts in business advice and clients need a partner to help them develop short and long term strategies for their business.
As in almost every case, we find business owners facing identical challenges.
- sheer frustration;
- lost;
- what is my exit plan;
- lack of time;
- having less personal time
- flat profit;
- no cashflows;
- becoming a social worker for their employees;
- unable to move to the next level;
- stressed;
- lack of financial preparation;
- lack of communication;
- cashflow problems; and
- spending more time in administration and operations.
Not long ago, a small business owner relied on their accountant for business advice. Along with taxation and financial advice, the accountant played a vital role in the business affairs.
The Present
- Accountants are overwhelmed with BAS, GST, tax returns and upwards of 30,000 pages of taxation law;
- small business is being overtaken by large and aggressive companies;
- the internet has changed how small business operates; and
- small business owners feel overwhelmed or lost in the new era.
We know the position accountants are faced. Although we are very familiar with tax law, we focus on growing your business and let your accountant deal with taxation.
We meet or communicate with our clients weekly to deal with the intricate issues of business or challenges.
We start our time together with a simple question that is rarely answered by small business owners and seems to elude them for the life of the business…
Describe Your Strategy ?
Ask yourself: Can I describe my business strategy in less than one paragraph ?
The basic formula and challenges for small business are almost identical for every business. Customers and suppliers may differ but the fundamentals are almost always the same.
Why is it that large businesses invest enormous resources to understand and execute strategy and yet small business think that strategy does not apply or is of little value ?
No matter the size of the business, a lack of strategy and execution usually defines the success or lack of achievement in business.
Did you know these 6 important statistics:
75 % of businesses never prepare a budget;
20% of businesses spend more than 4 months preparing a budget and not completing it;
78% of businesses that have a budget never change it in a financial year;
85% of business owners spend less than 1 hour per month dealing with strategy;
60% of businesses do not or cannot link strategy to the budget;
92% of businesses do not report or prepare “strategy data” to help navigate the business;
What is it that makes certain businesses very successful and others struggling to make ends meet ?
How do the profitable companies stay ahead of the game and continually meet the changes head on AND do it quickly ?
The simple answer is that these companies have the benefit of using expert business advisors that can develop a global plan for their business and provide them with a competitive edge.
Small business owners struggle to keep pace with market change and continue to defend profit.
The impact of greater competition means that the small business owner works longer and harder – all at the expense of personal time !
Today, competition comes from everywhere, faster and harder and what gave you the edge today may not be there tomorrow. It’s little wonder the small business owner is overwhelmed…
Our experience has shown that many businesses that invest significant time and money preparing a business plan fail to implement it.
Remember, if you cannot describe your strategy in 1 paragraph, the you don’t have a destination.
Without a clear and easy to implement strategy, the small business owner faces the prospect of making important decisions without all the facts, or worse, will not make a decision at all.
Either way, the result could be catastrophic to the business.
Why Choose Standard Edge ?
- We are specialists in the small business sector.
- We provide a “fulltime” dedicated role in your business.
- We are your partners but with an external view of your business.
- We discuss business on a weekly basis.
- We introduce you to a culture of accountability.
- Our results are proven.
- Our client testimonials.
- Sounding board;
- Raise your standards of performance.
Our Skills Generate Value to Small Business Owners
- Ability to ask the tough questions because we possess a wide range of business knowledge and expertise.
- We specialise in the small business sector.
- Ability to have conversations beyond the obvious.
- Ability to maximize performance and structure.
- Ability to challenge small business owners.
- Ability to be highly innovative, creative and collaborative.
- We serve as a strategic partner to the business owner and his/her team.
- Ability to be a confidante in which business owners are able to share all sides of themselves; their hopes as well as their fears, their egotistical wants as well as their social needs, their dreams for themselves as well as their organizations.
- Ability to inspire others at the highest levels.
- Ability to hold all things in confidence and operate out of highly evolved ethical procedures and conduct.
What Are You Looking For In a Business Advisor ?
- An experienced conversation partner who is a good match (i.e., where there is a strong connection between Coach and client).
- An advisor who is different enough to bring about intervention, innovation and creativity to awareness.
- Someone who can work beneath the strong ego of the leader and who will challenge him/her to raise standards in all areas.
- Someone who is dedicated to having the business owner accomplish the agreed upon outcomes (e.g., increased productivity, increased effectiveness, shifts in leadership approach, increased organizational benefits).
- A person who has “been there” and who understands through their own analytical and intuitive hunches what the organization and client issues are.
- An advisor who will give strong objective feedback in a non-judgmental manner.
How Do We Do It ?
- Initial interviews that determine current situation, future goals, what is missing, background of strategic plan, mission statement, financials, etc.
- Scorecards for accountabilities.
- Pre/Post assessments to measure results for individuals and teams, team effectiveness.
- Measuring progress in terms of business acumen, being well read, personal courage, facilitation of teams, tasking for practice, stakeholder management, intellectual/intuitive awareness of the bigger picture, global-multicultural capabilities, personal and professional successes (e.g., networking, sales/marketing, and business/operational skills).
- Processes for conducting business in more effective manner such as determining vision, modelling values, discerning authority, decision-making, effective meetings, handling conflict and disagreement, creating innovative methods.
- Preparing and implementing a strategy budget – the most important document that you will ever have !
- Intensive meetings discussing and analysing your business
- Keeping your game plan on track.
- Powerful research to see where “you fit” in your industry.
- A detailed report of your industry, competitors, emerging trends and identifying potential risk points.
- Understanding the importance of “trade offs” and how to make decisions when you have all the facts.
- Helping you establish realistic and practical goals.
- Setting good communication systems with your employees, suppliers and customers.
- Establishing strong time discipline.
- Maximizing your relationship with your advisors.
BENEFITS
- Guarantee to improve the value of your business.
- Allow your employees to take more responsibility.
- Find weaknesses and road blocks in the business – and FIX THEM
- You will SAVE money and precious time and put those valuable resources into other critical areas.
- You will be able assess and understand elements that will impact your business and how to communicate the game plan to your team.
- Improve your profits and better manage your costs.
- Our focus is your business strategy – we are not in competition with your accountants or other advisors as we do not carry out tax or accounting work – we are specialists in business strategy and improving performance.
Where are the city locations ?
- Brisbane
- Sydney
- Melbourne
| Copyright © 2010 www.standardedge.com.au All Rights Reserved |