Amy Bett - Getting Control of Your Cash Flow

If you watched our last episode, you will have learned that it is never too late to make a business plan. You can also download our Simple  Business Plan Template to get started.

In this episode, we look at some of the common mistakes business owners make when creating and using business plans.

So look out for these 5 common business plan fails:

1. Not actually making a plan
2. Lack specific goals
3. Plan isn't implemented
4. No accountability
5. Nothing is measured

Paul Sweeney Chartered Accountant & Business Advisor, launched Pretium Solutions after a long and successful career in accounting and business advisory. Paul credits his passion for small business with growing up in country NSW, where family-run businesses were the cornerstone of everyday life.

For Paul, the driving force behind The Business Behind Your Business was to make high end, proactive, directed and value-based advisory services available to small to medium businesses.

Paul brings to the table decades of experience as a highly qualified accountant and business advisor at every level of business. Through consulting, coaching and on-the-ground training and operations, his focus is on unlocking the untapped potential for greater profitability. Paul’s qualifications allow him to pair strategic advice with an advanced understanding of taxation and compliance matters.

www.pretiumsolutions.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

What are your business and personal goals for the year? What plans have you made? How will you implement these plans? How will you assess if your goals are being met? If these questions leave you feeling overwhelmed, never fear!

It's NEVER too late to make a business plan.

Find out the benefits of making a business plan, plus some simple tips to get you started.

• Learn about the simple framework for assessing your starting point - where you are now so you know the base for where your plan starts
• Help you pinpoint where you want to be in 1 year, 3 years and 5 years
• Help you identify the big issues you need to deal with to achieve your goals
• Help you identify the actions you need to take and the resources you will need to achieve your goals
• Provide a framework for determining where to start - what are the priorities for you right now and what can wait?
• Learn how to capture your goals in a simple business plan
• The 90 day review - why you must review your actions and results and check on your progress regularly!
• How to avoid the 5 most common reasons business plans fail

Download our Simple  Business Plan Template to get started.

Paul Sweeney Chartered Accountant & Business Advisor, launched Pretium Solutions after a long and successful career in accounting and business advisory. Paul credits his passion for small business with growing up in country NSW, where family-run businesses were the cornerstone of everyday life.

For Paul, the driving force behind The Business Behind Your Business was to make high end, proactive, directed and value-based advisory services available to small to medium businesses.

Paul brings to the table decades of experience as a highly qualified accountant and business advisor at every level of business. Through consulting, coaching and on-the-ground training and operations, his focus is on unlocking the untapped potential for greater profitability. Paul’s qualifications allow him to pair strategic advice with an advanced understanding of taxation and compliance matters.

www.pretiumsolutions.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

The 2023 calendar year has drawn to a close. For many, it was still a year of hangover effects from covid and poorer economic conditions. For many others, it was a year of substantial growth and increased profits. 

So what set those businesses apart?

In this episode, our host Paul Sweeney reflects on some of the key takeaways from conversations with our guests and business owners.

From all of the team at The Business Behind Your Business, wishing you a safe holiday season and a prosperous 2024.

Paul Sweeney Chartered Accountant & Business Advisor, launched Pretium Solutions after a long and successful career in accounting and business advisory. Paul credits his passion for small business with growing up in country NSW, where family-run businesses were the cornerstone of everyday life.

For Paul, the driving force behind The Business Behind Your Business was to make high end, proactive, directed and value-based advisory services available to small to medium businesses.

Paul brings to the table decades of experience as a highly qualified accountant and business advisor at every level of business. Through consulting, coaching and on-the-ground training and operations, his focus is on unlocking the untapped potential for greater profitability. Paul’s qualifications allow him to pair strategic advice with an advanced understanding of taxation and compliance matters.

www.pretiumsolutions.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

What do you need to consider when choosing an accountant for your business? It's an important decision -  getting the right accountant for your needs can help you build a profitable and healthy business. 

Here are some key factors to consider:

• What services does your business need? 
• What are your values?
• What are the qualifications and experience of the accountant?

Benefits of using an accountant:

• Improved systems and processes
• Stay up-to-date with your compliance obligations
• Take advantage of business opportunities
• Save time and money

Useful links for when you are choosing an accountant for your business:

Search for your accountant and check their qualifications here - Tax Practitioners Board https://www.tpb.gov.au/home

Blogs on choosing an accountant 

• Do you have the right accountant for your business? 
• Is your business missing out by not using an accountant? 
• What do you need to consider when choosing an accountant?

Paul Sweeney Chartered Accountant & Business Advisor, launched Pretium Solutions after a long and successful career in accounting and business advisory. Paul credits his passion for small business with growing up in country NSW, where family-run businesses were the cornerstone of everyday life.

For Paul, the driving force behind The Business Behind Your Business was to make high end, proactive, directed and value-based advisory services available to small to medium businesses.

Paul brings to the table decades of experience as a highly qualified accountant and business advisor at every level of business. Through consulting, coaching and on-the-ground training and operations, his focus is on unlocking the untapped potential for greater profitability. Paul’s qualifications allow him to pair strategic advice with an advanced understanding of taxation and compliance matters.

www.pretiumsolutions.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

One of the accepted risks of running a business is being audited by the tax department. Nowadays, there are multiple government agencies that you and your business  may need to deal with, apart from just the Australian Tax Office and possible income tax audits. With increased data sharing between government organisations, it has become much more common to have audit activity triggered for things like payroll tax issues or not paying superannuation to employees.

To help us understand what is happening with audits, and how you can best prepare for them, we are joined by Rod Spicer from Accountancy Insurance. We'll also learn about their Audit Shield service, a useful safeguard against the financial implications of an ATO audit.

If you would like more information on Audit Shield and how it can safeguard your financial well-being, contact Pretium Solutions at info@pretiumsolutions.com.au

Rod Spicer is a qualified Chartered Accountant with more than 30 years’ experience in the accounting profession. He has held various roles senior management and Associate Director positions at an international accounting network. 

Rod has worked at Accountancy Insurance since 2013 and is the Associate Director of Claims and Underwriting. In this role, Rod is responsible for the operations of the Claims Department, policy wording development and the management of large and complex claims. 

Rod can be contacted on rod@accountancyinsurance.com.au 
or by calling 1300 797 231.

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

What can you do to give yourself the best chance of success in your business? Following on from our last episode on business health checks, Paul Sweeney shares the 7 steps you need to take to create some positive changes in your business.

What kinds of outcomes can you expect? Your business will be more profitable, you'll be less stressed, and you'll feel more in control.

It's very normal for small business owners to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks and to lose sight of the bigger picture. But take a moment and think about this:

What are the consequences of doing nothing?

• Financial uncertainty and stress
• Missed opportunities
• Poor business outcomes

It's time to do that business health check and plan for a better future.

You'll get a free, no obligation report sent to you. It will highlight what is working well in your business, and areas that need improvement. It's a valuable jumping off point for every business.

Paul Sweeney Chartered Accountant & Business Advisor, launched Pretium Solutions after a long and successful career in accounting and business advisory. Paul credits his passion for small business with growing up in country NSW, where family-run businesses were the cornerstone of everyday life.

For Paul, the driving force behind The Business Behind Your Business was to make high end, proactive, directed and value-based advisory services available to small to medium businesses.

Paul brings to the table decades of experience as a highly qualified accountant and business advisor at every level of business. Through consulting, coaching and on-the-ground training and operations, his focus is on unlocking the untapped potential for greater profitability. Paul’s qualifications allow him to pair strategic advice with an advanced understanding of taxation and compliance matters.

www.pretiumsolutions.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

In general, small businesses are not healthy. Here are some alarming statistics - Australian Small Business and Family Enterprises Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has found that 49% of small business owners make less than average wages, and two out of 5 micro and small businesses are not profitable.

Interestingly, there are also businesses who are thriving in the current conditions, at the same time these other businesses are failing. And these differences can be seen within the same industries. So what can be done to make more businesses into profitable, successful ventures? If you are concerned about the health of your business, what can you do to improve it?

The first step is to understand what is going on in the business and identify any problems. Seeking help from your business adviser is key.

Start the process today with a Business Health Check Quiz. You'll get a free, no obligation report sent to you. It will highlight what is working well in your business, and areas that need improvement.

Paul Sweeney Chartered Accountant & Business Advisor, launched Pretium Solutions after a long and successful career in accounting and business advisory. Paul credits his passion for small business with growing up in country NSW, where family-run businesses were the cornerstone of everyday life.

For Paul, the driving force behind The Business Behind Your Business was to make high end, proactive, directed and value-based advisory services available to small to medium businesses.

Paul brings to the table decades of experience as a highly qualified accountant and business advisor at every level of business. Through consulting, coaching and on-the-ground training and operations, his focus is on unlocking the untapped potential for greater profitability. Paul’s qualifications allow him to pair strategic advice with an advanced understanding of taxation and compliance matters.

www.pretiumsolutions.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

Events have long been a go-to strategy for businesses aiming to showcase their products or services. However, it's not uncommon for these efforts to fall flat despite the considerable investments of time, effort, and money.

In this episode we address the questions of: 

1. How can we turn the tide and make our events successful? 
2. How do we extract real value from hosting these gatherings?
3. And most importantly, how can we use events as part of our business growth strategy?

We are joined by Celia Wouters, Managing Director of Events Outsourced.  Celia looks at what makes a successful event, plus some common mistakes small businesses make. Celia offers some great strategies to help businesses make the most out of their events.

How do we make the event worth the time, effort and cost that we put into it?
 

Celia Wouters is an event management professional who has worked in the events industry for 16 years. Her prior positions have seen her employed on all sides of events – Events Agency, “In-house” company Events Manager and Venue side – which gives her a well rounded view of all aspects of events and enables her to further assist her clients. 

Celia founded Events Outsourced in 2016 from her passion to create engaging and polished events. In the early days Events Outsourced was a “one-woman band” but has grown throughout the years. We now employ a team of events professionals who all share Celia's passion for events.Providing a flexible and personalised service to our clients, we aim to ensure that the events process is strategic yet stress free. 

At the heart of it, Events Outsourced is a corporate event planning agency who care for our clients and our environment. Partnering with us will provide you with a strategic approach to events. With the additional bonus of knowing you are supporting a small business to succeed. Ensure your next event is both strategically driven and planned to perfection. 

Links:
www.eventsoutsourced.com.au/
Facebook
Instagram 
LinkedIn - Celia 
LinkedIn - Events Outsourced

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

Knowing your business and providing amazing products or services is only part of running a successful venture. Another crucial aspect of business success is building positive relationships.  From fostering business-to-business ties, to encouraging return customers, to keeping fantastic staff - how you manage relationships is integral to your business.

We are joined by Jason Owen, the Managing Director of D2N Technology Solutions. Jason shares his fascinating business journey in the technology and communications industry. He looks at the importance of developing positive relationships in business and he offers some great tips for start-ups.

Jason Owen is a RF & Electronics Engineer who has the in-depth knowledge to revolutionise the way industries & businesses communicate. With over 30 years’ experience in Broadcast Television, Radio and Event Production, Jason brings to the table a world of experience, insight, and knowledge. A passionate leader who loves a challenge!
From humble beginnings as a DJ at high school to working with the Seven Network, Austereo, Olympic Broadcasting Services, Gravity Media, NEP and Riedel Communications.  Jason is now the Managing Director of D2N – Technology Solutions based in the Hawkesbury NSW.  Jason holds a Bachelor of Electronics & Communications Engineering, and a Double BA in Political Science and Modern History.
Offering both off the shelf and bespoke technical solutions D2N – Technology Solutions covers the audio, video and communications space with the ethos of, ‘premium brands, premium solutions, and premium customers.’

Email Jason at jason.owen@d2n.com.au
Jason's LinkedIn
D2D Technology Solutions LinkedIn
linktr.ee/D2NTechnology
www.d2n.com.au

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram

Business owners -  here's an important question to ask yourselves, "Do my customers actually know what I do for them?"

We are joined again by Nathan Williams (Customer Return) to look at this crucial issue - and how the use of storytelling can help bridge the gap in understanding and build your relationship.

You can spend a lot of time and energy providing amazing services or products for your customers, but if your customers don't actually know and understand what you are doing, how can they properly value it?

It's important to have systems set up to communicate what you are doing (and the value of what you are doing) to your customers.  This will have a positive flow on to getting great referrals from your customers.

Find out how adding stories to your sales conversations can improve connections with your customers and add a greater understanding of your services.

So don't be a duck paddling hard under the water - let your customers know about the hard work you are putting in that produces your quality service or product that they love.

Interested in learning more about storytelling and sales? Email Nathan and he'll send you a storytelling example. nathan@customerreturn.com.au

Nathan Williams has won, coached clients to win and judged ‘Pitch Competitions’…while also presenting regularly for industry groups, associations and CEO networks on Pitching, Sales and Referrals.

Founder and Managing Director of a Sales Consulting company called Customer Return…Nathan holds a Master of Management from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and has helped over 100 businesses from start-ups to Westpac and NAB to attract more of their ideal clients, faster.

Nathan’s content is practical and tactical…so you can best communicate your value and attract more of the ideal clients you deserve when you’re next in a Sales conversation and get asked…”So, what do you do?”
Contact Nathan at nathan@customerreturn.com.au

Perfect Pitch Self Evaluation – Customer Return

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram