UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
Small business owners and ordinary New Zealanders are not set up to succeed. Everybody knows the sad statistics around the failure rate of small businesses and the high percentage of New Zealanders who do not have a living wage at retirement. All government support and initiatives are seemingly aligned to supporting corporate organisations, and on top of this the business world is becoming more complex and uncertain due mainly to technological and environmental issues. This was not always the case…
Historically, New Zealand has has had a number 8 wire mentality of strong problem solving mixed with a tough DIY attitude. Thirty years ago it was possible to put up a new shop in a busy area and know customers would come in. This same business owner today would also need a working knowledge of trends in technology usage and online buying trends, technological advances for managing the store, digital marketing, more complex legal issues, health and safety regulations and a range of more complicated and confusing issues.
This complexity and confusion is very similar in the personal wealth and investing world as it is for small business.
For the majority of these small business owners, the major source of professional advice that happens regularly year to year comes from their accountant.
OUR SOLUTION
Ultimately our solution is to create a structure that knows just as much about your finances and business as you do. This includes, your goals, aspirations, projects you are working on and the obstacles you have in achieving your goals.
Think of us as your financial facilitator. We don’t give financial advice but we help you to put in place the structure that allows your affairs to grow to meet your objectives.
Our experience tells us that to improve decision making around money and business decisions you need 2 major things:
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Knowledge
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The Right Information
1. Knowledge
Knowledge comes from making sure you have the right experts answering the right questions at the right time! As previously mentioned it is impossible to have all the answers in this business climate, so it is important to have the right team in place on hand to answer those questions when you need!
We work with a range of industry and business experts (including your existing advisors) and put a structure in place so you can get this advice when you need it.
How do you know you have the right team?
If you can answer the questions below favourably:
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Can I name more than 3 specialists/experts who make up my professional team?
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With the experts I use, are they suitable for all the transactions I currently use them for? (For example is my book keeper giving me tax/business advice? Is my HR company giving me legal advice?)
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How senior are the people I am working with? Are they skilled enough to help make this decision? (For example is my main point of contact a junior person in a professional services firm?)
2. The Right Information
Usually most people can make the most basic decisions if they just have the right information in front of them rather than taking an ‘Entrepreneurial guess!’. The basis of accounting is having the right information and the framework for creating great financial success as a small business owner is having timely accurate information. This is the area in which we deliver services for our clients. You will find this under the Financial Freedom Framework.