Many of us appreciate and admire art in all or any of it’s forms - the beauty of something that someone has spent hours, days, weeks and sometimes years creating. Often we don’t even give a thought to the time, process, skills and talent that went into the artwork, but rather we just enjoy the finished product.
Businesses can be compared to works of art – they require the blood, sweat and tears of someone who may have spent hours, days, weeks or years building the business to what it is today. And yet, when we look at a successful business that has stood the test of time we often don’t really consider how it was created, what skills were required, or even if it is ‘finished’ in line with the owner’s vision?
As a business owner we have a vision of what our business will look like, but sometimes we don’t quite know how to get there and we may not have learnt the skills required to create our vision of the future. This is where a good business advisor can help. Professional advisors can help you articulate your vision for the future and help you develop the knowledge, skills and processes required to create the business you envisaged. They can motivate you to achieve your goals and keep you accountable to do what you say you will do.
These days there seems to be no shortage of people available to offer advice to business owners – from in person, to online, and even our social media newsfeeds are often littered with ‘experts’ willing to help. However, there is one critical difference between some of these experts and business advisors who are qualified accountants, and that is, the attention paid to your numbers.
It is essential to have a clear vision of the future and it’s great to have someone to motivate you and hold you accountable. However, if that person does not understand and address your financial management issues and challenges or advise you on taxation and structure matters, then there is a big piece of the picture missing. A business advisor who is a qualified accountant, can not only help you see the finished product before you start (clarify your vision), they can also give you a “Paint by Numbers” template on how to get there (by regularly measuring and managing your business’ financial performance and position). After all, financial management (or mismanagement) can make (or break) a business. Further, without measuring the financial improvement in your business how do you know you are getting value for money from your business coach?
If you need help creating the piece of art that is your business, call the qualified professional accountants at UHY Haines Norton Gladstone on 4972 1300 today.