Tag: passion alec blacklaw

Searching for a Great Accountant!

On By Alec BlacklawIn A great accountant, Uncategorized2 Comments

Looking to find a great accountant who can help you with your business?

You want great value for money, someone who listens to you, who understands you and can give you options and clarity on a range of matters affecting you and your business as it grows and develops.

This advisor will be pro active, can act as a sounding board and complement the talent you have inside your business. This may mean different things for you depending on where your business is at right now, in terms of its maturity and your journey so far, your current challenges and opportunities.

You may be at start up, or established but needing a fresh approach, or in growth mode with your own unique challenges or looking to maximise the value of the business on exiting the business in full or in part.

Then there’s the everyday support and pro active advice with compliance in all its guises.

An experienced business advisor and accountant will have the talent you need and will partner with you on these issues, challenges & opportunties.

Top 10 Tips to finding the best advisor for you.

  1. Have a No Obligation complimentary session to see if there is a good fit.
  2. Identify your key objectives and expectations – obtain a comprehensive document that explains in simple English what you get, what the cost will be and when you receive the outcomes you desire.
  3. Someone who will review your business structure to ensure it meets your current and future objectives & confirm the optimum business and legal structure.
  4. Someone who will proactively explore all options to legally minimise your income and capital gains tax – now and in the future. Perform a regular review of your trading performances and know your tax position and cash flow in advance.
  5. Someone to assist you really understand your Critical Success Factors and be able to produce accurate and intelligent reports on your performance – Measure and manage, discuss, taking corrective action regularly (before it’s too late).
  6. Cash flow is everything…. confirms where you are making your profit and understand your break even position – from a cash flow and a profit perspective.
  7. Protect your assets – understand where the real value is and protect your Brand, Intellectual Property, communicating your unique Point of Difference – consider separating this from your trading entity.
  8. Someone who will help you build your wealth & maximise the performance of the business so that the business can operate well without you, so you can exit at a time of your choosing for the value that you want.
  9. Make it fun for you, your partners, your clients and your team. You spend so much time in your business – you need to enjoy it and get the rewards. Your customers and community will be more attracted to you (more sticky) if your organisation is fun to be around. We already assume your products and services deliver awesome value.
  10. Someone who will help you build a winning/high performance culture that emotionally connects with your shareholders, team and target audience.

Passion Focus Capability, the winning combo!

On By Alec BlacklawIn Boost your bottom line!, Implementation, VisionLeave a comment

Why is it that some combinations seem to work better than others?

Or that the combination of particular ingredients makes all the difference? Hmmm.

A coincidence or not ? I think not.

The right combination of Passion, Focus and Capability will produce great outcomes.

Are you drawn to people who are passionate about what they are doing, presenting or speaking about? You are more likely to connect with a brand, product or service that evokes passion or arises the passion in you.

So what’s your story? What is it about your business or product or service that stands out and deserves to be listened to?

In a crowded world where competition for your interest is huge, your point of difference needs to connect with my heart and mind!

You need to get my attention and connect with my needs, my challenge, my pain, my problem…

Is that making sense?

Ok , so sit back and review your value proposition and test that your message is truly connecting with your target audience.

Focus is a challenge for most people and most businesses. Understanding and working on what’s critical for your success; employing your time & resources wisely, ensuring all decisions fit with your vision is VITAL.

Continually ask yourself – ” Is what we are doing right now moving us closer  to our objectives? ”

If it’s not moving you closer, then stop doing it. And get back to doing what matters and that will make a difference to your success.

Capability is a minimum standard you might say. But does your business, product or service do what you promise? Is it consistently doing this over an extended period and exceeding expectations? Your feedback, amazing testimonials and increased sales and market share will confirm this.

Is there something in your “Offer” that delights your customer and delivers more than expected? If not,go back to the drawing board,  re-design   & add that missing ingredient.

Think of the great businesses, products or services that you admire… They will all do this.

That’s why they are in the top 5% in their segment.

Be prepared to invest whats required, in advance and stay the course.

Don’t give up, others will.

It’s worth the investment of time and energy.

The journey to a successful business.

On By Alec BlacklawIn VisionLeave a comment

Lots of business owners succeed, lots of businesses are doing some great things and achieving their goals.On the flip side there is whole other bunch that are not doing so well. You probably know of some.

If business was like the Olympics or the World Cup, most countries would struggle to consistently qualify. The statistics confirm that the large investment of resources by lots of people does not deliver the results that most seek. And then there is the opportunity cost and huge social and personal implications for those that don’t succeed. Tragic.

There’s a pattern – and it’s not always clear, but like those crazy mazes if you look hard enough it’s there.

Aha – now I see it! – More profitable, valuable and enjoyable.

That’s the three amigos.

Imagine having a business that ticked all 3, consistent with your specific goals and objectives. Not mine but yours. Once you have  those three consistently humming and aligned, you really have something that will win the hearts, minds and dollars of your target audience. And everyone  involved has way more options. Fact.

One is good, two is cool and all three is pretty amazing. It will be the leading business in the segment, by any standards. You will know and admire businesses that are profitable, valuable and enjoyable. You will buy from them, you will want to be part of them, invest in them, follow them… They will be succesful.

Ok, so let’s say your business is profitable but not truly valuable – it is on paper, but you don’t have loads of buyers knocking down your door, wanting to buy you out at a price you would be  thrilled with. Or else the offer is not on terms and conditions that suit all stakeholders.

Or maybe your business is profitable and valuable, but is not a whole lot fun… perhaps not all of the board is aligned, or you are having trouble attracting and retaining the right people, or not connecting with your customers as well you would like. Your target audience is not fully engaged or it’s a struggle… sound familiar?

It’s often the more enjoyable bit that many people relate to and want more of . And it’s the bit they haven’t got right.

The challenge is to create & build a great culture, developing the emotional connection
that is required with all of your stakeholders, to succeed over the longer term.

Look at the businesses that are truly succeeding – on many levels and that are sustainable. They will have all three firing and running smoothly.

They will have a brilliant vision and point of difference that all of their stakeholders will have bought into. Their passion will shine through and you will passionate about them, their
products or services.

That’s why two out three isn’t enough.

You’re on the road to somewhere.

On By Alec BlacklawIn Implementation, VisionLeave a comment

Do you know where you are headed?

That’s a start. It’s a long way to anywhere if you don’t know where you are headed.

Is your vision a secret? …or would your partners, team and clients know this too?

Having a clear and engaging vision is critical to maximise your success. You need a clear documented vision that gets attention and communicates what makes your products or services special. One that makes you or your business standout in a crowded and noisy market place.

 It will showcase your passion and profile your point of difference. You have one right?

Connecting with new clients and community is both simpler and harder than ever. Depends how you see it and what you do about it.

Ok, so technology is developing at a faster and faster pace. Social media is rampaging – only 750 million people are connected last time I checked.

This is good news surely. Embrace it, and leverage it to position yourself way above your competitors. First step; go back and review your vision.  When’s the last time you did this?

Is it still relevant? Could you ask any one of your team, clients or target audience about your business and vision and get an answer back that is in line with your actual vision and how you want to be perceived and positioned?   Does your audience really get it? If they don’t, then that’s good news too as most will fail this test.

This is where you need to get cracking and jump-start the pack to seriously grow or reposition your business!

Develop a killer pitch that makes an emotional connection with your team, clients and target audience.

Leverage the power of social media to build a more profitable, valuable and enjoyable business.

Love to hear about your success. Go to it.