10 ways to improve business performance

Anna Stubbs • May 31, 2023

Here are ten ways to make sure that you continue to drive through each business quarter with purpose, vision and the courage to super-charge your business.

1. Eliminate distractions: Time is the scarcest resource and biggest killer for most businesses. When we get busy we can also get distracted and focus too much time and energy on the wrong things. Be brave - slash standard meeting times, reduce unnecessary admin and delegate roles and responsibilities.

2. Say goodbye to bad customers: If possible in your business, get rid of ten time-wasters, bad payers, or customers who cause you pain. You will feel instant relief and spend your time better elsewhere.

3. Invest More: Having freed up time and headspace from deploying points one and two above, make sure you ring-fence time, key people, and money for some of the initiatives below. Redeploy with passion!

4. Get a Plan: You don't go on a journey without a map or any idea of where you're headed - so why fly blind with your business? Have a planning process, create a kick-arse plan - and execute. We can help you get started.

5. Surround yourself with positivity: Make sure the people in your business understand and share your vision. Bring them onboard, listen to them and give them ownership. Don't let people who don't get it, or don't care, be a millstone around your neck. If they're not right, do them a favour and free up their futures.

6. Use Technology: Technology can help you decrease admin, improve comms, improve reporting and accountability. Whether it's for team communication or cloud accounting, slash paper and automate where possible.

7. Keep on top of the numbers: Do you have enough information to monitor business cashflow and see emerging trends? We can help you identify the metrics to track on a regular basis, in order to run your business efficiently.

8. Be Different: Break the mould and position yourself to attract ambitious, growing and engaged clients, and employees.

9. Deploy Marketing: Create a simple marketing plan to increase reach and penetration. Set aside a budget to treat this seriously. Start by making sure you really understand your customers. Existing customers are prospects too, keeping them happy is your first step. The more you know about them, the easier it will be to attract more of the same.

10. Take a break: Don't underestimate the time you have away from your business. It can allow you to come back refreshed with new enthusiasm and inspiration for the way forward.

The basics of business finance: income and expenditure

By Anna Stubbs • November 15, 2025
Understanding the financial management of your small business is a vital skill as a business owner. And it starts with an awareness of two fundamental concepts: income and expenditure. Grasping the difference between what comes in, and what goes out, is crucial for your financial health, making informed business decisions and the overall survival of the company. Let's break down the basics.

Don't end up paying tax on uncollected debtors!

By Anna Stubbs • November 15, 2025
Did you know you still have to pay tax on uncollected debtors? This is because you pay tax on your sales figures irrespective of whether you have collected the cash.  To avoid paying tax on uncollected debt, here are some quick and easy-to-implement debt collection strategies to ensure your hard-earned money is sitting in your bank account (and not in theirs): Agree on your payment terms at the time of sale Get the Terms of Trade signed off in writing before you start the job Include a guarantee in the payment terms Ask for a deposit Invoice as quickly as you can Change your payment terms to 7 days or ‘on delivery’ Send statements with only two columns – current and OVERDUE Schedule overdue reminders and follow up the day after the due date Put someone other than the business owner in charge of collection – owners are usually too soft! Document what your customers have promised in terms of payment and hold them to it Use a debt collector sooner rather than later – the longer you leave it, the harder the debt will be to collect Stop credit for customers who are late on payment Take action! Reflect on how many of these ideas you've integrated into your business, and check how many you're actively applying. Don’t let procrastination hold you back — address your debtors today! “It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil” – Anon

Understanding if your business is profitable

By Anna Stubbs • November 15, 2025
Did your business run at a profit last month? Knowing if you’re currently profitable is a vital part of your financial management – but not everyone knows how to check this metric. A recent Xero survey from October 2025 revealed that nearly two in five small business owners (38%) are unaware whether their business was profitable last month. That’s a startling (and unnecessary) failing when today’s cloud accounting makes it so easy to judge your profitability. Let’s look at what we mean by ‘profitable’ and how to track and measure your profitability.