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.

Basic strategic advice: why your business needs an evolving strategy

By Anna Stubbs • June 2, 2026
“Q: Why do I need an evolving strategy for my small business?” You’re a business owner or CEO. And that means it’s your responsibility to take care of the business, invest in the right places and make the company a success story. However, to do this, you need an agreed business strategy that lays out your goals, your mission and your plan for taking the company to the next level. So, why does this need to be an evolving strategy? “A: Your business strategy is not a static document – it’s a plan and mission that should be fluid, agile and able to react to change.” We’re trading in uncertain times at present. Each day presents a new challenge for small businesses, and having a plan that can react to change is a major competitive advantage.

Cash flow and cost control

By Anna Stubbs • June 2, 2026
More than ever, cashflow is a vital part of staying afloat, whether your business is in recovery or growth mode. Revenue, profit and your bottom line all deserve your attention. But keeping everything running is the baseline. Regular cashflow forecasts help you keep that in focus. Here’s why: Cost control - If you can't reach your targets for income, reining in your costs may give you a little extra head room to manage cashflow while you plan your next move. Visibility on outgoings - Cost control can be a challenge when it’s hard to pinpoint hidden costs or where established ways of doing things cost more money than they should. You may also have been coping with unexpected expenses, as you’ve adapted your business for unplanned circumstances or increased costs. Improving business practice - It's more than only keeping an eye on outgoings (though that's important). It's about looking at each aspect of your business and business systems (or the gaps where there should be business systems) to see if poor practice is driving costs up unnecessarily. It can be useful to break it down - You can look at cost centres such as office supplies or freight. Or you can look at what those costs do for your business. It can help to analyse costs in terms of cost of sale and overheads.

Basics strategic advice: how do accountants support your financial performance?

By Anna Stubbs • June 2, 2026
“Q: How does an accountant support my financial performance?” We’re all used to the idea of a business needing an accountant. But have you ever stopped to think what a good accountant and business adviser can actually bring to your company? Advances in technology, software and AI are changing our expectations of what a basic accountant/business owner relationship can offer. So, it’s important to reassess your expectations and to find out where we can add real, additional value. “A: Your accountant is now a full-fledged business adviser, ready to help you review, manage and transform your finances and strategy.”  In previous decades, your accountant dealt primarily with historical data – the transactions and cash inflows/outflows that had happened in the past. Today, with access to so much smart forecasting, data analysis and forward-looking scenario-planning, we can tell you far more about the future of your business.