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Posted: 23 June 2026
Practical Advisory Support for SME Start-Ups

Practical Advisory Support for SME Start-Ups

Accountants Minute 460

Helping New Business Owners Succeed Starts With Better Advisory Services

Every year thousands of Australians start a business with enthusiasm, ambition and a vision for success.

Unfortunately, many of these new business owners commence their journey without a clear understanding of the financial, commercial and management disciplines required to operate a successful business.

While they may have expertise in their trade, profession or industry, many have never received detailed guidance on business planning, cash flow management, pricing, debtors management, profitability monitoring or business growth strategies.

This creates a significant opportunity for accounting firms, bookkeepers and business advisors.

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The Opportunity For Professional Advisors

The role of accountants is rapidly evolving.

Business owners are seeking more than annual financial statements and taxation returns. They are looking for practical advice, ongoing support and access to tools that help them make better business decisions.

For professional advisors, the challenge is often finding the resources, systems and training needed to confidently deliver advisory services in a consistent and profitable manner.

This is where the ESS BIZTOOLS Starter Package can assist.

The Starter Package has been specifically developed to help accounting firms, bookkeepers and business advisors introduce financial, commercial and management accounting advisory services to SME clients.

It provides practical tools, educational resources, training and client communication materials that can be branded with your firm's details and delivered directly to your clients.

Supporting Clients From Day One

One of the most valuable aspects of the Starter Package is its focus on helping businesses establish strong foundations from the beginning.

The package includes access to over 320 explanatory papers covering 60 business subject areas.

These papers explain key business concepts in practical language and can be progressively supplied to clients as part of your advisory process.

Topics include:

✅ Starting a business
✅ Buying a business
✅ Business structures and entities
✅ Cash flow forecasting
✅ Budgeting
✅ Debtors management
✅ Pricing strategies
✅ Business growth
✅ Business succession and sale planning

By providing these resources, your firm reinforces its position as a trusted advisor while helping clients better understand the challenges and opportunities involved in operating a business.

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Practical Advisory Tools That Deliver Value

The Starter Package also contains a range of practical advisory resources designed to assist accountants and advisors in delivering measurable outcomes for clients.

These include:

Tradies Charge-Out Rate Calculator: Helps tradie clients establish charge-out rates that recover costs and achieve targeted profitability.

Debtors Management Resources: Provides practical guidance on establishing effective credit management systems to improve cash flow and reduce bad debts.

Retail and Wholesale Pricing Resources: Assists businesses in determining appropriate purchase mixes, mark-ups and operating cost recovery to achieve targeted profit outcomes.

SME Needs Analysis: A structured discussion framework that helps identify advisory opportunities while demonstrating your understanding of the client's business.

Budgets and Cash Flow Forecasting Resources: Provides educational materials and guidance to help clients understand the importance of forecasting and financial planning.

Research and Development Introduction: Includes practical flowcharts and explanatory materials to help identify potential eligibility for the Research and Development Tax Incentive.

Business Sale Planning Templates: Supports business owners in preparing for an eventual business sale and maximising business value.

Building Internal Capability: Many firms recognise the need to offer advisory services but struggle with staff training and implementation.

The ESS BIZTOOLS Starter Package addresses this challenge through:

✅ Business advisory training materials
✅ Team education modules
✅ Client mentoring and coaching resources
✅ Access to 10 one-hour group training sessions annually

These resources help team members gain a deeper understanding of the commercial challenges facing SME clients while developing practical advisory skills.

Importantly, this can assist firms with staff engagement, professional development and talent retention by exposing team members to meaningful advisory work.

Ongoing Client Communication

Maintaining regular contact with clients is critical to developing advisory relationships.

Subscribers receive access to the monthly Business Plus Newsletter, which can be branded with your firm's details and distributed to clients.

The newsletter provides valuable information on business management, profitability, cash flow, financial performance and growth strategies, helping keep your firm front of mind throughout the year.

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A Timely Opportunity

Current market conditions are placing significant pressure on SMEs.

Rising labour costs, increasing borrowing expenses, utility price increases, compliance obligations and cash flow challenges are creating difficult operating conditions for many businesses.

Clients need guidance.

They need advisors who can help them understand business performance, improve cash flow and make informed financial decisions.

The ESS BIZTOOLS Starter Package provides accounting firms, bookkeepers and business advisors with the tools, resources and training needed to deliver these services efficiently and professionally.

Special 60% Promotion Until 30 June 2026

To assist firms in expanding their advisory services capability, ESS BIZTOOLS is offering a special 60% discount on all product packages until 30 June 2026.

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FIND OUT MORE AND SUBSCRIBE HERE

For firms looking to strengthen client relationships, create new advisory revenue opportunities and provide greater value to SME clients, this represents an excellent opportunity to commence or expand Business Advisory Services.

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Visit our website – www.essbiztools.com.au – to discover the detailed overview of the services provided by ESS BIZTOOLS. You are also welcome to contact us on 0418 190 181 or email .

Want to know more?

Visit www.essbiztools.com.au.

If you would like to have a discussion about how this concept of virtual CFO services can be supplied by Australian accounting firms please ring our Managing Director, Peter Towers, on 0418 190 181 and we will arrange a complimentary 45-minute Zoom meeting to discuss your firm’s position and to give you our advice.

We believe that this is the blueprint for the delivery of an enhanced range of services by Australian Accounting and Bookkeeping firms to assist SME businesses to add value to their businesses and to assist accountants and bookkeepers not only to attract but to retain outstanding talent who want to be involved in the delivery of “real accounting services”.

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