At Cooke & Foley, our primary focus is to provide a professional and honest business advisory, accounting and tax service to all our clients.
Starting a business can be tricky. It can mean navigating potentially high start- up costs with little profit and that often doesn’t seem like the right time to spend money on experts, but nothing could be further from the truth.
This is when you most need a helping hand and the accountants at Cooke & Foley can help you with the many challenges including managing cash reserves and sales expectations, establishing a customer base and a market presence. This means you have ready-made support system for your many queries whether it’s about the best accounting software, reviewing your business plan, setting goals or HR issues. We will make sure you are set up with the appropriate tax/business structure, keep your record keeping on track and ensure you are ready for the next level when it comes. Think of your accountant as your new best friend.
So, your business is going well. You are increasing profits, clients and employees and all the hard work you put in at the start is paying off. You want to continue to grow but what next?
You might be ready to add new products or services to existing markets or perhaps expand your existing business into new markets and consumers – one that, of course, complement your existing experience and capabilities. This is where we might start talking about new funding, perhaps joint ventures and new investors or partners. You’ll also probably need more employees to keep your work/life balance – owning your own business is great but you don’t want it to become all consuming. And throughout all this we will be keeping an eye on all the procedure and systems you have in place, to ensure your business can adapt to its new position in the marketplace. We’ve got your back.
You have created a successful business with a good, secure customer base, a regular income, your brand is well known in the marketplace and your business is being managed by your employees. It’s time to focus on long term goals. And maybe celebrate a little!
Now we talk about remaining relevant in market and deciding whether you want to work on a renewal of your business, for example looking into new markets, or a ‘steady state’ focusing on current customers while you think about succession or perhaps selling your business. Either way, you will need detailed long-term planning, revisiting your business mission and ways to maintain profits. Whether you want to keep going strong or an exit strategy, we’re here for you.
We were founded in 1946 and have become one of the largest, most respected accounting firms in country Victoria. We are now a four director firm headed by Paul Foley, Kym Cassells, Nicole Crocker & Matt Richardson. We specialise in businesses and offer our clients a range of accounting, tax, business coaching and advisory services.
We are located in the heart of Ballarat in Western Victoria, however, the latest technology allows us to service clients in the local region as well as Melbourne, Country Victoria and Interstate. Our focus is not just on the traditional business accounting and taxation compliance services as we endeavour to deliver strategies to help our clients grow their business and accumulate personal wealth. We continue to adapt our service offerings to suit the needs of our clients.
Our experienced team have skills in a number of specialist areas including business advice, strategy and structure, self managed superannuation funds and negative gearing of property. Over the years we have also developed expertise in a number of varying industries including hospitality, farms, property development, the building trades and retailers industry just to name a few.
We are committed to the success of our business clients and are proud of our heritage. This is proven by our long-term relationship with our clients.
If you're looking for a business adviser to help you build your business, speak to one of our pro-active team members today on (03) 5331 2600.
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As a Tax Agent, our work for you is performed in accordance with the Tax Agent Services Act 2009. Under this Act, the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024 requires that we make the following disclosures to you:
1. Matters that could significantly influence your decision to engage us (or continue to engage us) for a Tax Agent Service from 1 July 2022 onward include the following: ■ None Applicable
2. The Tax Practitioner’s Board maintains a register of Tax Agents and BAS Agents. You can access and search this register here: Public Register | Tax Practitioners Board (tpb.gov.au)
3. If you have a complaint about us, we ask that you contact our office by email. We will work with you to help resolve your complaint as quickly as possible. If we cannot resolve the issue or you are not satisfied with how your complaint is being handled by us or with the outcome, you may be able to escalate the matter to the TPB. Complaints to the TPB must be made in writing using its online form, which is available at myprofile.tpb.gov.au/complaints/
Note that not all complaints can be acted on by the TPB. Further details about making complaints to the TPB are available at www.tpb.gov.au/complaints
Paul followed in his father and many of his siblings’ footsteps to build a long, rewarding career at Cooke and Foley. He joined the firm on finishing university with his Bachelor of Business degree in hand. Over 30 years, Paul has progressed from becoming a Certified Practising Accountant to earning his Public Practice Certificate and a Registered Tax Agent. He became director in 2006.
Hospitality and farming are areas of special interest. Paul has solidified a client base across regional Victoria around these industries, with particular attention to budgeting and cashflow preparation. He finds most satisfaction in monitoring and interpreting KPIs to help businesses grow. As the role of accountants evolves, Paul said he aimed to assume a more advisory role with specific, strategic advice to achieve defined goals for clients. This ranges from tax minimisation, to succession planning and retirement.
Honesty, diligence and looking after people are at the core of his work ethic. Paul believes a loyal, long term client base speaks to the calibre of the firm and its work. His approach is to understand everything about a client’s business and circumstances to become their most trusted advisor.
Community involvement is another core belief. Paul played a key role in the redevelopment of the Ballarat Golf Club, helping it earn the 2011 Clubs Victoria Award for Best Club Redevelopment. He’s on the club board and perhaps unsurprisingly, is its Finance Director. His love of sport extends to basketball and a long involvement with the Ballarat Miners Basketball Club, including being a past Treasurer.
Personally, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife and three children and supporting their sporting interests. A keen golfer, he’ll happily spend a Saturday on the green, except when his other sporting love, Richmond, is playing.
Basketball and accountancy are two words that typically wouldn’t be paired in a word association test. For Cooke & Foley director Kym Cassells, the interplay between the sport and her working life has been a career constant.
Kym joined Cooke & Foley in 2000 while playing basketball in Ballarat and studying for a Bachelor of Commence. A former Cooke & Foley director also was part of the basketball community. Kym was working towards a professional career in sport when an injury pushed pause on that plan.
With her focus now on study, Kym completed her Certified Public Accountant qualification and learned the many facets of public practice accounting. She continued to gain experience, particularly in taxation accounting and business services. Ballarat born and bred, Kym honed her financial skills to become a director at Cooke & Foley in 2012. She has more than 15 years experience in superannuation, specialising in self managed super funds.
The hospitality and gaming industries are areas of special interest. With an intricate knowledge of Xero and other accounting packages, other professional strengths are cash flow and budgeting preparation and interpretation.
Kym holds a Public Practising Certificate and prides herself on liaising promptly with her clients. She gets particular satisfaction helping them set up processes so they can better manage their day- to-day operations. While most of her clients are small business owners in hospitality, farming and retail, Kym says an ideal client is one who sees the firm as a legitimate business partner.
A long-term, loyal client base is testament to Cooke and Foley’s core values of having client’s best interests at the forefront of all decisions. Client relationships are key and Kym believes their client’s loyalty confirms the company has gone beyond providing basic financial services.
Personally, Kym’s love and involvement in basketball hasn’t wavered. She’s being involved in the Ballarat Lady Miners (now the Ballarat Rush) for 16 years and continues to have an active involvement in the sport as treasurer of the Ballarat Basketball Association. Her dedication was honoured in 2014 when Kym was inducted into the Ballarat Basketball Hall of Fame.
Nicole has been a director at Cooke and Foley since 2017. She’s spent most of her working life at the firm, moving to the firm at age 20 while still at university. Business and finance were always on her horizon. One grandfather was a bank manager; another and an uncle were both CPAs.
Typical clients are businesses owners in property development, civil construction, trades and retail. Her special interest skills include advanced knowledge in Xero and other accounting packages, as well as cashflow and budgeting preparation and interpretation. Nicole has particular strengths in the property development industry, including various GST and income tax issues.
Communication is at the centre of her customer service philosophy. That means being available to clients and investing time into building those relationships. Nicole said she gets particular satisfaction in being involved in the client’s business journey from start up to eventual sale, or retirement. And she takes great satisfaction mentoring younger team members.
Accountancy is about more than numbers. Nicole said she likes to look beyond the numbers, at the more analytical aspects of the work. With more than two decades experience at the firm, Nicole said she most enjoys the advisory side of the role, including annual planning to minimise income tax liabilities and the more complex advice regarding business structuring and effective exiting of a business. That passion was put to good use when a long-standing client decided it was time to sell. It was a two-year process where various strategies were devised to exit the business and minimise the tax impact. The service and analysis over that time ensured Nicole retained her existing client and earned a new one in the process.
Personally, Nicole enjoys spending time with family and the horse racing industry. She’s a part owner of a number of horses and has friends who are breeders. She’s now channelling that passion into developing a niche market for the racing industry.
Dedicated to his role, and fastidious about his work, Peter undertakes diverse responsibilities as a Senior Accountant at Cooke & Foley, often one on one with a large range of clients.
Peter has the ability to convey complicated messages to his clients, ensuring they are comfortable in discussions, and guiding them through the complex matters of tax law. He describes Cooke & Foley as innovative, proactive, and interactive, encouraging clients to be receptive to new ideas and software advances.
Peter has been a member of the Cooke and Foley team since 2000, with many years prior experience across various industries as a finance professional. He holds an Advanced Diploma of Business (Accounting) from the University of Ballarat, and a Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting from the University of New England.
Growing up in Camperdown and working throughout the Western district of Victoria, Peter has a genuine appreciation of rural and regional interests.
Outside of work, Peter is an enthusiastic cyclist. When not riding his bike, or tinkering with car restoration, you’ll likely find him enjoying motor car or bicycle racing.
As a Senior Accountant, Chris primarily handles Tax Planning and Compliance for the Larger Clients and Self-Managed Super Funds within Cooke and Foley.
Chris has a strong belief in ethics, and values respectful, trusting and responsive client relationships. He thoroughly enjoys the problem-solving aspect of his career, and finds great satisfaction providing clients with advice that will improve their business.
Awarded Dux in Accounting and Economics as a secondary student, Chris proved destined for this industry. He went on to gain a degree in Applied Economics & Finance from the University of Ballarat, and is now a confident CPA with Xero certification. Chris has been a full-time member of the Cooke and Foley team since 2008.
A life-long resident of Ballarat, Chris enjoys all sports. Outside of his financial career he has held a number of roles within the Ballarat Basketball Association. Chris is also a bit of a history buff. He enjoys watching documentaries, and spending time with family and friends.
Supporting Individuals and Businesses with general accounting advice and providing specialist Self-Managed Super Funds advice are Jason’s principal responsibilities as a Senior Accountant with Cooke and Foley.
Conscientious and approachable, Jason’s working philosophy is based on mutual respect, and building trusting relationships. He values communication, the importance of gathering appropriate information, and working with clients to achieve positive outcomes. Jason truly appreciates Cooke and Foley’s long-standing reputation as a caring, community-focused business.
Prior to joining the team at Cooke and Foley in 2015, Jason had gained 8 years valuable experience working with both a national and local Ballarat accounting firm. Previous to that Jason spent some 15 years working within the banking and finance industry. An accredited SMSF Specialist Advisor™ and fully Xero certified, Jason completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Ballarat in 2007.
Jason was born in England, but spent most of his growing-up years in the north-west of Western Australia. He has called Ballarat home since moving here in 2003.
When he’s not spending time with family and friends, watching sport, or contemplating his next travel adventure, Jason simply enjoys time at home cooking.
Matthew joined Cooke and Foley in 2019 as a Senior Accountant, with over ten years’ experience in the industry. Matthew became a Director of the firm in 2024.
Knowing the importance of being a trusted advisor, being approachable, and building quality professional relationships with his clients, is very much in keeping with Cooke & Foley’s direct focus on the quality of work being undertaken for each of its clients.
As a Chartered Accountant, holding a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting & Law), Matthews’ knowledge and interpersonal skills enable him to assist a broad range of clients to achieve their desired results.
Matthew has the ability to talk and correspond with people, in a style that is effective and efficient. He firmly believes the client comes first and that his priority is to act for them in whatever capacity required. He is motivated to assist businesses in their quest to thrive and become more profitable. A more wholistic approach to caring for clients, he believes, is essential with the emergence of new technologies and automation in the financial industry.
A Ballarat local, Matthew is an accomplished musician, having played professionally as a band guitarist and lead vocalist, performing at numerous events and venues.
As a qualified CPA, Faye supports Individuals and Businesses with general taxation and bookkeeping services. Having worked herself for a number of years in the Hospitality industry, she has an intimate understanding of the inherent nature of small business. Faye is also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Faye has been with Cooke and Foley since 2015. She was awarded her Master of Professional Accounting at the University of Ballarat in 2014, after completing a Master of Finance at the University of Melbourne, and graduating from the Bachelor of Commerce at Curtin University.
Faye believes in helping her clients to properly understand their financial situation. Confident and hardworking, her guiding philosophy is, no business too small, no problem too big.
Approaching her work with persistence and patience, Faye prides herself on her ability to ‘think outside the box’ when approaching a problem.
Faye moved from China in 2008, and now calls Ballarat home. When not working you’ll likely find her engaged in her favourite mindfulness activities, drawing and practising Chinese calligraphy.
An enthusiastic and confident member of the team, Zac is primarily focused on Taxation and Business Advisory Services, thriving on the job’s variety and challenges.
Zac joined Cooke and Foley in 2017 the same year he completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, at Federation University. He thoroughly enjoys his work environment, and values the diversity and experience of his colleagues.
Zac appreciates Cooke and Foley’s engagement with the latest technology and accounting software, and their commitment to training, which ensures the staff are ready to meet the constant challenges of the profession.
Before settling on a career in finance, Zac tried his hand at building, and has also worked as a sign writer for six years.
Friendly and energetic, Zac enjoys socialising with family and friends. He has a love of basketball, and has played in various representative teams. He has also captained the Gordon Football Club reserves, where he continues to play.
Working across a broad range of industries, Matthew is focused primarily on Taxation and Compliance. Well respected and hardworking, he enjoys meeting the challenges of his role, acknowledging the importance of emerging technology, and data analysis in the industry.
Matthew joined the Cooke & Foley team in 2014 while studying a Bachelor of Business in Professional Accountancy at RMIT University, graduating in 2018.
Doing more for clients than simply compliance & tax work is something Matthew admires about Cooke and Foley, taking the time to truly explain to clients the processes and outcomes involved.
A Ballarat local, Matthew has a keen interest in watching most sports, mainly football and cricket. Though no longer playing, he is involved as treasurer, at the Newlyn Football Netball Club. He also has shares in a couple of racehorses.
Teagan, a recent addition to our accounting team, has been with Cooke and Foley since 2011, having previously worked as a Client Services Administrator. During this time, she was working toward her second degree, a Bachelor of Accounting.
Teagan works primarily with well-established clients across a number of industries. She enjoys the inherent challenges of her role, helping clients improve the running of their businesses, to achieve best possible outcomes. She genuinely feels that her success stems from her client’s success.
Hard working, reliable, and a keen observer, Teagan is proud to be part of Cooke and Foley’s long-established history, enjoying the strong and supportive team environment. She acknowledges that the trust and rapport fostered through relationships, is of great value to clients.
A life-long resident of Ballarat, Teagan loves to read a good mystery, taking walks, and spending time with her family.
With over 30 years of experience working at Cooke and Foley, Susan has not only helped to shape the culture, but in many ways has been the welcoming face of the business. Susan’s wealth of experience serves her well in her role as Production Manager.
Friendly, helpful, reliable, and caring, are apt descriptions of Susan, qualities that complement the hardworking and competent approach she brings to her role. Susan’s primary responsibility is managing the flow of work through the office, and providing payroll services to clients.
Susan has contact with many of Cooke and Foley’s clients. She is proud of the excellent service, family-focused nature of the business, and its progressive attitude within the industry.
In recent times, having raised her family in Ballarat, where she has lived her life, Susan has taken to experiencing new countries and cultures through her travel adventures.
Since joining us in 2006, Jessica has been responsible for ensuring our wonderful team gets the support they need, with numerous administration tasks, maintaining client software, and handling customer enquiries.
She approaches her role with a strong sense of loyalty, care, and personal investment, genuinely concerned with the successful and smooth running of Cooke and Foley and the high level of service provided to clients.
Trustworthiness, reliability, and accountability are among the qualities she values as a member of the team.
Away from work, Jessica loves all things outdoors, particularly when it involves her family. Given the opportunity, she’d love to enjoy a minimalist lifestyle in a ‘Tiny House’.
Julie is the first friendly face that you will see when entering the Cooke & Foley Office. She provides assistance and support in the office, and extends that friendly service over the phone. Interacting with and connecting clients to the rest of the team, is what she most enjoys.
It is the strong team environment and friendly, professional interaction, that motivates Julie to contribute prompt and efficient service, in a conscientious and customer-oriented manner.
After joining Cooke and Foley in 2023, Julie brings with her several years’ administration and medical secretarial experience.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and after technically being a resident of the United Kingdom for most of her life, Julie was excited to officially became an Australian resident in 2024.
Casey initially began working with Cooke & Foley back in 2008 until she moved to Perth for family reasons. Casey since resumed her employment in 2023 and currently works with a range of clients in various industries. Casey is a highly respected team member who has obtained a Bachelor of Commerce and is also a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA). Having a wide range of experience in both public practice and commercial accounting, Casey enjoys drawing on this experience to obtain the best possible outcome for clients regardless of the industry. As a self confessed numbers nerd, Casey thoroughly enjoys analysing the numbers to assist in finding the best possible tax and accounting outcome in every situation. In her spare time, Casey is enjoys camping, pilates and looking after her two young boys.
After commencing her career with Cooke & Foley in 2020, Kerrie has quickly forged a reputation for accuracy and efficiency in everything she does. Kerrie operates in multiple areas of the firm including bookkeeping, payroll and taxation compliance. Kerrie completed her studies at Federation Univeristy and now holds a Bachelor of Commerce in addition to a Certificate 3 in Education Support. Kerrie is often tasked with analysing the internal systems of our clients to look for potential efficiencies and effective software solutions. Outside the office, Kerrie enjoys spending time with family, walking and travelling.
Matt started his accountancy journey with Cooke & Foley in 2022 and has quickly become a popular team member. After spending a decade working as a qualified horticulturist, Matt opted for a career change that he has been excelling in since its inception. It was a natural progression for Matt to fall into accountancy with a history in sports statistics. Since 2007 Matt has also worked as a sports statistician, having obtained a level 3 qualification and has even been the statistician for basketball games at NBL and Commonwealth Games level! Having already worked in multiple areas of the firm, Matt assists in numerous fields including payroll, GST compliance and superannuation compliance. In his spare time Matt is a talented sportsman having a long history with local Basketball & Cricket where he still currently plays.
Paulene joined Cooke & Foley in 2023 as an Accountant with a long list of impressive qualifications. Paulene has a Bachelor of Accounting (Advanced Accounting), a Diploma in Business, and is a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Paulene is also a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).
Paulene is responsible for processing a number of client compliance groups with complex structures, and thoroughly enjoys interpreting complex tax law to ensure client files are processed with the utmost accuracy. Paulene has been working as an accountant since 2020 and has quickly earned a reputation of being efficient and conscientious.
Paulene joined Cooke & Foley with a musical history and in a past life was a professional musician and music teacher. Paulene lives locally with her husband and two daughters and likes to spend weekends sipping coffee and enjoying time with her family.
A multi-generation business
The Spotted Dog Hotel, along with the subsequently established Grand Central Motel, has been owned by the same family for over 50 years. The business has quietly gone from strength to strength, with various members of the family engaged in specific aspects of its operations over time. Recently, the current directors engaged our assistance to undertake some vital succession planning and oversee management change.
Prudently, it was decided to pass control on from the family patriarch to "willing hands" available amongst younger members of the family. At the same time, it was necessary to accommodate an increasingly diverse group of family members, the majority of whom is not working in the business but nevertheless dependent to varying degrees upon the income stream being generated.
At Cooke & Foley, we have always had a strong clientele in hospitality and accommodation businesses, with particularly strong representation across Victoria. We're proud to say that we have been accountants and business advisers to this particular family throughout its hospitality journey. This has entailed working closely with the Directors throughout the many challenges that have arisen over the years.
This latest round of generational change was one of those times.
Although the various stakeholders have different objectives, we were able to secure everyone's agreement that the business has come too far to have its asset value curtailed. Collectively it has been agreed that the family should stick together, so as best to reap the benefits from what has gone before.
Changing of the guard
Undertaking a thorough estate planning project for the senior Director-Manager was central to the assignment. This entailed not just creating a fresh personal Will but putting in place power of attorney arrangements, together with an advanced medical directive so that all possible contingencies were covered.
Then, with that in place we oversaw the appointment of fresh directors to the overall holding entity.
For the family members running the business it was important that the changes not simply "defend and retain" what had been accumulated but allow for further business expansion. In summary, the intention is to grow by acquisition. This will entail astutely evaluating opportunities as they arrive and taking on those where it makes good commercial sense to do so. Particularly important for these active stakeholders was not to overly compromise working capital by virtue of the dividends paid to make the arms length shareholders happy. Further, whilst accepting the need to keep the shareholders informed, the managers nevertheless wanted to have the freedom to run the business as they deemed appropriate.
At the same time, other family shareholders needed to know the extent to which they could count on the dividends continuing into the future.
Our approach throughout this assignment has been to facilitate an amicable evolution, keeping the stakeholders advised and blending their varying objectives into a satisfactory overall outcome.
From a business perspective, Cooke & Foley has stepped up to now be providing monthly reports for each of the different businesses in the Group. This has been combined with more rigour around the business managers reporting to the Board of Directors. In turn, the Board has now been rejuvenated with the addition of some different family members and an independent director who is bringing a wealth of business acumen gathered from outside the family.
Looking ahead with confidence
From our perspective, it's been great to steer the family and business through what might otherwise have been a challenging time.
We are particularly pleased to strike a balance between the working family members who are keen to expand the business and the more remote members who have an understandable interest in the steady flow of dividends continuing.
Paul Foley has been the Cooke and Foley Director overseeing the restructure. "The measures we have put in place will help this family avoid the all too frequent norm of 'Rags to riches and back again in three generations'. With the changes that have been implemented, the business is well set for another generation to build upon what has gone before." said Paul.
Paul has conducted this assignment by gently facilitating and educating, whilst steadily introducing sound commercial practices. Reflecting the care and concern befitting Cooke & Foley's long-standing association with its clients, Paul has been at pains to keep everyone informed throughout proceedings.
Further, Paul's cash flow projections for the entities have assured stakeholders with respect to future income stream. At the same time, his input on working capital and funds for business expansion have provided useful parameters regarding the size and scale of acquisitions the Group can sensibly undertake.
The last word
The incoming managing director is John Smith, grandson of Andrew Smith who was the founder of the business. We will conclude this case study with this quote from John –
"At the outset, I was somewhat concerned that the business would be forced to remain with the status quo. However, with the changes that have been agreed and introduced there is now a solid foundation upon which we can embark upon other opportunities. I'm excited by what the future holds."
Andrew and Carly Brown had both worked in the travel industry for the majority of their working careers. They had always dreamed of operating their own business within the industry using their vast experience in organizing their client’s dream holiday. They decided the time had come to make the giant leap, and whilst they were confident in their skills of organising a client’s travel experience of a lifetime, they had never operated their own independent business or built a business from the ground up.
The Plan
They approached Nicole Crocker, one of the Directors at Cooke & Foley, to advise them on the business decisions that needed to be made. Nicole’s discussions with Andrew and Carly ensured that they identified their priorities for commencing and operating business. The goals of the business owners often dictate the correct structure in which to operate the business. This not only relates to the set-up of the business, but also the ongoing operation of the business and eventually exit from the business.
Nicole’s discussions with the client identified their priorities of the business venture which included setup process and structure, asset protection, tax impact of differing structures and the return of profits to the owners in addition to wages. They were advised of the possible risks with starting their own business and ways in which a business can be structured to ensure that their personal assets were protected.
Nicole considered their priorities and provided structure advice and the respective pros and cons of each structure. She also applied the benefits and disadvantages of each entity structure she suggested to Andrew and Carly’s specific circumstances to show the actual impact to the client in line with their desired priorities. Andrew and Carly were grateful for Nicole's advice concerning their dream business and were able to make an informed decision as to the optimal business structure.
The Journey
Nicole has also been able to provide continual guidance regarding record keeping systems, tax minimisation strategies and payroll support. Annual cashflow reports and budgets are also prepared to provide a target to ensure Andrew and Carly meet both their financial and personal goals from the business. Nicole continually monitors their results and provides feedback as to how the business is operating. This has meant that Andrew and Carly can focus on growing the business to meet their business and lifestyle goals.
The COVID19 pandemic of 2020 has caused great interruption to Andrew and Carly’s business within the travel industry. It has been a relief to Andrew and Carly to know that Nicole has been on hand to provide support to them through the preparation and lodgement of various grant and support program relief packages. She has also encouraged Andrew and Carly to use the down time to make their business better and ensure that when operations commence again, their business is in a position to hit the ground running, with all the planning for future projects already undertaken. This has included a rebrand of the business and assessment of business and personal goals resulting in a re-alignment of the services to be offered to customers for these goals to be achieved.
“The relationship we have built with Nicole has been invaluable to ourselves and our business. We appreciate her advice in ensuring we set the business up correctly from the start and she is always available to answer any queries we have or problems we encounter. Her advice has allowed us to concentrate on growing our business, knowing that she is constantly monitoring the financial aspects of the operations. This has given us the confidence to build a business that allows us to fulfil our lifestyle dreams.” said Andrew
The Issue
Tom and Anne Black ran a successful cleaning contract business and had built the business from scratch over 30 years. Together they worked both within the business in the early days and then moved to a management role in the later years. Over the years they had secured many large cleaning contracts across the region and had a great relationship with their long-term customers. John, their son had also set up a business in the same industry, although on a smaller scale to Tom and Anne.
Tom and Anne were aging, and the decision needed to be made as to whether they sold their business to a third party or brought in John to manage the business. The decision regarding the succession of the business was made more urgent when Tom faced several health issues.
Tom’s relationships with the contract businesses were vital and there was a real threat of the loss of these contracts due to the inability to service these customers. The management of these contracts, as well as the ongoing monitoring and analysis of the financial information was a key to the ongoing success of the business.
Kym Cassells, a Director of Cooke & Foley, had worked closely with Tom and Anne over the years, advising them regarding the business and monitoring its success. Kym was asked to chair the family meetings to discuss the potential transfer of management from Tom and Anne to their son and daughter-in-law, John and Rebecca. Being highly experienced in working with small business proprietors, Kym assisted in the negotiation of the transfer of management of the business. Kym also managed the business side of the succession whilst also being mindful of the family relationships involved.
Kym assisted John in all financial aspects so that John didn’t have to worry about this side of the business, rather just allowing him to focus on understanding the business in the early days and then looking to grow the business. Kym prepared various cashflow projections to indicate the potential growth available to the business. Initially a sale of the business was an option however Kym provided scenario planning reports that showed that the quick dollars obtained from the sale of the business were outweighed by the future continued profits to be received from retaining the business.
Clean Books lead to Tidy Profits
Five years later, John and Rebecca are the managers of a successful business, with Tom acting in a mentor role and Kym advising in the business role. The reduction of the stress for Tom of managing the business, has allowed him to improve his health significantly. Kym prepares annual cashflows and budgets and meets quarterly with John and Rebecca to provide monitoring and analysis advice. She has also played a key role in the employment of administration/bookkeeping staff with a view to provide management with additional support and allow John to step back from the daily tasks so that he can continue to foster his relationships with his clients and in turn grow the business.
With Kym’s help for the business advice, and Tom’s relationship with the customers, John and Rebecca are enjoying the benefits of a business that has far exceeded the original budgeted results. The control of the business has been amicably transitioned from one generation to the next, whilst keeping the family values and relationships remain intact. The decision that John and Rebecca made to maintain the business rather than an option of selling it has resulted in them receiving a stable income and with the quarterly advice received from Kym has allowed them to substantially grow the business.
“Without Kym’s on-going monitoring and advice, we wouldn’t have had the success that we have. Having quarterly updates with Kym allows us to see the growth of the business and be able to address any issues as they arise not 12 months later – this allows us to continually make changes where necessary. She is always available for advice and is an important part of our success and future.” said John.
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Secure File Transfer is a facility that allows the safe and secure exchange of confidential files or documents between you and us.
Email is very convenient in our business world, there is no doubting that. However email messages and attachments can be intercepted by third parties, putting your privacy and identity at risk if used to send confidential files or documents. Secure File Transfer eliminates this risk.
Login to Secure File Transfer, or contact us if you require a username and password.