What Does a Fractional Finance Director Do in the First 90 Days?
By Paul Gibbins on Jun 2, 2025, 10:45:00 AM
What SME directors can expect from a fractional Finance Director in the first three months For many SME owner-directors, there comes a point where the financial management of the business begins to feel harder to control. The business may be growing, employing more staff, taking on larger customers …
Has Your Business Growth Stagnated? Here's How to Recover.
By Paul Gibbins on May 25, 2025, 9:15:00 AM
Most businesses experience peaks and troughs — but when your business hits a plateau and growth stalls for months or even years, you’re suffering from business stagnation. For many SME owners and managing directors, this can be both frustrating and concerning, especially if you're not sure what to d …
Thinking Of Exiting Your Business: What Are Your Options?
By Paul Gibbins on Apr 4, 2025, 9:30:00 AM
If you’re a business owner or managing director of an SME, there may come a time when you begin thinking seriously about exiting your business. Whether it’s to retire, pursue other ventures, or simply capitalise on the value you’ve built, planning a successful exit is one of the most important decis …
Accountant vs Part-Time Finance Director: Understanding the Difference and How They Work Together
By Paul Gibbins on Feb 17, 2025, 9:30:00 AM
Business owners sometimes misunderstand the different roles of Practising Accountants and ‘part-time’ or ‘outsourced’ Finance Directors (FDs) / Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). Our blog provides a helpful explanation. As an SME business owner, you understand that managing your finances goes beyond s …
The Blueprint For Success: Why Every Business Needs To Write A Plan
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 28, 2024, 9:15:00 AM
The Business Plan: A Cornerstone of Success In the dynamic and challenging environment SME businesses face, having a well-thought-out business plan isn’t just a formality — it’s the cornerstone of success. Writing business plans drive business accountability, aligns stakeholders, and provides a clea …
How Can a Fractional CFO Transform Your Bottom Line?
By Paul Gibbins on Nov 23, 2024, 10:15:00 AM
How Can a Fractional CFO Transform Your Bottom Line? One of the key factors in achieving business success is having a solid grasp of your finances. A deep understanding of costs and insight into where profit is made and lost is essential to support effective strategic decision-making. However, finan …
How to Combat the Feeling of Loneliness as a Managing Director.
By Paul Gibbins on Oct 9, 2024, 1:00:00 AM
It's Lonely at the Top Being the owner or Managing Director (MD) of a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) can feel like you're running a one-person race. While you may have a team working alongside you, the burden of responsibility is uniquely heavy on your shoulders. Decision-making, solving com …
How to Use Management Accounts Effectively
By Paul Gibbins on Sep 2, 2024, 9:15:00 AM
What Does It Mean to Use Management Accounts Effectively? Most SME directors know they should have management accounts. Far fewer are confident they are using them well. There is an important difference between producing a set of monthly numbers and using those numbers to make better decisions, and …
What Is Gross Profit & Why Is It Important In Business?
By Paul Gibbins on Oct 21, 2023, 8:45:00 AM
Gross profit is the difference between revenue and direct costs. It is one of the most important measures of business performance because it helps business owners assess profitability, improve pricing decisions, strengthen cash flow and increase business value. Gross Profit Is One Of The Most Import …
Unlocking Success: How a Non-Executive Director Can Elevate Your Business
By Paul Gibbins on Sep 12, 2023, 9:15:00 AM
Expert Business Practitioner With all the pressures that come with running a business, having a seasoned guide assisting you at the helm can make all the difference. That's where a Non-Executive Director (NED) comes into play. These expert business practitioners are like the North Star for a company …