Pricing for Profit: How SMEs Improve Gross Margin & Profit
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 19, 2025 10:00:00 AM
For many SMEs, improving profitability doesn’t require more customers — it requires better pricing. Yet pricing is often one of the least structured parts of a small business. Many owner-managed businesses rely on historic rates, gut feel, or “what we’ve always charged”, without a clear pricing stra …
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 …
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 …
How to Use Management Accounts Effectively
By Paul Gibbins on Sep 2, 2024 9:15:00 AM
Why Every Business Should Have Management Accounts Management accounts are a vital tool for businesses to make informed decisions and plan strategically. Unlike financial accounting, management accounting focuses on providing internal financial information to key decision makers such as CEOs / Manag …
The Benefits of Management Accounting: Why Every SME Business Should Use Management Accounts
By Paul Gibbins on Jul 3, 2023 10:00:00 AM
Better Financial Visibility Leads To Better Business Decisions Many SME businesses reach a point where basic bookkeeping and annual accounts are no longer enough to support effective decision-making.
The Value of an Interim Finance Director
By Paul Gibbins on May 10, 2023 11:00:00 AM
Bridging the Gap in Financial Leadership Strong financial leadership is essential in every business so when the CFO / FD is missing, the company and its executive team can really suffer. That’s where an Interim CFO / FD comes in, bridging the gap between finance executives. By providing financial ex …
Financial Forecast Modelling for SME Businesses
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 20, 2022 8:30:00 AM
Financial Forecast Modelling for SME businesses Do you wish your business had a financial crystal ball? Sadly they don’t exist but the closest thing in reality is a detailed financial forecast covering your medium to long-term plans. By creating a financial forecast to quantify your business plan yo …
Why Every SME Business Should Have a Finance Director
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 15, 2022 10:30:00 AM
Why Every SME Business Should Have A Finance Director As SME businesses grow, financial management becomes significantly more complex. What may once have been manageable using basic bookkeeping and annual accounts often becomes insufficient as turnover, staffing, operational complexity and commercia …
How to Control Costs in Your Business?
By Paul Gibbins on Mar 28, 2022 12:45:00 PM
Controlling Business Costs In the current climate of inflation every company owner and director must urgently look at business cost control as a means of improving profitability and preserving cash. In this article we examine how to control cost in business. Prepare a budget The important first step …
Achieving the Dream Business Exit
By Paul Gibbins on Jan 17, 2022 9:00:00 AM
The Dream Exit Business owners may often think about how to exit their business and what it might be worth. For some it is just a dream, for others, a business exit strategy is their key driver & business vision. The journey may last a few months, a few years or 10 or more years. For one client …