When Does An SME Need A CFO?
By Paul Gibbins on May 11, 2026 4:47:34 PM
When Does An SME Need A CFO? As businesses grow, financial leadership requirements change. What works for an owner-managed SME at one stage of growth may become insufficient as the business becomes larger, more complex or more ambitious. Many SMEs operate very successfully with a strong Finance Dire …
Why Developing Your Team Is Critical for SME Growth, Performance and Business Value
By Paul Gibbins on Apr 30, 2026 8:30:00 AM
The challenge facing growing SME business owners For many SME business owners, growth brings a familiar challenge. What began as a tight, founder-led operation becomes more complex. Decisions take longer. Standards become inconsistent. The owner becomes a bottleneck. At that point, the question is n …
How to Build Business Value Buyers Truly Pay For
By Paul Gibbins on Mar 10, 2026 8:45:00 AM
A practical framework for SME owners planning a successful exit Where to focus if you want a stronger valuation To increase the value of a business before exit, focus on financial clarity, strong margins, scalable operations, a capable management team, and reducing reliance on the owner. These facto …
What Does a Fractional CFO Do in the First 90 Days?
By Paul Gibbins on Feb 16, 2026 10:00:00 AM
What SME directors can expect from a fractional CFO in the first three months For many SME owner-directors, there comes a point where the business has grown to a level where stronger financial leadership is needed, but a full-time or in-house CFO does not yet feel justified.
What Buyers Value in a Business
By Paul Gibbins on Jan 26, 2026 12:00:00 PM
How to build a business that achieves a stronger exit and commands a better valuation What do buyers really value? When business owners think about exit, the focus often centres on timing, valuation multiples, or finding the right buyer. However, experienced acquirers tend to approach the question f …
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 …
How SMEs Can Improve Sales Performance: Six Steps to Build a Proactive, High-Performing Sales Team
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 17, 2025 9:15:00 AM
How SMEs Can Transform a Reactive Sales Team into a High-Performing Commercial Engine For many UK SMEs, improving sales performance is one of the most important routes to increasing growth, profit and business value. Yet across Secantor’s work with owner-managed businesses, a consistent challenge em …
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 …