Why Business Owners Often Can't See Their Biggest Opportunities
By Paul Gibbins on Jun 22, 2026 3:17:02 PM
How Being Too Close to Your Business Can Hide Profit Opportunities, Cash Flow Improvements and Growth Potential Most successful business owners know their businesses better than anyone else. They know their customers, products, suppliers, staff and market. Many have spent years, and often decades, b …
The Value of a Critical Business Friend
By Paul Gibbins on Jun 19, 2026 9:45:00 AM
Why Every Growing Business Needs Independent Challenge, Accountability and Perspective Many owner-managed businesses reach a point where continued progress becomes increasingly difficult, despite having capable leadership, committed employees and a strong understanding of their market. Growth slows, …
Markup vs Margin: What's the Difference and Why Does It Matter?
By Paul Gibbins on Jun 17, 2026 3:02:05 PM
Markup vs Margin Explained Many SME business owners use the terms markup and gross profit margin interchangeably.
The Hidden Cost Of Growth: Why Successful Businesses Become Harder To Run
By Paul Gibbins on Jun 11, 2026 8:36:22 PM
Why Does My Business Feel Harder To Run As It Grows? It is a question that many successful business owners eventually ask themselves, even if they never express it quite so directly.
Why Every SME Business Should Have a Finance Director
By Paul Gibbins on May 18, 2026 10:00:00 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 …
The Benefits of Management Accounting: Why Every SME Business Should Use Management Accounts
By Paul Gibbins on May 13, 2026 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.
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.