Business Strategy and Planning
It’s abundantly apparent in Australia’s rapidly evolving economy that businesses’ prosperity depends upon ability to establish foundations that are in step with that evolution.
For decades I’ve monitored businesses, coached their operators in fundamentals of dealing with challenges, in optimising opportunities, and developing proactive skillsets.
This, particularly when linked to restructuring, has been the most professionally enjoyable and effective of Macks Advisory’s entire existence, and now, coincidentally, we’ve acquired momentum and a bank of experience at a time when it can be of most use to clients.
Methods we adopt can be formal or informal, but intrinsically they’re about optimising business and associated financial processes that will deliver a result within legal constraints governing commercial operations.
People’s skillsets are key to a business’s future. To assess these, it’s vital from the outset an advisor gets to know people in control -- whether that’s centrally within the business or in charge of projects. Do these key people have the skillset to do what they need to do, or what the business needs them to do for growth?
Is the plan the business relies on, viable? What funding has been provided or is available to initiate, sustain and grow the business? It’s been my experience that in any business review or strategic planning exercise, financial modelling is essential to test various scenarios, calculate costs of new projects, stabilise a budget and allocate corporate resources.
Whether I’m asked to give advice about a corner store or an advanced, complex manufacturing facility, my fundamental approach to either job is identical – understand the leadership people, their talents, aspirations, abilities and any shortfalls or support that may be required, assemble and study funding documentation, and review curriculum vitaes, mind set and drivers of business owners and key personnel.
Thus do I seek answers to these questions: Can drivers of these businesses anticipate and recognise likely opportunities? Are they aware of potential and emerging risks, and what might be done to mitigate them? Am I doing enough to identify underlying competencies in drivers of a business -- for example, strength in strategic acumen that could steer a firm to unprecedented heights?
It’s my experience that skilled strategic planning, regularly reviewed to enable timely recognition and corrections in changes of course, (where necessary) will deliver sizeable operational and competitive advantages to a business. It’s a process that sharpens a business’s focus, reveals blind spots, and in more complex businesses serves to align organisation-wide efforts with shared goals.
I’ve repeatedly been able to demonstrate to business leaders how honing strategic plans is crucial in planning for significant growth.
It is not often that these processes result in immediate revelation of a business’s unrealised wealth or hidden potential, as these processes are not intended to provide a quick fix for everything that ails a business. Time is needed to develop a broad horizon recovery plan implemented by people with the skill sets and synergy that are linked to the business’s survival and growth, synced to the organisation’s functions and the needs of stakeholders.
Should you decide to contact us, you can rest assured we have connections and resources to back our recommended remedial processes and can provide you with separate options and quotes for whatever process you decide you need to undertake.
Be assured too I’m not a grandstander and am a firm believer that my most effective work is done behind the scenes. Indeed, when John Heard was Executive Chair of Bank SA and we were discussing what I can only refer to as “a challenging matter”, he said to me: “I know what you did behind the scenes. Well done.”
Other matters that illustrate my wide range of prominent involvements include:
- Attending successfully to the High Court(4 occasions) re the Emanual Group of companies
- The construction, whilst the company was in Liquidation of the St Francis Xavier Cathedral Bell Tower.
- Being Board member of the Diocesan Finance Council (SA catholic Church Board) – 2010 – 2020 – under the tutelage of Graham Spurling, Greg Crafter (Chair) et al, I learnt a lot
- Aquinas College – Board Member, then Chairman during which MacKillop House accommodation block was constructed
- Chairman of Golden North – Independent Chairman approximately 5 years- during period of significant growth and brand development
- Investigation – 36ers – SA Basketball Association – liaising with State Government who during that period “owned” the 36ers
- Investigation – Balfours Bakery re SA State Government investment
- Various oversight reviews to assist the state Government transitioning businesses at the time of the impending “Holden” closure
- Investigation and subsequently the Administrator of Kangaroo Island Abalone – liaising with PIRSA – re Industry issues, husbandry, disease protection
- Agriculture, Wine industry activities are many but in particular “Gossip Wines” – Warburn Estate Pty Ltd – oversight review lasting approx. 15 years
You ‘re invited to contact Macks Advisory with a call to Peter Macks on 08 8231 3323 or mobile 0419 804 612. I look forward to hearing from you.
