01
I tell you what I see.
Plainly, with the numbers behind it. No jargon, no sugar-coating.
Business turnaround · Brisbane-based · Australia-wide
Before we fix it, we find it.
A clear, honest read of where you stand. Then the right action, in the right order, with you making the call.
Gavan S. Porter FCPA · Brisbane-based fractional and turnaround CFO · 20+ years in finance, 12 as a CFO · Australia & the US
Where most owners are when they call
Sound familiar?
- 01Cash is tight every week.
- 02The ATO, suppliers or the bank are chasing.
- 03The numbers are late, or you don't trust them.
- 04Sales are up. Profit isn't.
- 05Everyone has a different idea of what to cut.
Principle
Diagnose before you act.
Acting on a guess
- Cut costs across the board
- Chase more sales
- Borrow to buy time
Acting on a diagnosis
- Find the root cause
- Fix the right thing first
- Protect what already works
Under pressure, the wrong fix costs time you don't have.
How I work with you
Straight talk. Your call.
02
You make the call.
It's your business. I set out the options and what each one costs you.
03
I help you act on it.
In the right order, at the right pace. And I'm there for as long as you need me.
Gentle on people. Direct on the numbers.
Where we start · Bookkeeping & financial review
First question: can we trust your numbers?
If the books are wrong, every decision built on them is wrong. So I check each of these and rate it Solid Needs work or At risk
- Bank accounts reconciled and up to date
- Who owes you: real, and how overdue
- Who you owe: suppliers, ATO, payroll tax, super
- BAS and GST lodged on time, with any issues referred to your tax agent
- Payroll processed cleanly
- Stock and work in progress valued properly
- Month-end closed on time
- Reports show profit by job, product or customer
What I'll tell you
Three answers. In plain English.
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01 · Where are we?
Current status
Where you stand today, in numbers you can trust.
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02 · What's broken?
Issues highlighted
What's actually wrong in your business and your industry, compared with benchmarks and ranked by urgency and cost.
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03 · What do we do?
Plan going forward
What to do, in what order, and who owns it.
01 · Current status
Where you stand, on one page.
No jargon. The same numbers your accountant, your bank and the ATO will look at.
Most owners have never seen them side by side.
- Cash runway
- __ weeks
- Owed to the ATO
- $ ______
- Overdue to suppliers
- $ ______
- Overdue from customers
- $ ______
- Bank facilities used
- __ %
- Gross margin, last 12 months
- __ %
- Books you can rely on?
- Yes / Partly / No
02 · Issues highlighted
What's actually wrong. Ranked.
Specific to your business and your industry. I compare your numbers with benchmarks for businesses like yours (the ATO's small business benchmarks, industry data, and comparisons from businesses I've worked with), so you can see what's normal for your industry, what isn't, and where the real gaps are.
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Urgent
Threatens cash in the next 13 weeks
Deal with these first, or nothing else matters.
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Costly
Eating profit every month
Pricing, overheads, waste, slow-paying customers.
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Underlying
The root cause behind both
Systems, structure, people, information.
Example
Symptom “We can't pay suppliers on time.”
Root cause Jobs are under-quoted. We lose money on the big ones.
03 · Plan going forward
The turnaround, in five stages.
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1
Stabilise cash
Can we meet our immediate commitments?
Get clear on cash. Build a 13-week cash forecast. Prioritise payments, speed up collections, hold back non-essential spending.
You getA cash control plan with weekly priorities.
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2
Diagnose performance
What is causing the pressure?
Profit, pricing and margins. Overheads. Working capital and debt. How reliable your reporting is. All compared with benchmarks for your industry.
You getA financial health assessment: the main causes and opportunities, measured against industry benchmarks.
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3
Build the turnaround plan
What needs to change first?
Agree priorities. Model the options. Set targets. Assign actions, owners and deadlines. Flag any funding or specialist help needed.
You getA 90-day action plan backed by a financial forecast.
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4
Drive execution
How do we make the changes happen?
Regular performance reviews. Track cash and results. Support decisions. Coordinate actions with your team and advisers.
You getA weekly scorecard and action tracker.
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5
Embed control
How do we stay on track?
Reliable reporting, budgets and rolling forecasts. Clear financial responsibilities. Early warning signs.
You getA monthly finance rhythm and a plan for what's next.
Your call, with a guiding handYou decide at every stage. I'm a guiding hand and a sounding board alongside the experts: on Safe Harbour, loan options, Director Penalty Notices, and whether a restructuring specialist is right for you. I can suggest independent insolvency and restructuring practitioners who may suit your situation, and introduce you to specialist business-finance brokers. I receive no referral fees or commissions.
Behind with the ATO? How I help with ATO debt, payment plans and director options →
Who you'd be working with
I've sat in your chair.
- 20+years in finance, from management accountant to CFO
- 12years as CFO and Company Secretary of a $50m+ family business
- 30+businesses supported in the last three years, in Australia and the US
- $7m → $28mrevenue growth, from breakeven to 15% profit, after a restructure
FCPA · CMgr AFIML · Certified Chair
Worked alongside restructuring practitioners, tax advisers, banks and the ATO.
Common questions
Turnaround: questions answered.
What is a business turnaround?
A turnaround is the work of getting a business under financial pressure back onto stable, profitable ground. It starts with cash, so you can meet your immediate commitments. Then it finds and fixes the root cause of the pressure, and puts controls in place so it stays fixed.
What is a 13-week cash forecast?
A week-by-week view of the cash coming in and going out over the next three months. It shows when cash will be tight, so you can prioritise payments, speed up collections and hold back non-essential spending before you run short. It's the first thing I build in a turnaround.
When should I call about a turnaround?
As early as you can. The earlier we look, the more options you have. Common signs are cash that's tight every week, the ATO, suppliers or the bank chasing you, numbers that are late or that you don't trust, or sales going up while profit doesn't.
What happens first?
We check whether your numbers can be trusted: bank reconciliations, who owes you, who you owe, BAS and GST, payroll, stock and month-end. Then I give you three answers in plain English: where you stand, what's actually wrong in your business and your industry compared with benchmarks, and the plan going forward.
Who makes the decisions?
You do, at every stage. I set out the options and what each one costs you, then help you act on them in the right order. I'm also a sounding board as you consider whether a restructuring specialist is right for you, and I can suggest independent practitioners who may suit your situation. I receive no referral fees or commissions.
What about Safe Harbour considerations?
Safe Harbour considerations are worked through in conjunction with other specialists, such as restructuring practitioners and lawyers, who advise directors on whether it applies. It can protect directors from personal liability for insolvent trading, but not from ATO director penalties. My part is the finance: the 13-week cash forecast, numbers you can rely on, and a credible plan for a better outcome.
What do I get at each stage?
A cash control plan with weekly priorities, a financial health assessment, a 90-day action plan backed by a financial forecast, a weekly scorecard and action tracker, and a monthly finance rhythm with a plan for what's next.
Next steps
Worth 20 minutes to see if it's a fit?
The earlier we look, the more options you have.
- 0120-minute callSee if it's a fit
- 02DiscoveryWhere you really stand
- 03PlanThe right action, in order
- 04ActMake the changes happen
- 05Ongoing supportOptional. Your call.
Call +61 408 812 120, email gavan@gspadvisory.co, or send a message.