One famous adage that often can be used in respect to new business owners is:
Accountants are easy to find. Accountants who are skilled in helping you maximise your financial success are much rarer. The best place to find one of these people is by asking successful business owners if they can recommend someone.“He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man –
follow him.” (These people can take many years of business ownership and numerous falls before they gain the status of “he who knows”.)
“He who knows and knows not that he knows is lost –
help him.” (These people rarely go into business because they lack in the belief in themselves which is an essential personal attribute in becoming a business owner.)
“He who knows naught and knows not that they know naught is dangerous – avoid him.” (Unfortunately, this tends to be the type of person who goes into business and, until they realise their own limitations they are very dangerous.)
“He who knows naught and knows that he knows naught is a fool -
pity him.” (I tend to think that these people are a lot wiser and more honest than some of the others and I would suggest helping him.)
Marketing consultants are also easy to find in the yellow pages. Unfortunately, the best people are too busy driving their own business ventures to find time to consult to others. Again, recommendation is the best way to find the “right” person.
Management experts cost a considerable amount of money and many are well worth their rates. Finding a mentor or a good business coach will help to fill in the essential and necessary obligations of a Chief Executive Officer. The role of Chief Executive Officers or General Managers are the positions most business owners will allocate to themselves, even though their own expertise may well lie in another area. The vital “top job” needs to be handled by someone skilled and proficient in this area.
Financial record keeping; profit, loss, assets, liabilities, payroll, awards, superannuation, PAYG, BAS and GST, ASIC laws and regulations, are highly important functions and should not be something tagged onto the bottom of the list of functions you intend to “get around to” eventually.
Bookkeepers come in all shapes and sizes. Most of the independent people are self-taught or have completed some TAFE programme. This may result in outdated, limited and, on occasions, inadequate skills. A good bookkeeper is worth their weight in gold and they become a vital partner in your business. But, unfortunately, like the other essential service providers, they are not too easy to find. Again recommendation is the most effective method to sort the excellent from the mediocre.