Challenge
When we first came on board, the business didn’t yet have a structured budget or cash flow forecast to work from. While sales were growing, there wasn’t a clear picture of how each product category was contributing to profitability or how much cash would be needed to support purchasing and growth. The owner wanted more visibility and a framework to make decisions with confidence.
Our Approach
We focused on creating clarity step by step:
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Understand the numbers
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Analysed each product category to see gross margin at both category and weighted business level.
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Reviewed the inventory system and advised on recategorising products, so reporting was cleaner and margins could be tracked at source.
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Build the plan
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Designed the company’s first comprehensive budget, embedding category insights into sales and cost assumptions.
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Developed a detailed cash flow forecast to map working capital needs and ensure product purchasing could be planned and decisions could be made with ease.
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Create the right measures
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Built custom KPIs tailored to their business model - metrics that actually mattered to their industry.
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Embed a monthly rhythm
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Set up ongoing reporting, comparing actuals against budget every month.
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Worked directly with the owner to review performance and support decisions in real time.
The Outcome
The business now has a clear financial plan built on real product and margin data, with visibility over cash flow and working capital needs. Monthly reporting is directly linked back to the budget and custom KPIs, giving the owner a reliable view of performance and the confidence to make informed decisions about sales, purchasing, and growth.
