Cromer, NSW – 16 September 2014
A local company is taking the stress out of running a small business by providing tradespeople with smart and simple solutions designed to improve their bottom line and free up time for family and friends.
Clever Cow is the brainchild of Northern Beaches resident, Kim Irvine, and was created to help with the day-to-day challenges of running a small trades or construction business – from book-keeping to typing, website maintenance to tender preparation. The Cromer-based consultancy also specialises in business planning, strategy, consulting and marketing, with the aim of increasing efficiency and profitability.
“Tradespeople are brilliant at their trade but often not so great at actually running their business,” says Irvine. “They simply don’t have the time or know-how to operate the business, then they suffer in silence with things like dealing with the tax office or putting in place a retirement plan. That’s where we come in.”
With twenty years experience working in senior management roles for big corporates, Irvine saw an opportunity to help trades businesses make the most of the market’s growth by applying her knowledge and expertise. And the arrival of Clever Cow couldn’t have come at a better time for peninsula tradies.
On average, 2,700 businesses fail every quarter and more than 80 percent of these are small businesses, according to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, with construction-related companies representing 19 percent of the total. In addition, a survey published last year by global information services group, Wolters Kluwer, revealed that small businesses are most likely to fail because of a lack of management skills, a bad business model and poor cash flow.
Irvine recognises that businesses don’t often realise they need the kinds of customised services that Clever Cow offers until it’s too late, which is why she set up the consultancy. “I’m passionate about helping local businesses reach their potential and get real benefit from applying basic principles to their business. We can be planner, coach and trainer, executor, designer and more – it depends on what the business needs and where the issues are.”
Lee Armstrong is the owner of Armstrong Projects, a specialised home building and renovations company in Brookvale. Armstrong had no time to give to the marketing and branding of his business, focused as he was on getting the actual construction work done. His company was plodding along but Armstrong knew it could be doing better.
“With one eye on my current work, I knew I had to keep the other eye on the future but I was too busy and struggled to find time to run my business and plan ahead,” he says.
Clever Cow came on-board with a tailored solution including a new business plan, website and defined business development activities. They also took care of his administration, providing trained and professional support staff to organise his paperwork.
Armstrong admits he now has a more easy-going nature thanks to Clever Cow’s ongoing support. “I have greater peace of mind now that I have a plan. I can take on bigger projects knowing that Kim is in the background handling the systems and admin,” he says. “Construction people also tend to only mix with other construction people. Although Kim has that industry knowledge, I know she’s been outside of the business – she has runs on the board.”
While Clever Cow’s ethos is about developing smarter solutions for local businesses, Irvine is also passionate about making sure that money earned on the Northern Beaches stays on the Northern Beaches. “Businesses come into the area, do the work, then take the cash back out,” she says. “We should all try our best to make sure that money made here, stays here, and is invested back into the local community.”
For more information about Clever Cow and the practical, affordable solutions they provide, go to www.clevercow.com.au or contact Kim Irvine on 9981 3137.
Contact
Kim Irvine, Managing Director
0422 772 703
kim.irvine@clevercow.com.au
Source
Russell Ward, TheInternationalWriter.com
0416 860 363
russell@theinternationalwriter.com
