It all started with a boy.

Greg Browne had just exited a motel business and was “looking for the next chapter” in his life when an old friend asked him to look after her son for a few hours a week. A non-verbal autistic child, this boy was in need of a strong male mentor.

For the next twelve months, Greg took his new little mate golfing every Saturday morning. When his friend witnessed how happy these experiences had made her son, she knew that Greg could help others – just like he did with her boy. So a vision was born – an accommodation facility designed to help those less fortunate to enhance their quality of life. And that’s how Zoe (Life) My Way started – from Greg’s desire to improve people’s lives.

Situated on the Capricorn Coast, Zoe (Life) My Way is a disability service that provides quality care and protection to those in need.  The business offers independent living accommodation with specialised support so clients can feel right at home.

Greg’s business was making changes for the better. But one problem he didn’t anticipate was the rapid growth rate he experienced. Greg found himself with a new company that was expanding far more than expected in a short period of time. With a heavy focus on operations and clients, cash flow and finances were put on the back burner.

“I think I grew a little too quickly for the first three years. We made some really good decisions early on, and we made some poor ones,” Greg explains. “We learned from them and grew from there.”

Because of the rapid growth, finances, tax, and cash flow pressures were building. Greg knew that something had to be done.

That’s where SRJWW came in. Off the back of a strong referral from a friend and existing client, Greg actively sought out a business collaboration with the firm.

“In the last 18 months, we’ve intentionally slowed down our growth and consolidated. Best of all, we engaged SRJWW Partner John Riseley to help give structure and guidance around our finances.”

The search for the ‘right people’

“I think finding the right people is always the hardest thing for any small business,” starts Greg. “After all, who you choose to work with will determine whether you fail or succeed.”

And so Greg’s hunt for the perfect partnership began. While he may not have known exactly what he needed, Greg knew that he was searching for one thing – an accounting firm that was “proactive instead of reactive.”

“I was going to accountants every 12 months to do our taxes and for advice, but really they were just reacting after everything was done,” describes Greg. “It costs me a little bit more, but in terms of accountancy and commercial advice, it is invaluable if your advisor is proactive instead of reactive.” 

Finding a proactive partner like John and his team at SRJWW ensures that I feel less stressed knowing that I’m not coming to the end of a financial year only to find out that I’ve got a large tax bill that I wasn’t prepared for.”

A “face-to-face person”, Greg went to considerable trouble to find the right accounting firm to join forces with – even travelling long distances to meet with possible accounting and advisory service providers. 

“When I turned up to a meeting with a  potential accountant, he was completely unprepared,” said Greg, shaking his head. “I drove four hours and slept overnight at considerable expense just to meet him. I wasn’t impressed.”

But upon meeting John, Greg knew he had found the perfect fit. “John was prepared and ready,” smiles Greg. “I’d given him the same information I’d given the other accountant, and they were just worlds apart in terms of professionalism. At the end of the meeting, John shook my hand, looked me in the eye, and said, ‘I think I can help you.’ He didn’t make any big promises – he just was honest, and I knew he meant it.” 

Saving the house of cards

“I think small businesses can scale up too quickly and become like a house of cards,” frowns Greg. “You know – pull a card away, and everything falls? And we were days away from the house of cards falling.”

With Zoe (Life) My Way expanding faster than Greg anticipated, he had lost sight of the business numbers. “The theory for small businesses is that they struggle for 12 months. I found the opposite – we grew exponentially over a 12-month period and grew too quickly.”

“We would have gone from a $1.5 million turnover business to probably a $500,000 turnover business overnight if I didn’t get the financing support deal which John project managed for us. We would have lost the property which contained most of our accommodation buildings, and we would have suffered a great hit.”

SRJWW worked with Greg to find collaborators who would finance the property on which Zoe (Life) My Way operates, saving the business in the process.  

Now? Greg is back in control and happy with how the future looks for his company. “I think we’re in a unique and pretty good little spot at the moment. We can grow at our pace and not anyone else’s – and create a memorable little business in the process.”

The muddy waters are cleared, and the dream continues

“I don’t want to be a player with the big non-profits. I just want to do something different that helps people physically and mentally,” Greg explains. “I want to be a one-stop-shop where someone can knock on the door and get all their needs met by our service. By keeping Zoe (Life) My Way alive, it has enabled the dream to continue.”

Having a proactive accountant and a strong, honest relationship has given Greg a level of trust and confidence in his business finances he’s never experienced before. 

“The waters were muddy before I came to SRJWW,” Greg states. “I knew what the dream was. I just had trouble making my way there. John has cleared those muddy waters for me and helped me chart a clear path forward.”

Now that the waters are crystal clear, Greg can focus on more important things. “I don’t have to compromise my principles for the almighty dollar now. My business is based on services around human beings – it’s not based on monetary terms.”

Advice from a straight shooter

Greg leaves us with one final piece of advice. “If you’re like I was and are seeking to work with people that genuinely care and are driven by solutions and results, then it costs you nothing to come in and sit down with the team at SRJWW.” 

Partner with a supportive, knowledgeable team to help bring your vision to reality. If you’re looking for a proactive, honest and effective accounting and business advisory firm to team up with, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us here today.