Where’s Your Head At?

I’m really fortunate, in these bloody tough trading conditions, to have a solid business, great systems in place and a team that is working towards a mutually agreed goal.

So when I get asked “Where’s your head at?” I can answer pretty honestly

I know we have a pipeline of inputs, outputs and knowledge of exactly where the business is sitting. Knowledge is power. I know that BridgePoint Group has come through the shutdowns of 2020 and the current one in 2021, not untouched, but comparatively unscathed.

Some of you can’t say the same thing. And that’s why I wanted to write this article.

You may find it ironic that I say “knowledge is power” but I know so little. Undeniably, I know only a very small fraction of everything there is to know. I still don’t know what the future holds and I still don’t know the degree of collateral damage we will suffer.

I worry particularly for our younger staff members, whose resilience is being extensively tested

They have been “up” for a long time now, getting their heads around new initiatives so they can provide the right advice, and quickly. I know they feel the pressure. They know you are relying on them. Meanwhile, our provision for annual leave grows, whilst sick days are increasing. Lockdown is taking a toll.

But I know that the tax man still wants his information submitted on time and we help our clients ensure that all their regulatory requirements are met.

We help our clients get what assistance is being offered by the Federal and State Governments. We disseminate information about the stimulus packages (and budgets that the governments hand down), trying to make it easier for our clients to keep informed of the current situation.

So, yes, we are one of the lucky ones. But I know that there is an inverse relationship between certainty and stress. I therefore know that some of you are stressed. And that’s what worries me most.

The reason for this article then, is to offer our help. Services that provide you with greater certainty. The peace-of-mind you have been missing.

Cynics may well say that this is about getting more customers for BridgePoint Group. Well, yes, in some ways it is. But the ”why” bears consideration. As mentioned I know exactly how BridgePoint is traveling. If you don’t know where your business is at right now, then I know you won’t be getting much sleep. We can help you with that and at best, it would be uncaring, at worst negligent of us not to offer our help.

The “why” is around our expertise in looking at an organisation and assessing where improvements can be made. Whether that is strategy, cash flow, reviewing systems and processes, identifying government grants that you might be entitled to – that is the day in, day out stuff that BridgePoint Group does and has done for the last 10 years. There’s more to our capability than accounting and tax.

So I am personally reaching out to you – where’s your head at?

If you are struggling, if you can’t see a way out of the current market conditions, if your cash is grinding to a halt, if you’ve thought there is no end in sight for your stress, if the bills are mounting and you don’t see how they’ll ever get paid, if you are feeling alone at the top of business and trying to lead the company without appearing vulnerable, then we can help.

We’re not like the Big 4 firms. We’re small like you. We therefore have to work smarter than the big firms. Our management team takes an active role with our clients and how to improve their financial position. We look for how we can help clients grow their business.

So why not reach out to us?

Nobody has all the answers. But I would definitely back us to find some wins and help you get back in control of your business. Everything to gain, nothing to lose.

A note about mental health

A problem shared is a problem halved. If you are feeling down, struggling a bit or a lot, then you are not alone. It’s worldwide. And business advice might not be the whole solution.

The great thing is that help is available. Your GP is a great place to start. They are incredibly resourceful. Where they can’t help, they know who can.

But if you ever just want to bend an ear, we’re here for you. Give us a call.