Businesses, like their owners have a life cycle of their own, requiring different influences and skills at different stages. At Bartons, we help our clients navigate through this cycle, and provide those services as required.
Our client base typically comprises Small to Medium Enterprises (‘SMEs’) in private enterprise. These businesses range from small owner-operated concerns to larger unlisted public companies with multiple shareholders who apply modern principles of corporate governance. We also advise many family businesses at both the enterprise and personal level.
Industries serviced include, but are not limited to: agribusiness, food and beverage, construction, entertainment, manufacturing, medical practitioners, mining, pharmacy, professional services, property services, retail, tourism, transport and logistics, wholesaling and distribution and wine industry.
Services offered include:
Click on the relevant link for more information or contact us for a personalised discussion on any of these services.
Advisory board membership
Some clients have an advisory (ie not formal legal) board which might comprise a mix of external advisors and key managers. Such a group can be a good sounding board for the CEO or owner/manager to cover issues requiring attention for example – strategic, market, financial or operational.
Business acquisitions and divestments
There are many tricks and traps in buying or selling a business – from negotiation, to valuation, funding, and taxation, not to mention the cultural, people and operational issues. We help clients and work with their legal and business brokers to help cover the financial questions.
Buy/Sell agreements and cross insurance
It is important to have a clear understanding between business partners and owners on how changes in ownership, both under normal conditions and in the event of death or incapacity. Frequently supported by appropriate insurance to fund the need, we work with specialist lawyers and risk professionals to assist finding the right solution.
Corporate Governance
We can help client boards, formal or otherwise, formulate policies and practices to ensure appropriate transparency, management of conflicts of interest, board reporting and related issues.
Due diligence assignments
It might look and feel like a great opportunity – but what is actually going on with this company or asset you are considering buying or investing in? We can develop tailored due diligence programmes to complete a pre-acquisition review of the key issues and concerns you have.
Executive team mentoring
We can sometimes bring a skill set and some independence into a company or project, to work with client teams where additional support is required.
Family business services
We understand the particular challenges and benefits which multi generational businesses throw up. We can help with succession planning, funding the business, mediating where required between different groups and mentoring clients through times of change or difficulty.
Financial and business diagnostic analysis
Sometimes it’s hard to see the wood from the trees – everyone is working hard but the runs aren’t on the board. With a range of financial diagnostic tools, we can assist in analyzing underlying financial performance, identifying areas for improvements, and providing a structure around actions and performance measurement where it counts.
Funding requirements
Whether for growth, to buy out a shareholder, or to ensure survival in tough times, we can assist you in preparing the case for further funding from your financiers. Banks increasingly require more timely and justified reasoning in submissions – and we can help you put your best foot forward.
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
With well planned and designed KPI’s, employees, executives, boards and owners can monitor at appropriate levels how the important factors that really drive business performance are traveling. Usually, a few critical KPI’s can be identified – overcomplicated systems annoy everyone and don’t last. We can assist clients design and implement a KPI system that works.
Ownership structures, shareholder agreements
Getting the business legal structure right is an important plank in the life cycle of a business. Factors such as asset protection, liability, taxation, ownership, and ease of understanding all come into play. We work with you and your legal advisors to balance up sometimes competing objectives. A good shareholder, unit holder or partnership agreement is also a critical document that governs the business rights and obligations between the respective parties.
Profit sharing agreements
Companies sometimes want to engage their team further with participation in the profits of the business. We can help clients to develop a plan. These need to be easily understood and measured. Importantly, the right employee behaviour needs to be engendered to ensure the organization benefits as intended.
Risk management consulting services
Business is all about taking calculated risks, in order to achieve a return. However, often we don’t properly assess either the quantum or nature of risks we assume. A proper risk management process can be embedded into organizations to ensure those involved in decision making understand their risks, and in so doing, take steps to reduce, eliminate, accept or transfer those business risks. Bartons has the skills and tools to assist clients address this important area.
Valuations
Although sometimes regarded more as an art than a science, the truth is that a proper valuation is a highly technical process, utilizing the business skills and judgment of the valuer, together with market information. Valuations are required for all sorts of reasons, including business purchase and sale, taxation, deceased estates and for family law reasons.
Bartons assists client in this process as necessary, or for third parties where an independent expert is required.
