dealing with your business angels
Overview
When dealing with stressful business hardship, there are many different areas of our lives that are affected. It is very easy for the professionals to become absorbed in the technical black and white side of things however we know that you may have questions of a more personal nature. Are these the questions you really want to ask?
A Client’s Perspective

Recently a client told us what it was like to visit our business for the first time. She said she had so many questions running through her mind, along with all the stress and worry that caused her to contact us. Before we answer technical questions we would like to take the liberty of addressing her questions first. We have not edited these questions as we think it fair to answer them as they stand, as honestly as they were given to us and in a way that we would have liked to answer them on that day, had we been asked them.
“I think every potential client that walks through your doors would feel most of these feelings that I felt and ask themselves the same questions” – our client and friend who was so kind as to pass these on to us.
Are they going to think we are dickheads that can’t control anything?
No we don’t think anything like this of you or make any judgement. All we know is that you went into business which in Australia is a very brave thing to do. You have probably been busy delivering good and services to clients under competitive rates, you may have been dealing with the usual family issues, you have probably been busy being successful at so many important things that the paperwork, accounts and compliance got behind. We will probably find during our conversations you have achieved so much in the past and will do in the future.
Am I going to be just another client that is shoved in the corner and forgotten about?
No. In fact after solving the problems you have we are looking for a long term relationship with you through our other businesses that will support you and work with you in the future.
How can I explain where our money has gone?
Don’t panic. We will usually catch up with the bookkeeping and accounting and find where the money has gone. In this way we will be able to help with improving the business, setting budgets for the business (and you will know what you will have for your income through the business for your home budget) and we will use this information to help plan what we can do to help you.
Are they going to think I live a life with the best of everything that I have brought with my tax money instead of paying my GST?
No. Often the money has gone into business development, or it has been used for some other important project in your life. As we have said, once the accounts are completed budgets are much easier to plan forward.
I’m in too deep no one can help fix the s&$# I have created
Hey, no one ever brought us something we couldn’t at least advise on. Life, that’s our personal life and business life has always a great future, along with the opportunities and potential we can always see over the horizon. We have built a great business out of solving problems and having long term relationships with people and their businesses, so no, for us there is always a strategy to move you forward.
Are they going to look me up and down and just think I’m a waste of time?
No one is a waste of time. Look at our other business products, and you will see we embrace micro-and small businesses and will always be keen to see how we can help you and move your business forward. We are never surprised by the fact we still learn so much from our clients, and are amazed at the energy and enthusiasm that our clients have when they see a path ahead.
Will I be the worst ever (thinking no one could be as behind as us), and become that person they all talk about and refer to?
Whatever you tell us, I bet we have heard worse. After 16 years in this business we have seen a lot. Most potential clients don’t realise how with some hard work and some planning, how much a difference to their situation we can make.
Are they going to talk in accounting and technical jargon that I won’t understand?
No. Actually the CEO of the company has written a book about businesses survival and everyone who reads it says “yeah, I can really understand that”. All the staff you first meet speaks “your language”. When you work forward with us, we will want to teach you more about accounts so there will be new words that you will soon understand, but that will be at your pace.
Will I be able to hold myself together? (Emotionally)
Feel free to be you and yes if this is an emotional time you won’t be the first person to cry (usually with relief) at the first meeting. We won’t judge you, we will slow down and let you work through your story, and we will listen and then indicate the direction we can take together.
Will they contact the ATO about us?
Your Business Angels group is an independent company contracted by our clients to work for them, no-one else. When we contact the ATO or any other organisation it will be with your expressed permission and to negotiate or discuss your position with them. Please appreciate that we will never intentionally mislead the ATO or any other group. You will be amazed at how far in the past we have gotten with the truth.
I just can’t go there, I feel like such a dickhead
All we can say is please don’t feel that way.
We hope the above answers have indicated to you how much we respect you. Not everyone has the guts or passion to go into business in Australia, where you are lumbered with massive red tape, bullied by large corporations and risked all you have to finance the business.
Suite 2, 10-12 Prospect St
Box Hill VIC 3128
Suite 102, Level 1, 175 Castlereagh St
Sydney NSW 2000
Copyright 2012 Your Business Angels. All rights reserved.



