Business planning

Take control of the direction of your business

Liston Newton Advisory
Liston Newton Advisory is rated 4.8 from 32 reviews

Expert business planning advice

We use your long-term business goals to create effective and realistic business planning advice. We focus on what's really relevant to you and your business, and use financial modelling to inform our advice.

  • Financial modelling
  • Identifying risk factors
  • Short and long-term planning
  • Sustainable growth advice

Free financial strategy session*

Get a free 90-minute video consultation. See how it works.

*Offer subject to terms and conditions
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A realistic business plan is more than helpful, it's essential. Let's make a plan.
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Get your business on the right track

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A wealth of experience

In our 40 year history, not only have we made countless business plans for our clients, but we've successfully planned our own business success.

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Capable and qualified

Our team is qualified to provide a wide range of business advisory and accounting services, including business planning and personal wealth creation.

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Systems and processes

Our business planning is backed up by rigorous systems and processes which we've developed and improved over our 40 year history.

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Long-term client partnerships

Planing for long-term success means we need to have a long-term relationship. We build strong partnerships with all our clients.

Learn more about your business with our comprehensive guides

At Liston Newton Advisory, we take pride in helping business owners get more out of their hard work. Our downloadable guides can give you an in-depth look at strategies and technologies that will help your business grow.

  • Discover tax strategies and business structures available to you
  • Understand and apply new business management technology
  • Get in touch with us for information tailored to your business

About our business planners

Planning for long-term business success requires clear goals and a realistic strategy for achieving them.

Our business planning team can help you set your goals, create your plan, and minimise any risk factors. After that, there's not much that can get in your way.

Our team can even travel to your premises to consult with you face-to-face. It's all part of our commitment to our clients.

Stewart Lane, Partner & Head of Tax

Meet our business planning team

We have worked with Liston Newton's Accountancy and Advisory Team for over a decade. During that time, our business has grown substantially both organically and through purchases. This wouldn’t have been possible without Liston Newton Advisory to assist with our business planning, providing proactive advice and ensuring our accounts were always compliant in a complex and volatile industry.
Karsten Horne
CEO, Reho Travel
Liston Newton's Accountants analysed our financial and business situation and helped us implement strategies to improve our position. Their strategies turned our business from making a loss, to recording a 6-month net profit of 36 per cent. And we are now on track to show a 240 per cent increase in turnover over the next financial year.
Lisa Clarke
SL Constructions
Liston Newton helped us move our accounting over to Xero. Their Accountant managed the set up and training so we felt comfortable with the software. We now have all our processes streamlined which gives us improved visibility of our business performance. This has allowed us to open 2 more stores without a significant increase in administration effort.
Peter Luskan
Pandora

Our method for business success

Set your business up for success with effective business planning. By working towards a clear goal from the outset, you give yourself the best chance of achieving success.

We have developed a unique approach to business planning and advice. By taking a holistic approach to financial services, we can make sure your business is heading in the right direction.

Find out how we do things
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Expertise you can trust

We have over 40 years of experience planning successful businesses, including our own.

Our case studies

Hoping for the best isn't a plan

To get the success you're aiming for, you need a real plan. We can help.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I write a business plan?

Business plans are crucial to a startup business as they ensure you have a roadmap and some guidance on your business journey. Getting the right person to write a business plan is crucial as they need to understand the fundamentals of your business, how you operate, and where you want to get to.

When writing a business plan, you essentially need to work backwards. Determine what your end goal is, then build the plan for achieving that end goal. Your goal could be one million dollars in profit, or to generate a personal income of $100,000 per year. Catching up quarterly with your business adviser ensures you remain on track with the business plan targets you set.

What does a business plan include?

Business plans should include the following:

  • Your mission statement and core values
  • Financial projections
  • SWOT analysis
  • Staff structure now and as you grow
  • Action plans
  • Key drivers for your business
Why do I need a business plan?

Creating a business plan will help you gain a better understanding of your business, the customer and market conditions.

You'll be able to track and measure business performance to ensure you’re on the right track. You can also improve the likelihood of gaining financing and attracting potential investors by having detailed marketing and financial plans in place. Your business plan can convey the overall health and direction of the business. 

How do I expand my business?

This is one of the most common questions from young business owners. The first step from a business point of view is to make sure you have all the fundamentals of your business in place. This is crucial because if the fundamentals are not right your business will not be ready for expansion.

The fundamentals of a business include having your bookkeeping running smoothly, so you have accurate data to base your decisions on, having the right business structure to expand, and having the right people in your business to deal with the expansion.

You also need to consider how you are going to fund your expansion. Often a business will not be stockpiled with cash before an expansion so alternative financing options will be required. This may involve a financial institution such as a bank, crowdfunding or bringing in other investors to the business.

What do I have to do when I take on a new employee?

There are many reporting requirements when you hire a new employee, including:

  • Lodging a tax file number declaration with the ATO
  • Set up a payroll function as part of your bookkeeping
  • Registering for PAYG with the ATO
  • Setting up a superannuation clearing house to pay their superannuation

You also need to make sure you have a signed employement contract which specifically states their working conditions, job description, rates of pay including all penalty rates, and any other entitlements such as annual and sick leave.

Ensure that you are aware of the minimum legal pay rates and allowances based on the relevant employee awards. This can often be a complicated area which you will require some professional advice on.

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