Helen Ward-
Director
With more than 20 years of leadership experience in strategic business and marketing planning, marketing research and entrepreneurial endeavors, Helen’s innovative work has motivated, assisted and driven hundreds of businesses to achieve their business goals as well as mentoring and business coaching to ensure they become profitable, grow quickly and build a cohesive, focused management team. She has developed training materials and methodologies for the commercial and government sectors across a range of business and leadership disciplines including Strategic Marketing, Presentation Style, Research Methodologies, Client Relationship Management, Leadership, Recruitment, Motivation, Managing Change and Performance Management.
Barry Spanger-
Director
I have been involved in the operation and management of businesses for over 40 years. and I have experienced great success in building, operating and growing small and medium-sized businesses.
My previous business career was in the Food & Beverage Industry, where I purchased a small vending operating business, which over 13 years grew to become the largest independent operator of snack and beverage vending machines in Victoria. Prior to this I owned and managed a business in South Africa, which became the largest specialist supplier of components and parts to the Air Conditioning Industry.
Following my transfer to Melbourne in 1991, I was the State Manager of a major steel distributor, where I led a team of 120 employees and 8 managers, and gained valuable knowledge and experience in management within a publicly-owned corporate business environment.
I also completed a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at Monash University in 1996.
Since selling my business I have shared by business knowledge and experience with business owners and managers across a wide range of businesses and industries, acting both as a business consultant and mentor.
In addition to my skills in growing businesses, I am well versed in most aspects of business management, including strategic planning, sales and marketing, operations, and human resource management.
I have strong financial management skills as well as an extensive knowledge of HRM strategy development, including staff selection, training & development, motivation, labour relations, OH&S and performance appraisal.
I offer my experience in working closely with business owners, managers and staff in identifying key issues, and creating and implementing business & marketing strategies that will lead to business growth.
John Adnams-
Director
During a banking career spanning 38 years, John undertook a large number of assignments across a wide range of activities – from branch banking, lending, international, market research, planning, human resources (training), and other Head Office functions. The experience gained from these roles was significant and is now being shared with business owners through his subsequent small business consulting activities.
Over the last 7 years, John has been involved in mentoring over 600 small businesses across a wide range of industries – both start-ups and existing businesses. These include retailing, tradespeople, professional services, information technology, engineering/manufacturing, accommodation and tourism. There has also been involvement in assisting entrepreneurs to bring new products and services to the market.
He concentrates on assisting new and existing business owners to better plan the financial future of their firm, and to realise the importance of closely managing their cash flows. John believes that experience has shown that in the absence of regular monitoring of cash ‘in-and-out’, there is a real concern that the business be over-trading, over-committing, or trading unprofitably – without the owner realising it.
Bruce Hall-
Director
With a passion for marketing, sales and people motivation, Bruce enjoys working with businesses to help them realise their potential. An innovative thinker, he employs leading edge processes to assist businesses find ways to improve their performance.
With a background in finance, marketing, sales and people leadership, Bruce has worked with many businesses across a broad range of industries through many different and difficult business cycles.
Having dealt with many small to medium-sized businesses Bruce understands the need for practical solutions that work in the real world.
Key strengths include:- marketing, sales, sales coaching, sales process, customer service, building high performing teams, people management and presentation skills.
C S Srinivasan (Srini)-
Associate
Srini has had a highly successful career spanning 32 years in the Information Technology industry having worked for IBM Corporation in Australia and India, in various Sales, Marketing and Management roles.
Prior to joining IBM, Srini graduated in Electrical Engineering and worked as an Electrical Engineer in an Alloy Steels plant in India from 1965-1970 specialising in Control Systems, after training in Japan under the Colombo Plan.
Srini is a highly motivated, resilient and successful Sales Management professional with proven experience in sales, marketing and development of IT solutions to solve customer business problems in Australia and overseas. He has acquired an in-depth knowledge of industries and customer business issues in areas as diverse as energy and utilities, finance, insurance, manufacturing, government and health.
With broad and varied experience in Management, Marketing, Sales, Business Development & Strategic Planning, Srini is well placed to develop strategic business, marketing and sales plans to help clients proactively, in business problem solving, leveraging technology to achieve business goals and harvesting optimum business benefits.
Viewed by clients as a trusted adviser, he has the ability to research and analyse complex business problems to provide insightful advice and innovative solutions to clients through consultative selling. As an excellent people manager and coach, he enabled his team members to maximise their potential and professional achievement.
Srini can work in cross cultural contexts and add special value - thanks to his skills in multiple languages including Japanese.
Rob Bruce-
Associate
Rob has undertaken general and commercial management roles in a range of industries including telecommunications, computer software development and food and packaging manufacturing. Some of the companies managed over a 20-year period have been in a development and growth phase and others in a decline and rationalisation phase.
Rob has shown an ability to adapt to challenging situations and, in consultation with line management, to methodically analyse available options and determine a course of action to be followed to achieve agreed objectives. His financial background combined with many years of company management allows him to bring an experienced and analytical approach to business situations allowing achievement of optimum results for stakeholders in the organisation.