What is business growth consulting?
Business growth consulting Brisbane, Queensland and Australia involves examining how your business model performs now and what it would take to expand without weakening margins or cash reserves.
A business growth consultant assesses growth opportunities against project margins, cash flow management, staff, systems and available resources. That analysis gives owners a basis for a growth strategy directed towards sustainable growth.
Business growth consulting is an important part of the broader business advisory services that Blaze Business & Legal provides.
What does a business growth strategist in Brisbane actually do?
A business growth strategist helps business owners decide where to grow, which opportunities are worth pursuing and whether their business is ready for expansion. For construction businesses, this means considering market opportunities, profitability, working capital, management capacity, business structure and commercial risk before committing to a growth strategy.
At Blaze Business & Legal, we work with construction business owners and directors across Brisbane, Queensland and Australia to make these decisions. Our business growth consulting services combine strategic planning with financial, commercial, operational and legal experience.
Which growth opportunities are worth pursuing?
Your construction business may have opportunities to move from subcontracting into head contracting, enter civil or infrastructure markets, pursue larger projects, expand geographically or acquire another business.
Each opportunity brings different financial requirements, contractual obligations, management responsibilities and risks. We help you assess whether the expected returns justify the investment, whether your business has the capacity to deliver and which opportunities best suit your longer-term objectives.
What should your construction business stop doing to make room for growth?
A business growth strategy should also identify work, customers, markets and activities that no longer support your business objectives.
You may need to withdraw from low-margin contract types, change your tender selection criteria, reduce dependence on a major customer or stop pursuing projects that consume resources without delivering adequate returns.
These decisions can improve profitability and release management capacity before you take on additional work.
Does your construction business need to stabilise before it grows?
Sometimes the right business growth strategy is to put your expansion plans on hold.
Increasing turnover when your business has poor cash flow, unreliable project margins, inadequate management reporting or unresolved operational problems can make those problems worse. Winning larger contracts does not necessarily mean earning more profit.
We help you assess whether your business has a sufficiently stable financial, commercial and operational foundation to support growth.
Where significant weaknesses exist, we may recommend postponing expansion while you improve cash flow forecasting, recover project profitability, strengthen management controls or address problems affecting current projects.
The objective is to make sure your business can support the next stage of growth without putting its existing operations at unnecessary risk.
Does your business structure support your growth plans?
Your existing company structure may have worked when your construction business was smaller but may no longer suit its size, operations or future plans.
Expanding into new markets, bringing in shareholders, acquiring another business or taking on larger contracts can raise questions about ownership, asset protection, QBCC licensing, tax arrangements, governance and the allocation of commercial risk.
Our construction business structuring services help you review whether your existing entity and ownership arrangements remain appropriate, identify structural weaknesses and assess whether restructuring is needed before expansion.
A restructure may involve changes to trading entities, holding companies, asset ownership, shareholder arrangements, management responsibilities or governance. The appropriate changes depend on your business circumstances, legal obligations and commercial objectives.
What needs to change before you can implement your growth strategy?
Once we have identified commercially worthwhile growth opportunities and assessed whether your business is ready, we help you decide what needs to happen first.
That may involve restructuring the business, appointing senior managers, changing decision-making authority, strengthening governance, securing finance or improving the systems used to manage projects and business performance.
We work with you to prioritise these changes, establish responsibilities and determine when your business is ready to pursue the next stage.
Our business growth strategists focus on commercially workable growth. That includes recommending when to expand, when to restructure and when to stabilise your construction business before committing to further growth.
Online business growth strategist services for construction businesses
An online business growth strategist can work with directors and managers in different locations without requiring everyone to travel for each meeting. Our online business growth strategist services include remote financial reviews, executive training and meetings about decisions your team is implementing. This suits geographically dispersed teams.
Online business growth strategy work can follow an on-site workshop, allowing your management team to report on implementation without another full-site visit. The format depends on the work.
Remote financial reviews
Executive training
Decision-making support
When growth consulting is useful to your business
A business may find that growth has plateaued even though enquiries and tender opportunities remain strong.
In other cases, consistent revenue growth has not improved the profit position.
Directors may be working 60+ hour weeks because systems live in your head, while manual input slows reporting and an operational bottleneck prevents managers from taking responsibility.
Cash flow challenges, excessive debt and unreliable sales pipelines can also affect expansion decisions.
External expertise can help identify blind spots, a hidden profit drain and cost-saving opportunities that are difficult to see from within the business.
An outside adviser may offer a less likely to be biased perspective on investment proposals, but recommendations still need to reflect your business maturity, current systems, business resources and priorities.
Stabilise, Improve & Scale
Stabilise financial performance
Our financial review examines profitability, budgets and forecasts, cashflow and cash flow management together, so directors can see the likely effect of taking on more work. Financial management may also require a review of ATO, DPN notices, payday superannuation and financing obligations. Where growth depends on financing, we can work with specialist advisers on tax efficiencies and debt and equity strategies.
Improve operations and people
We look at how daily operations run, including project management, team structures and documented systems. Operational streamlining might require technology integration or productivity enhancements, but the starting point is often a clearer allocation of responsibility. We also assess employee engagement efforts, customer service strategy and whether your business has the right people and skills to take on additional work.
Scale deliberately
Business growth objectives may include new markets, additional physical locations, strategic partnerships or a new product. Before recommending an investment, we consider likely ROI, revenue growth and the capacity to deliver what has been sold. Efficient operations are an important part of long-term growth with sustainable solutions, particularly when several projects are starting at once.
Why choose Blaze Business & Legal?
Rachelle Hare and Shannon Drew have more than 50 years of combined construction industry experience and have worked with more than 2,000 construction businesses across their careers. Rachelle brings construction law, commercial management and business advisory experience. Shannon provides management accounting, Virtual CFO and business advisory expertise.
Blaze Business & Legal is one of the only firms in Australia where legal, commercial, financial, structural, governance, operational and compliance advice for construction businesses comes from one team. Rachelle and Shannon each have 25+ years inside the construction industry.
Our industry-specific expertise is supported by a proven track record with construction clients. Case studies and client testimonials are available on request, so prospective clients can examine relevant experience rather than rely on general claims. We advise Australian service business owners in construction, including established small businesses, medium-sized businesses and larger contractors.
I have seen businesses win more work without first checking whether their managers and cash flow can support it. I prefer to work through the real numbers and operating processes with the people responsible for the changes.
Rachelle Hare
Practical workshops.Business strategy.Executive training.
On-site workshops with your management team
Blaze Business & Legal regularly flies to clients’ businesses around Australia and spends a week working directly with their owners and management teams. This is a substantial part of our business growth consulting Brisbane service, not simply a presentation of a template plan.
We can coordinate daily workshops across financial management, commercial management and project delivery. A workshop might involve solo participants, a small team or stakeholders involved in delivery. Where helpful, we can set a maximum 12 participants per group. We agree logistical support, resources and timelines before the engagement.
Managers bring their own reports, procedures and unresolved decisions into the room. Our collaborative approach can include executive training and practical work on those materials, with implementation support alongside you after the visit. Where the engagement extends beyond the workshop, the sessions can form part of its build phase.
Customised growth plans and strategy development
Our tailored advisory services include customized growth plans and proven roadmaps for growth. During strategy development, we work through your goals and objectives, business planning and alignment with values and goals before deciding which projects deserve resources.
The resulting growth roadmap sets out actionable plans, the actionable steps required, financial targets and clear milestones. Your managers can use measurable milestones to test whether the changes are producing the intended results.
Planning period and what it can address
Immediate financial performance and operating priorities
Organisational changes and entry into new markets
Investment strategies, company structure and additional locations
Succession, business structuring and exit objectives
An actionable plan may initially cover one function. Regular evaluation helps management assess progress and adjust its priorities. Strategic planning should respond to your actual business performance, rather than impose a standard timetable.
Growth CFOs, virtual CFO services and financial clarity
Shannon Drew provides Growth CFO and Virtual CFO services. Growth CFOs help business owners assess funding requirements before committing to expansion. Shannon’s financial clarity work can include forecasts, project profitability, cash flow management, financial targets and investment scenarios.
We can examine financing options, debt and equity strategies and the impact of additional contracts on cash reserves. We coordinate with appropriate advisers on tax obligations, tax efficiencies and specialist financing questions. Our Construction Financial Management services can provide ongoing reporting and Virtual CFO services.
- Forecasts
- Project profitability
- Cash flow management
- Financial targets
- Investment scenarios
Weekly financial rhythms might focus on the two metrics that matter most to your immediate decision. Management can allocate 15 minutes daily to checking key results or one hour weekly planning ahead. The arrangement is tailored.
Business development and market analysis
Business development review
A business development review starts with the work your business wants to win and whether it has the capacity to deliver it profitably. We examine business development services, leads, sales pipelines and tender conversion, using market analysis to consider market trends, industry trends and untapped customer segments. This also means testing your ideal customer base, positioning, customer needs and the value of different product and service offerings.
Marketing and sales strategies
Marketing and sales strategies may include reviewing your marketing strategy, marketing voice and customer service strategy. We can help management evaluate networking opportunities, relationship building and strategic partnerships. Specialist providers can deliver campaigns while we assess their contribution to growth objectives.
The right growth strategy considers the broader business ecosystem. Winning more projects should improve profitability, not simply increase activity.
Executive training, peer groups and accountability
Depending on the work, arrangements might involve one hour weekly planning, a one hour weekly workshop or one to two sessions weekly. Some managers prefer 15 minutes daily for follow-up. We tailor these formats rather than selling a fixed coaching schedule.
Options
- One hour weekly planning
- One hour weekly workshop
- One to two sessions weekly
- 15 minutes daily
Executive training
Rachelle provides executive training in business management, commercial management, governance and risk management strategies, drawing on the decisions construction managers make in practice. Training can also address financial reporting, project management and handover processes. Sessions can be virtual or in-person according to the people involved and the work to be done.
Peer groups and accountability
We can coordinate a peer group for construction owners or your own management team. Resources and networking opportunities can help participants learn from relevant experience, discuss common mistakes and assess options. We can arrange a structured accountability program with daily accountability during intensive implementation.
Operational improvement and technology integration
Growth exposes gaps between your business legals, compliance, commercial management, financial management and delivery.
We assess current systems, operational reporting and operational bottlenecks. A more data driven, tech centric operation can reduce manual input and improve visibility. Documented systems and a clear handover help new staff take responsibility without relying on the owner.
We can review your business ecosystem, team structures and operational processes as part of wider management consulting. These changes can support holistic growth across several business functions.
Succession planning, business structure and exit
Succession planning should start before an owner intends to retire. We can assess management successors, executive development and the systems needed for an effective handover. Ownership planning may involve a company structure, trusts or shareholders’ arrangements. We work with relevant advisers on tax and specialist financial questions.
A five-year or ten-year plan can consider succession, a future exit, changes in ownership and long-term business value. Strong management processes can help an owner reduce daily involvement while protecting customer relationships and credibility.
Implementation support alongside your management team
Stage and work with your management team
Discovery phase
Review current performance, constraints and priorities
Strategy development
Agree an actionable plan, responsibilities and measures of progress
Build phase
Put reporting, training and operational changes into practice
Implementation support may include workshops, progress reviews and a structured accountability program. Our advisers provide implementation support alongside you, with regular evaluation of agreed milestones. Support reflects your business resources.
Get your free Construction Business Growth Checklist
Is your construction business ready to grow?
Our Business Growth Checklist covers 32 indicators across eight areas: profitability, cash flow, business development services, project delivery, management capability, governance, growth planning and succession. Use it to identify the areas that need investigation before committing to expansion.
Complete the checklist with your management team. Bring the results to a Strategy Session or use them to shape a workshop. The Business Growth Checklist gives you a practical starting point for business growth consulting Brisbane.
Business growth consulting fees
A 60-minute Strategy Session costs $650 + GST with Rachelle Hare or Shannon Drew, or $750 + GST with both. Further business consultancy fees in Australia depend on scope, workshop requirements and the level of ongoing support.
We provide transparent pricing for agreed engagements before work begins.
One adviser
$650 + GST · 60-minute Strategy Session with Rachelle Hare or Shannon Drew Book a 1 hour no-obligation Strategy Session →Both advisers
$750 + GST · 60-minute Strategy Session with both Book a 1 hour no-obligation Strategy Session →FAQs about business growth consulting Brisbane
A consultant reviews commercial performance and helps owners decide which improvements will support profitable expansion. Services can include strategic planning, financial analysis, management training and implementation support.
Our online business growth strategist services include virtual strategy sessions, financial reviews and implementation support. We can combine remote meetings with on-site workshops where your business would benefit from both.
Rachelle and Shannon regularly work on-site with clients for a week. Your program can involve your management team, individual participants or groups organised around particular business functions.
We develop 12-month, 24 to 36-month, five-year and ten-year plans. Each plan reflects your growth objectives, business maturity and implementation requirements.
We help owners assess future management responsibilities, ownership options and the operational changes needed before a handover or exit.
A 60-minute Strategy Session costs $650 + GST with one adviser or $750 + GST with both. Further fees depend on the agreed work.
Plan and implement your next stage of growth
Discuss the next growth decision facing your construction business in a Strategy Session. Rachelle and Shannon can assess whether a growth plan, workshops, Growth CFO support or succession planning would be the appropriate starting point.
A 60-minute Strategy Session costs $650 + GST with one adviser or $750 + GST with both.
Call (07) 3063 3373
