Author: Craig West

Craig West is a strategic accountant who has over 20 years’ experience advising business owners. His background as a CPA in public practice provided invaluable experience in the key issues of concern to business owners and strategies to build, maximise, protect and extract wealth as a business owner. Following 6 years of study to gain two masters degrees, Craig focused on Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for business sales advising several NSW accounting practices and their clients on strategic management of taxation issues. This experience formed a very strong view that business owners (and often their advisers) were unprepared and unaware of the steps required to successfully prepare a business for a strategic exit. In 2004, Craig started to build a specialised advisory practice focused on small business owners to help them face the four key strategic issues that SME’s face as they grow – Raising Capital, Building Equity, Protecting that equity and extracting the value you have built when you exit ( Business Succession and Exit Planning ). Craig now acts as a strategic business and financial mentor for mid-market business owners and has written four critically acclaimed books educating business owners on employee incentives, succession planning, asset protection and exit strategies. Craig has conducted numerous seminars and keynote presentations throughout Australia & internationally. Craig’s practice Succession Plus provides mentoring, advice and strategy for clients looking to prepare their business for a successful exit. Craig is the President of the Australian Chapter of The Exit Planning Institute as well as sitting on the board of EPI in the USA and is currently working on a PhD in Business Succession and Exit Planning. In March 2014, Craig was appointed Executive Chairman of the SME Association of Australia, an organisation focused on improving the success of SME’s in Australia. In October 2014 Craig West was announced as the International Exit Planner of the Year by the Exit Planning Institute in Dallas Fort Worth.

January 31, 2018January 31, 2018 by Craig West

Business Succession and Exit Planning Is Just Smart Business

Most business owners spend years (and blood and sweat and tears) building their business. And the research tells us that most never get to realise the value of the investment. WHY? Most business owners are control freaks and the business is dependent upon them. Most business owners do not empower employees, they hide info and… Read More

November 11, 2017 by Craig West

All Blacks – lessons for business owners

Most people who know me realise I am huge Rugby Union fan, most people who know Rugby Union also understand that the New Zealand All Blacks are fantastically successful – their win rate over the last 100 years is slightly over 77 % – unmatched by any team, in any sport, anywhere in the world! They… Read More

November 10, 2017November 10, 2017 by Craig West

Accountants – It’s not about the numbers, it’s about value added advice

According to some of the latest research, accountants are both struggling to keep up with the level of compliance work and facing a downturn in traditional accounting and tax (compliance) work – as systems become more automated and basic bookkeeping and accounting functions are simplified thru Xero and its competitors, then the old fashioned role… Read More

October 20, 2017October 22, 2017 by Craig West

What does your business look like in 2037?

“What makes sense in business also make sense in stocks: An investor should ordinarily hold a small piece of an outstanding business with the same tenacity that an owner would exhibit if he owned all of that business” Warren Buffett 1993 Over the last 20-30 years, we have seen a wealth eroding trend in investments… Read More

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October 7, 2017 by Craig West

Begin with the end in mind

Steve Covey’s second habit is “Begin with the end in mind” – this means every decision we make in business should be made considering our ultimate exit strategy. “Begin with the end in mind” – sounds really simple but unfortunately most people lose sight of the strategic management of their business – and this vital… Read More