Farm and business succession – plan and implement

Our Advisory team is frequently involved with agri-business owners planning to undertake Succession/Transition activities or ultimately looking to sell their business. This could either be to family members, existing management, or yet to be identified external parties.

These are significant events for any business, and too often businesses fail to plan appropriately, resulting in a potentially ‘Train Wreck’ outcome, where there is considerable cost, often irretrievable fallout, high emotional, mental and often physical tolls, and generally no-one wins.

We advocate a proactive and inclusive Succession/Transition process, of which the key focus is to maximise the value of the business for its current and future owners. By allowing for adequate time, facilitating strong communication, encouraging all parties to prepare and engage, and utilising access to the right external parties when needed, ABDI Advisory is confident we can assist you to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome for all parties involved.

In the event of a business sale, it is as equally important to start planning early by adopting value-adding initiatives that will de-risk the business in the eyes of an acquirer, maximising the probability of a higher priced sale transaction. Our team specialise in this process and are experienced in preparing for and implementing business sale transactions.

Team and human resource development – developing the capability of your people

We understand that people are the best, yet often most underutilised and challenging, resource in an organisation. Our role is to work with clients to develop programs that identify the talent already within your team, enhance their ability to perform at their best, maximise the return on your human capital investments and ensure the retention of key personnel with the business as it grows over time.

ABDI are also accredited e-DISC behavioural profiling facilitators. This system provides a proven and pre-eminent way of setting up recruitment and personnel management programs for progressive and innovative businesses, who seek personnel aligned with their value systems—and who can use those tools to enhance efficient and effective engagement with clients.

Change management – planning and support 

Change can be extremely challenging to endure, but is necessary for growth and development, particularly when looking to take a business to another level. We can work with your business to identify what changes need to occur, provide support in designing a successful transformation plan, and assist you in the complex task of implementing a Change Management Program over time.

If you’re the CEO or Senior Manager who is required to drive a change process, we can also provide mentoring and coaching to help you implement your Change Management Program.

Growing a profitable agri-business can be quite overwhelming. Quite often we could benefit from a fresh perspective, or someone to bounce ideas off, when we feel like we’re in a rut. A business coach can support in a range of ways, such as:

• Accountability: A business coach or mentor can help you stay accountable, motivated, and on-track when building your business.
• Support: They can also help you navigate difficult areas that you might not have experience in, or obstacles you can’t seem to overcome on your own.
• Flexibility: No doubt you are busy, and finding time to work ON the business, while trying to complete the daily To-Do list, is always a challenge. Coaching provides the flexibility to work around this, so you can catch up with your coach at a time that suits you, from your own home / work.
• Low-cost: A business coach is a great, low-cost way to access to your own dedicated business advisor, that can match your business needs at that time, by either doing monthly touch points to keep on track, or more intensive sessions if you have something going on in your business.
• Faster progress: Working with an experienced coach means you will often move past simply managing the issues (i.e. the effects); rather you will work on the underlying factors (i.e. the causes). As a result, you’ll be able to make considerable progress in a short amount of time.

Grant and loan applications

To ensure a high likelihood of success, it is vital in both the grant and loan application processes, to plan appropriately prior to any formal or informal submissions/communications. Any minor errors or omissions could potentially hinder your funds being approved.

Our team have significant experience in dealing with financial institutions on new loan applications, loan extensions and renegotiations, guarantee facilities, letters of credit and enduring business turnarounds and restructures.

Risk assessment and planning

Risks are not only a threat, but also an opportunity. In our experience, many business owners are blasé when it comes to risk assessments and risk management. To ensure your business is sufficiently equipped to mitigate and manage these threats, while also being in a position to capitalise on opportunities when they arise, appropriate risk management is vital. If you’re looking to understand your level of business, management, environmental, market, financial or other risk, and how to go about managing these risks, our advisors can help you understand the potential consequences of your choices and assist you in developing a plan and process with quantifiable outcomes each step along the way.

Project management – to provide external specialist support

Given ABDI’s comprehensive skill set, we have previously been engaged to manage business development related projects, in some cases lasting several years. When looking to undertake some sort of business development journey, many businesses get bogged down in having to manage the various moving parts (such as financial management, budget tracking, resource utilisation) and the process ends up taking much longer, and costing much more than it should. This is where we can help! Our team is able to bring the experience it has to projects of all sizes, to ensure they are managed and delivered in accordance with the business’ expectations.

Corporate governance and management control

Size appropriate corporate governance and/or management control initiatives ultimately add value to a business. Such initiatives improve business and team performance, and ultimately increase value through increased profitability. Our team includes members of the Governance Institute in Australia, and can develop a governance plan or control structure that is tailored for your enterprise and its needs.

Capital raising – debt and equity

Whether it be for growth, acquisitions, capital management or even survival, ABDI Advisory team members can help. We offer a suite of services ranging from capital structure advisory and information memorandum preparation, to transaction management and post-settlement integration services. Ultimately we aim to facilitate a seamless capital raising process, minimising risks and maximising the return for our clients.

Financial health checks

Undertaking a financial health check is a simple and efficient way to identify any potential issues in your business, and understand the available tools or solutions to manage or remedy any areas of concern.

Business planning – strategy and how to implement

Whether it be for a new business venture, or to understand and formalise existing business arrangements to enable a more structured approach to business, we regularly work with clients in creating and developing strategic and detailed business plans. We find that this process usually identifies numerous opportunities and risks that would otherwise go unnoticed, and ultimately leads to several value-adding initiatives being undertaken.

Business restructuring and turnarounds

Businesses often face many challenges during the course of their operations. We understand that every business is different, and that there are usually a myriad of factors that need to be considered during such difficult and sensitive times.

As with any business recovery, timing is everything, with unnecessary delays potentially being the difference between liquidation, or a healthy and prosperous future. We consider all options available, highlighting the key benefits and risks, and assist in formulating and implementing sustainable turnaround and growth strategies.

Market assessments

ABDI regularly works with clients to identify and develop markets for their products and services; or more specifically create value-added and niche products to reflect high customer and market demand. As our team members have worked with and for some of the largest global agri-businesses, we do understand what needs to be done to build and maintain profitable products for defined markets—and the actions needed to engage with key clients and/or market segments.

Marketing and sales; Strategy and operations

In order to engage with key markets and customers, a structured, systematic approach to sales and marketing programs is crucial. This is a specialised discipline offered by ABDI. Crucial elements of implementing the results of the market assessment are brand strategy development, product positioning, promotion, direct representation, and sales training and coaching.