Small & Medium Businesses
Experienced perspective for business owners and leaders.
Running a business can be isolating — particularly when you’re the person everyone else expects to have the answer.
Sometimes you need another perspective. Sometimes you need expertise you don’t have internally. And sometimes you know what needs to happen but don’t have the time or capacity to make it happen.
nem works alongside business owners and leadership teams to get clear on what matters most, bring in the right experience and help turn decisions into action.
“
Business owners don’t always need another consultant telling them what to do. Often they need an experienced person outside the business who can challenge the thinking, bring perspective and help keep the important things moving.
What we do
Privately owned businesses come to nem for many different reasons.
Sometimes the owner is unsure of the next move. Sometimes the direction is clear but performance needs to improve. In other cases, the business has outgrown its current structure, needs capability it doesn’t have internally or is preparing for a major transition.
We usually start by understanding what the owner wants from the business — commercially and personally — and what may be standing in the way.
From there, our work can include:
Strategy & direction
Clarifying where the business is going, testing assumptions and turning strategy into practical priorities.Performance & profitability
Identifying where margin, productivity, process or operating discipline can improve.People & leadership
Helping align roles, responsibilities, leadership capability and performance with the direction of the business.Technology & digital
Understanding where systems, AI, digital capability or technology investment can improve the way the business operates.
Growth & markets
Bringing commercial and customer perspective to sales, market positioning, new opportunities and growth decisions.Financial & transaction support
Providing additional perspective around performance, risk, acquisitions, succession, business sale or other significant financial decisions alongside existing advisers where appropriate.Projects & additional capability
Providing experienced support when something important needs to happen but the internal team does not have the capacity or expertise to lead it.
As the relationship develops, some nem Partners also act as a long-term sounding board, mentor or Advisory Board member.
The work may change over time.
The principle stays the same: understand what the business needs now and bring the right experience around it.
Who we work with
Since 2001, nem has worked with privately owned businesses across a wide range of industries, sizes and stages of development.
Some are growing quickly. Others are mature businesses preparing for succession, sale or their next phase. Some come to us because performance needs attention, while others simply want experienced perspective around an important decision.
Many relationships begin through a trusted referral.
We take that trust seriously — putting the interests of the client and the integrity of the referral relationship ahead of finding work for its own sake.
What our clients tell us
We recently spoke directly with 27 clients about how they experience nem and how they would describe us to others.
Four themes came through consistently.
-
Perspective
Clients value having an experienced person outside the business who can act as a sounding board, challenge the thinking and bring another point of view.
“A sanity check for a business owner.”
-
Experience
They value advice from people who have lived the realities of business themselves.
“Real world and practical experience in business.”
-
The right expertise
Clients appreciate being able to access different skills and experience through one trusted relationship.
“Right skill to right requirement.”
-
Follow-through
They value practical involvement and people who stay close enough to help turn decisions into action.
“Things get done and acted upon.”
-
And when referring nem?
Clients tend to keep it simple:
“Explain your problem — what you need — talk through the situation.”
You don’t need to know exactly what service you need. Start with what’s happening.
Lindsey Menezes - Managing Director, Pace NSW
“Last month, I had the privilege of hosting a “Victim to Victor” seminar led by the wonderful David Birch with my clients. The session that turned out to be more transformative for me than I anticipated.
I had recently gone through a serious triple threat of challenges; which was moving house, morning sickness and managing a two year old who was exploring the boundaries of her tantrums. I’ve had to confront moments where I felt stuck, disempowered, and overwhelmed. It reminded me just how easy it is — even for those who lead and support others — to fall into a victim mindset.
The seminar became a space not only for learning but for shared growth. We explored how shifting from “why is this happening to me?” to “what can I learn" and "how can I become accountable to drive a desired outcome?” can change everything.
This experience reminded me of a truth I like to live by - "you can’t always choose your circumstances, but you can choose your perspective."
Here’s to choosing positivity, purpose, and progress. If this topic interests you please get in touch and I would love to refer you to the amazing David Birch.”
Latest for business leaders
Get in touch
Start with a conversation.
Have something in the business you’d like another perspective on?
It might be a challenge, an opportunity, a decision you’ve been putting off or simply a sense that something needs to change.
You don’t need to know which service you need.
Tell us what’s happening and we’ll help work out whether nem can help — and who is best placed to have the conversation.