Advisory plans

Firm Footing advisory plans

Your accountant tells you what happened. We explain what it means and what to do next. A fixed monthly fee is agreed before we start. No lock-in contract. We work alongside your accountant.

The four plans

Choose by need, not by turnover

Each plan says who it suits. Move up or down as your business changes.

Essentials

Choose this if you want to understand your numbers each month without a big commitment.

  • Monthly report pack: profit and loss, balance sheet summary and cash summary
  • KPI dashboard tracking 8 KPIs chosen for your industry
  • Monthly check that you've set aside enough for tax, GST and super
  • One-page commentary with three actions for next month
  • 30-minute review meeting each quarter
  • Email support, with replies within 2 business days
Talk to us about Essentials

Control

Choose this if cash is tight or unpredictable, or customers pay late.

The Essentials report pack, plus:

  • Budget vs actual, with notes on every major variance
  • Aged debtors and creditors, with your debtor days
  • 3-month cash flow forecast, updated every month
  • Annual budget and a debtor collection plan
  • 45-minute meeting every month, with an action tracker
  • Email replies within 1 business day
Talk to us about Control
Our recommendation for growing businesses

Growth

Choose this if you're growing, hiring, investing, or want better margins.

The Control report pack, plus:

  • Rolling 12-month forecast of profit, balance sheet and cash
  • 12-month KPI trends and quarterly margin analysis by product, service or customer
  • 60-minute meeting every month, with a 90-minute strategy and 90-day planning session every third month
  • Annual pricing review and one scenario model a year
  • Up to 1 hour a month of decision support, and phone support in business hours
  • Up to 1 hour a year at your tax planning meeting with your accountant
Talk to us about Growth

Virtual CFO

Choose this if you need CFO-level thinking without a CFO salary.

The full Growth report pack, plus:

  • Board-style report pack with an executive summary, industry KPIs, department or segment results and a lender covenant check
  • Monthly margin analysis
  • 60-minute meeting every month and a quarterly advisory board meeting of up to 2 hours
  • Annual half-day strategy workshop and annual business value review
  • Up to 2 hours a month of decision support, same-day email replies and direct mobile access
  • Up to 2 hours a year at your tax planning meeting with your accountant
Talk to us about Virtual CFO
Compare the plans

Everything each plan includes

What each Firm Footing plan includes
What's includedEssentialsControlGrowthVirtual CFO
Profit and loss: month, year to date and same period last yearYesYesYesYes
Balance sheet summaryYesYesYesYes
Cash summary: where the cash came from and wentYesYesYesYes
KPI dashboard (8 KPIs chosen for your industry)YesYesYesYes, with more KPIs
Tax, GST and super set-aside checkYesYesYesYes
Unusual movements flaggedYesYesYesYes
Commentary with 3 actions for next monthYesYesYesExecutive summary
Annual budgetAdd-onYesYesYes
Budget vs actual with variance notesNot includedYesYesYes
Aged debtors and creditors, with debtor daysNot includedYesYesYes
3-month cash flow forecastAdd-onYesYesYes
Action tracker from the last meetingNot includedYesYesYes
Rolling 12-month forecast: profit, balance sheet and cashNot includedNot includedYesYes
12-month KPI trend chartsNot includedNot includedYesYes
Gross margin by product, service or customerNot includedNot includedQuarterlyMonthly
May forecast of full-year profit to 30 JuneNot includedNot includedYesYes
Department or segment resultsNot includedNot includedNot includedYes
Lender covenant and ratio checkNot includedNot includedNot includedYes
Business value reviewNot includedNot includedNot includedAnnual
Meetings30 minutes each quarter45 minutes each month60 minutes each month, 90-minute strategy session each quarter60 minutes each month, quarterly advisory board, annual strategy workshop
Email repliesWithin 2 business daysWithin 1 business dayWithin 1 business daySame business day
PhoneBooked callsBooked callsBusiness hoursDirect mobile
Decision supportQuick questionsQuick questionsUp to 1 hour a monthUp to 2 hours a month
Tax planning meeting attendanceNot includedNot includedUp to 1 hour a yearUp to 2 hours a year

Swipe the table sideways to see all four plans.

Your dashboard tracks 8 KPIs chosen for your industry, such as revenue, gross margin, wages, debtor days and cash. A quick question is one we can answer in about 15 minutes without analysis. Anything larger gets a fixed quote before we start.

Monthly or quarterly

Every plan comes in a monthly version and a lower-cost quarterly version. The quarterly version gives you the same reporting and advice four times a year instead of twelve. Your dashboard still updates every month, so you can check your numbers whenever you like. Quarterly meetings run for 30 minutes (Essentials), 60 minutes (Control), 90 minutes (Growth), and 3 hours (Virtual CFO). Monthly plans are billed each month in advance, and quarterly plans each quarter in advance.

Quarterly suits owners who want a regular check-in without a monthly meeting, and seasonal businesses such as farms. If cash is tight, choose monthly Control, because you need to see problems early.

Flexible by design

  • No lock-in contract. You pay a one-off onboarding fee, then your plan runs month to month (or quarter to quarter). You can end it with 14 days' written notice, as set out in our Terms of Business.
  • Choose by need, not by turnover. Each plan says who it suits.
  • Change plans as your business changes. Move up or down with 30 days' notice and no fee.
  • One swap a year. Trade an included item for another of similar size, such as the pricing review for a debtor collection plan.
  • Add-ons. Buy a single item from a higher plan without moving up.
Add-ons and projects

Quoted as a fixed fee before we start

  • 3-month cash flow forecast (Essentials clients)
  • Extra meetings
  • Scenario models and business cases: a new hire, a new site, a major equipment purchase
  • Finance and lender submissions
  • Business valuation and exit readiness review
  • Buying or selling a business
  • Business structure review and advice
  • Benchmarking against your industry
  • Succession planning
  • Estate planning, working with your solicitor
Not sure where to start?

Financial Health Check

$750 + GST, a special offer price. If you join a plan within 30 days, we credit the full $750 against your onboarding fee.

About the Financial Health Check
What it's worth

Our aim: value well above your fee

Here's how the numbers can work. A business turning over $1.5 million plus GST with debtor days of 55 has about $249,000 owed by customers at any time, including GST. Bring debtor days down to 40 and about $68,000 comes back into the bank account. That cash is yours to use, and it stays freed up for as long as customers keep paying faster.

For comparison, a full-time CFO typically costs $180,000 to $300,000 a year in salary alone.

See what you'll get

The KPI dashboard from the sample farm report

Your report shows your cash, profit, KPIs and forecast, updated every month. This is the KPI dashboard from our sample farm report.

See the sample reports
Sample reports

See a sample report

These are full monthly reports for fictional businesses, on our Essentials, Control, Growth and Virtual CFO plans. Look through the preview pages, then enter your email and we'll send you the full report straight away.

The KPI dashboard from the sample freight reportTransport and logistics · Essentials plan

Example Freight Operator Co

A linehaul and livestock cartage business, October 2026. 9 pages, prepared in Spotlight Reporting.

A one-page summary with three actions, a KPI dashboard of 8 measures, profit and loss against last year, balance sheet, cash flow, and a tax, GST and super set-aside check.

Preview pages

We'll email you a link to the PDF straight away. See our Privacy policy.

The business and all figures are fictional.

The KPI dashboard from the sample electrician reportTrades and construction · Control plan

Example Electrician Co

A commercial, residential and solar electrical contractor, October 2026. 16 pages, prepared in Spotlight Reporting.

A one-page summary with three actions, an action tracker, a KPI dashboard, profit and loss against budget with notes on each major variance, labour productivity, aged debtors with a collection plan, a 3-month cash flow forecast, and a tax, GST and super set-aside check.

Preview pages

We'll email you a link to the PDF straight away. See our Privacy policy.

The business and all figures are fictional.

The KPI dashboard from the sample supermarket reportRetail · Growth plan

Example Supermarket Co

An independent supermarket, October 2026. 17 pages, prepared in Spotlight Reporting.

Commentary with three actions, KPI dashboard, shrinkage and stock days, gross margin by department, 12-month KPI trends, a rolling 12-month profit forecast, 3- and 12-month cash forecasts, refit funding and a solar scenario.

Preview pages

We'll email you a link to the PDF straight away. See our Privacy policy.

The business and all figures are fictional.

The KPI scorecard from the sample motel reportMotels and accommodation · Virtual CFO plan

Example Motel Co

A 32-room freehold motel with a restaurant, run through a family trust, October 2026. 18 pages, prepared in Spotlight Reporting.

Occupancy, average daily rate and RevPAR, online commissions, department results for rooms, restaurant, bar and conference, a lender covenant check, and the motel's value as a freehold going concern.

Preview pages

We'll email you a link to the PDF straight away. See our Privacy policy.

The business and all figures are fictional.

The rolling 12-month cash flow forecast from the sample café reportHospitality and food · Virtual CFO plan

Example Cafe Co

A café and catering business, October 2026. 17 pages, prepared in Spotlight Reporting.

Executive summary, action plan, KPI scorecard, food and wage costs, product margins, lender check, and a rolling 12-month cash forecast.

Preview pages

We'll email you a link to the PDF straight away. See our Privacy policy.

The business and all figures are fictional.

The KPI dashboard from the sample farm reportAgriculture · Virtual CFO plan

FirmGround Farming Demo Co

A dairy farm with beef and cropping, August 2026. 19 pages, prepared in Figured.

Executive summary with three actions, grouped KPI dashboard, tax and GST check, milk production, monthly gross margins against last year, and a lender covenant check.

Preview pages

We'll email you a link to the PDF straight away. See our Privacy policy.

The business and all figures are fictional.

Plan questions

Before you book

How much does a plan cost?

You pay a fixed monthly fee based on your plan and the size of your business. We'll tell you the exact fee on a free 30-minute call, and you'll know it before you commit.

Do I have to sign up for 12 months?

No. After the onboarding fee, your plan runs month to month, and you can end it with 14 days' written notice. If you choose to commit for 12 months and pay in advance, you can take 10% off while our limited time offer runs. Conditions apply if you end the plan early, and our Terms of Business set out the details.

Do you meet in person?

Yes, in Bathurst and the Central West, West Wyalong and the Mid North Coast. We meet at your premises or in a meeting room in the Bathurst CBD. Anywhere else, we meet online. We can travel further for face-to-face meetings within reason, and additional fees may apply depending on location.

What if I need more help in a month?

Ask. We'll quote a fixed fee for the extra work before we start. If you keep needing more, we'll show you whether the next plan up is better value.

Next step

Talk to us about your numbers

Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll look at where your business is now, where you want it to be, and whether one of our plans fits. You'll know the fixed fee before you commit to anything.

Or call Ian on 0438 802 531 · enquiries@firmgroundadvisory.com.au