Home SMART 100 2016 businessDEPOT

businessDEPOT [SMART 100, 2016]

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This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.

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1. THE BEGINNING

This innovation initially came to life when…

Managing Director John Knight saw so many business ideas were failing because SMEs simply did not have access to the specialist advice they needed to smash through that wall that was holding them back from seeing their idea a reality. He wanted to transform the ‘accountant’ relationship to be one that brought energy to their business – not a drain by focusing on tax and exhausting compliance commitments of business. He wanted to offer a seamless service providing access to the right experts at the right time, remove barriers to collaboration and share insights and specialists skills.

2. WHAT & HOW

The purpose of this innovation is to…

To empower the bright ideas of SMEs and the people behind them.

It does this by…

Collaboration – An approach that breaks down barriers to success combined with the marketplace model of businessDEPOT. Insights – Sharing insights not normally available to SMEs. Expertise – You don’t know what you don’t know – use the right person for the job. Energy – Bringing energy to everything we do through our core accounting services or broader Collective services.

3. PURPOSE & BENEFITS

This innovation improves on what came before because…

businessDEPOT is built around creating a marketplace for all the services small to medium businesses need. We have turned the model upside down and focus on the customer first and foremost and then source the solution, as compared to a traditional accounting and advisory model based solely on tax and compliance services.

Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…

A marketplace for SMEs to access specialist services and advice. Insight to inspire, real solutions to help break through barriers to success and energize relationships focused on the future.

4. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

In the past, this problem was solved by…

Historically SMEs would rely on their accountants as the trusted advisor to identify problems – but time and time again many fail to provide real insights or real solutions. Business owners would either not progress towards their goals or struggle to find the right person/organisation to meet their needs. In our mind, historically the problem was not solved.

Its predecessors/competitors include…

UHY Haines Norton [Previous firm MD was a partner in] Pitcher Partners Deloitte BDO Crow Horwath Various sole accounting and consulting businesses

5. TARGET MARKET

It is made for…

Active Growth Businesses and the people behind them. These include entrepreneurs, startups and just those looking to grow their model, business or simply their wealth. SMEs are a key focus within this target because they don’t benefit from the layers of management and specialist advisers big businesses have access to. Micro-professionals and consultants are also part of our target market because we can empower them to become Collective members [including utilising our co-working space] which in turn will empower more businesses. We have particular expertise and work closely with SMEs in the Real Estate, Property, Medical, Dental and Construction industries.

It is available for sale through…

Contacting the businessDEPOT head office via website, email or phone call. Business owners can reach out to us for accounting and advisory services, or to direct them to an appropriate Collective member.

Our marketing strategy is to…

Collaborate with Collective members to ensure businessDEPOT is delivering relevant and consistent value in the form of content to our audience distributed through online channel and events. The objective is to sway businessDEPOT from the traditional accounting and advisory industry label and position as a marketplace for insight, tools and resources to take businesses to the next level.

FINE PRINT: This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.