When small business owners are stressed from financial uncertainty they need information from their accountant that will help them from feeling blind-sided by unknowns, and enable them to forge a clear path forward.

Strategic advising is a specific type of small business advising service. It focuses on lean business planning, financial forecasting, and monthly financial performance tracking. In the accounting profession, it fits within the umbrella of client advisory services (CAS).

What differentiates strategic advising from other client advisory services is its focus on planning and iterative forecasting as the primary means of measuring and driving small business growth.

The notion of planning, and adjusting our plan, is a fundamental part of all of our lives. We do it daily, sometimes without even realizing it, on things both big and small. Planning for retirement? Planning a vacation? Planning for next month’s grocery bill?

Implementing a process to manage the work of Strategic Advising is the key to making it happen in a profitable, seamless way. The LivePlan Method is a business process and pricing model for strategic advising services.

“Get comfortable with the uncomfortable.”

This modest sentence is powerful. It’s only in the difficult places that we grow, so the more we can get comfortable with things that make us uncomfortable, the stronger we become.

As a Strategic Advisor, you’re a critical partner for your small business owner clients. The work you do and the expertise you offer helps your clients establish business goals, and guides their growth.

Your work should cover questions such as these:

Millions of small business owners have used LivePlan products to start their businesses. Every week, we hear stories from small business owners thanking us for helping them develop a business plan and secure funding.

Palo Alto Software does more than build LivePlan, the world's best business planning software. We also run Bplans, a website dedicated to original and curated business planning and business management content.

Are you looking for ways to begin Strategic Advising as a service to small business clients, but are unsure where to start? The work can feel “big” if it’s new for you.

Are you happy at work? Do you find satisfaction in the way you spend your day? Is work-satisfaction something you even think about? Advisory services could be your answer.

“My clients don’t want this.”

This is what I hear from many accountants when I talk to them about Strategic Advising.

“I wish my accountant would explain things better.”

This is what I hear from small businesses owners—even my artist friend who I saw last week. We were catching up and I began talking about Strategic Advising. “What?!” he said. “I would love it if my accountant would provide that kind of help!”

Somewhere there is a disconnect.

I’ve done strategic planning for organizations of all kinds: public, private, growing corporations seeking IPO, and nonprofits. At the core of this work is financial modeling and forecasting. It doesn’t so much matter the type of business—the work is essentially the same:

We’ve had a great year teaming up with Mark Wickersham to help more accountants adopt value-based pricing for advisory services in their firms. In the past few years, these two concepts have grown from buzzwords to important strategies for accountants, helping them get paid fairly for their services in a changing industry.

LivePlan’s mission is to help people succeed in business, both accountants and their small business clients, which makes QuickBooks Connect the ideal conference for us.

Small businesses want help from accountants on strategic planning and financial forecasting. This word cloud represents a summary of popular responses from small businesses when we asked them this question:

“If you could get help in one area of your business right now, what would it be?”