Thursday 13 September 2012

PROSPERO launches new business service in South Devon


13 September 2012.  Torquay.

Brendan Tallon is bringing the Prospero part time Finance Director service to South Devon.  The service offers a highly experienced FD to businesses that might not be able to afford a full time person.  It is a very cost-effective answer to the financial management problems faced by many small and medium enterprises.

Brendan is a seasoned FD with names such as Xerox, Royal Sun Alliance and Lloyds TSB on his CV.  For the last four years he has been working for himself helping a range of businesses.  A family move to Torquay means that he can now make his services available in South Devon.

Brendan commented:  “Torquay is a great place to live and work.  I’m really looking forward to working with local businesses to help them grow.”

Steve Lloyd, Managing Director of Prospero commented:  “The part time FD service is proving extremely effective in solving problems efficiently in a range of businesses.  I’m delighted that Brendan’s move has enabled us to offer the service in South Devon.”

About Prospero
Prospero is a network of part time Finance Directors that supports its members in delivering the best possible service to clients.  Founded in the West Midlands in 2010, it has seen steady growth and is now expanding nationwide.  For more information, please visit http://www.prosperofd.com/index.asp

Contact
To learn more about this launch, please contact:
Brendan Tallon
Prospero Directors in Finance
0771 697 3121

###

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Aussie financial control


Accountants and the public interest

A report by an industry body finds a sharp decline in public trust of accountants and esteem in which they are held.  Given the number and scale of financial scandals in the last decade, that's perhaps not surprising.  Our main contribution should be in holding people to account and in promoting efficiency - both very much in the public interest.  In any business, you should see the accountant, or person responsible for the finances, doing the following:
  • actively reducing costs;
  • managing cash flow;
  • keeping the business legal and ethical;  
  • supporting and challenging the management team,
all on his or her own initiative, and amongst many other things.  These are all responsibilities that members of the Prospero team are accustomed to handling as a way of life.

Take Responsibility for your Actions

Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."  Five years into the financial crisis, we still hear people, particularly in politics, talking as though it is just a matter of time before the economy picks up and we return to a world similar to that we saw in 2006.

In business, we'll also hear people complaining that the recession makes it impossible for them to do what they want to.

John Coleman in the Harvard Business Review takes aim at this attitude.

Help is not coming. The responsibility is yours, and it starts with developing a belief or habit of mind that you, as an individual, are accountable for the quality and timeliness of an outcome, even when you're working with others. It doesn't always mean you have authority over a project. Nor does it mean that you shouldn't involve others. But it does mean you own the obligation to take action and deliver results.

It's up to you to make change and take responsibility for outcomes in your professional life. What are you waiting for?