Financial mentoring for designers
Understand design profitability in theory but struggle to make numbers work for YOUR studio, YOUR clients, YOUR situation?
That's where mentoring helps. We take financial concepts and make them relevant to your specific business challenges
The gap between knowing and doing
We get it, it’s easy to read about pricing and costing, cash flow forecasting and business strategies but it’s harder to apply the theory. That’s where we can help. We work alongside you, helping solve financial challenges like:
- ensuring your cost price is accurate
- pricing strategies for your specific client
- building practical cash flow forecasts
- hiring vs outsourcing decisions.
Mentoring bridges the gap between general knowledge and specific application.
We offer practical advice based on our experience and current research, and we work alongside to help implement and embed changes.
One problem, two perspectives
Most business consultants come from a finance background.
That’s where we differ. Our backgrounds are firmly in the creative space but understand the business of design. We can help you bridge the gap.
Greg brings analytical thinking: systems, financial modeling and data-driven decisions. He does the number-crunching then helps to build strong, robust financial frameworks that actually work.
Carol focuses on the human side: how financial decisions impact your team, clients, and creative output. It’s just not about the facts, it’s about your risk appetite and confidence around management decisions.
Together, we’re trusted creative industry advisors who help you make financial decisions that work both on spreadsheets and in the real world.
Some of the topics financial mentoring often includes
Pricing and profitability
- developing pricing strategies specific to your skillset and client mix
- the impact pricing conversation
- moving clients up the design ladder to higher fee-paying
Cashflow and forecasting
- cash flow forecasting
- seasonal fluctuations / growth phases
- planning for holidays, hires, and subcontractors
- future planning for a better work/life balance
Systems and processes
- job costing for profitability
- writing accurate and practical budgets
- practical, relevant financial reporting
- rewards, wages and salary packages
Growth decisions
- working hard but no profits? We can help
- identifying when to hire, when to outsource
- evaluating new opportunities against current capacity
How it works
Issue-based mentoring: $500 + GST per session
Got a specific financial challenge? Book a focused session to work through an imminent issue. Could be pricing decisions, cash flow problems, or a specific client issue.
Issue-based mentoring works for unexpected challenges and it’s particularly valuable for small teams who need a sounding board to make tough decisions.
Book a call … we can usually find the time to talk within a few days.
Business of Design Program: $2,000 + GST per month
Ready for comprehensive financial transformation? The 3-month Business of Design program is a minimum of 3 months commitment focussed on creating lasting, positive change. It combines monthly mentoring sessions with practical tools and ongoing support.
A three-month commitment means we’ve time to
- fully assess and audit to uncover the complete problem
- discuss, plan and roadmap a solution based on your needs, business and clients
- work alongside you sharing tools and frameworks to help implement the change needed.
Who financial mentoring helps
Financial mentoring is perfect for:
✅ studio owners struggling to price projects profitably
✅ creative directors balancing financial and creative decisions
✅ growing studios hitting cash flow challenges
✅ established businesses wanting to improve financial systems
✅ partners needing to align on financial strategy
✅ anyone who understands the theory but struggles with application