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The importance of an annual review

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The importance of an annual review

Success is one of the hardest things to recognise. Not because success is rarely achieved, but because it is so often unclearly defined. Intentionally setting the time to do an objective year-end annual review is one easy way to increase your chances of recognising success in this year and to set yourself up for success in the coming year.

Annual reviews are a powerful business tool. They provide insight into the past year through analysing metrics and other data.

  • Were goals that were set achieved? Why or why not?
  • What other achievements did the company experience?
  • How did those achievements impact the company?
  • What changed within the company because of those achievements?
  • And, perhaps most importantly, the end of the year is the time to review the financial position of the company.

While the financial review is a valuable tool on its own, business owners have an advantage they should utilise when they conduct their annual reviews. Involving a strategic business accountant can provide additional insights into the past year and help shape goals and metrics for the new year. 

Five areas most visited in financial reviews are:



Business owners know what they want from their business, but sometimes they forget to define what that is. An annual financial review with your accountant is a great chance to have a fresh set of eyes looking at the books and asking questions. Use those questions to define your next year and enjoy feeling more successful as a result.

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18 Sep

The Critical-5 Financial Metrics That Drive Business Performance

Lunch & Learn Workshop // 18 September, 2026 - 12:00 - 1:30pm
$35pp includes lunch

Many business owners believe growth comes from more sales. But in reality, the strongest and most profitable businesses grow by improving how the business works, not just by selling more. This session is designed to change that. The 5-Critical Financial Metrics is a practical workshop that shows you where small, targeted changes can create disproportionately big improvements in profit, cashflow and sustainability.


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31 Aug

Live Workshop: Finance Ready So Banks say YES

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Friday 31 August, 4:00pm-6:00pm
Join our practical, educational workshop designed to help business owners understand the lending process and in preparation for funding conversations, learn how lending decisions are really made and what banks actually look for. 


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Yesterday

Live Workshop: Know Your Numbers

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Tuesday 25 August, 10:00am-12:00pm
This practical, confidence-building session is designed to give business owners control. Know Your Numbers is a hands-on workshop created specifically for non-financial business owners who want clarity and confidence in their decision-making. 


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24 Aug

Live Workshop: Rising Insurance and Small Business

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Monday 24 August, 5:30-7:30pm

This practical, education-first session helps business owners cut through the confusion and take back control of their business insurance decisions.


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19 Aug

Spring Selling Season Is Coming – What Buyers Should Do

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Make The Most Of Your Peak Earning Years

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17 Aug

B.I.T.E. Business Conference 2026: Connection, Insight and Innovation

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13 Aug

Your Will Doesn't Control Your SMSF

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10 Aug

Live Workshop: AI & Automation for Small Business

MP SHIRE SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL / LIVE WORKSHOP
Monday 10 August, 5:30-7:30pm

This practical session, in collaboration with the Mornington Peninsula Shire as part of the Small Business Festival, helps small business owners understand AI and automation and shows how small businesses can use smarter tools to reduce manual work, improve accuracy and create more capacity for growth.


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10 Aug

Airbnb & Holiday Homes: What Property Owners Need To Know

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10 Aug

Receiving Money From Overseas? Documentation Matters

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10 Aug

Just Because It's Essential Doesn't Make It Deductible

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10 Aug

Investing Through a Family Trust? Make Sure the Borrowing Is Structured Correctly

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5 Aug

B.I.T.E Business Conference 2026

Conference // 5 August, 2026 - ALL DAY EVENT
The B.I.T.E. Business Conference 2026 is the Mornington Peninsula’s premier event for bold business owners ready to rethink what’s possible, reinvent how they operate, and reignite their growth. Hear from global keynote speakers including Grant Hackett, Andrew Griffiths and Kate Christie plus local business innovators.


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3 Aug

Received an unexpected ASIC registration notice? Stop before you pay

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28 Jul

A Major Change for SMSF Property Buyers

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28 Jul

Two Jobs, One Tax-Free Threshold

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20 Jul

Negative Gearing - What Actually Changes

The headlines say negative gearing is "gone." For most investors, that is not what the new law does.


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14 Jul

The 30% Floor on Capital Gains

From 1 July 2027, the 50% CGT discount will be replaced — for individuals, trusts and partnerships — by two mechanisms working together: indexation of the asset's cost base, and a minimum 30% tax on the resulting net gain.


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8 Jul

outsource Elite Broker 2026


6 Jul

Melbourne office tenants urged to act as supply window closes

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3 Jul

Investors circle darwin as commercial market momentum

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1 Jul

Josh Underhill Appointed Partner at SMART Business Solutions

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30 Jun

Ryan Smit WINS Accounting Student of the Year

Smart Business Solutions is proud to announce that Ryan Smit, an accounting student at RMIT University and Assistant Accountant at SMART Business Solutions, has been named Accounting Student of the Year, recognised for his forward-thinking approach to the profession and his commitment to integrating AI, intelligent workflows and technology into modern accounting practice.


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30 Jun

Planning Your Super Contributions for the Year Ahead

For many business owners, superannuation is something that gets attention in June — when tax planning comes into focus. But the real opportunity lies in planning your super contributions at the start of the financial year, not the end.


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30 Jun

July is Lodgement Season: Your STP, WorkCover & Payroll Tax Cheat Sheet

The new financial year has officially clicked over – and with it comes the trio of mid-year obligations every employer needs on the radar: Single Touch Payroll (STP) finalisation, WorkCover declarations, and Payroll Tax annual reconciliation.


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30 Jun

SMSF & Residential Property: What the New LRBA Ban Means for You

On 26 June 2026, the Federal Government passed a significant change to how Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) can invest in residential property. New Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangements (LRBAs) to purchase residential property inside an SMSF will be banned from approximately 10 August 2026 — 45 days after Royal Assent.


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29 Jun

Episode 24: From The Pool To The Boardroom With Grant Hackett

Grant Hackett joins Shannon Smit to share what it takes to perform at the highest level - from Olympic success to leading an ASX-listed business. This episode unpacks the mindset, discipline and leadership habits that drive long-term success, including key lessons on consistency, blind spots and building sustainable high performance.


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24 Jun

4 Things First Home Buyers Should Do Before The New FY

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24 Jun

What’s the state of the 2026 federal budget for property?

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24 Jun

4 ways to strenghten your cash flow before the new financial year

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24 Jun

What businesses with ato debt should know their options

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24 Jun

Quality comes first with commercial property returns

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22 Jun

Skybots: Practical AI and Agentic Workflows Training Course MELBOURNE 22-23 June, 2026

AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging ChatGPT, Copilot & Claude for Innovation and Productivity.

Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in MELBOURNE with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using cutting-edge Agentic AI tools including Chat GPT, Claude, CoPilot and Gemini. This workshop is built for accountants, bookkeepers, finance teams, and business owners who want to move beyond basic prompts and turn AI into a reliable, ethical, and practical system for everyday work.



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19 Jun

Skybots: Practical AI and Agentic Workflows Training Course BRISBANE 19-20 June, 2026

AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging ChatGPT, Copilot & Claude for Innovation and Productivity.

Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in BRISBANE with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using cutting-edge Agentic AI tools including Chat GPT, Claude, CoPilot and Gemini. This workshop is built for accountants, bookkeepers, finance teams, and business owners who want to move beyond basic prompts and turn AI into a reliable, ethical, and practical system for everyday work.


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5 costs of caravan to factor in your budget before you borrow

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8 Jun

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5 Jun

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3 Jun

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2 Jun

Minimum Wage Is Going Up - Here's What Employers Need to Do

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1 Jun

Gold coast rental prices now exceed sydney as market stabilises

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28 May

Payday Super Is Coming

WEBINAR // 28 May, 2026 - 12:30 - 1:15pm
From 1 July 2026, Australian employers must pay super on payday - not quarterly. Join us on Wednesday 28 May for a practical 45-minute briefing on what Payday Super actually requires, where the risks are for small businesses, and the steps you can take right now. Can’t make it live? Register anyway - all registrations will receive access to the recording to your inbox.


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26 May

Episode 23: Smart and Practical Hacks to Wear Less Hats in Small Business


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25 May

Rental market hits affordability as vacancy rates reach record

Rental performance is increasingly fragmented across the country.


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25 May

Neighbourhood centres emerge as community hubs amid shifting

Consumer habits have shifted markedly, with daily convenience trips now replacing the traditional big-shop model, turning neighbourhood and convenience centres.


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22 May

Australian farmland prices set for modest growth in 2026

Australian farmland prices are expected to continue their modest growth trajectory in 2026, with the median price per hectare forecast to increase by two per cent.


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22 May

Pricing, Profit and Your Ideal Client: Why Being Busy Is Different To Being Profitable

Lunch & Learn Workshop // 22 May, 2026 - 12:00 - 1:30pm
$35pp includes lunch

This session is designed to change that. Pricing, Profit & Your Ideal Client is a practical workshop that helps you understand where your profit really comes from, how pricing decisions affect margins, and why working with clients that align with your business makes a measurable difference to both profit and cashflow. 


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21 May

3 things to know about buy now, pay later vs a personal loan

Buy now, pay later can be cost-effective if you pay on time.


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20 May

Institutional investors return to australian commercial real estate

Institutional capital is flowing back into Australian commercial property as market fundamentals strengthen, with experienced investors moving ahead of broader market confidence.


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20 May

Minimise Your Personal Tax: The Guide

Now's the time to review what strategies you can use to minimise your tax before 30 June.


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19 May

5 Questions To Ask Before Making An Equipment Purchase Before Eofy

Making strategic investments in new assets before EOFY can position your business for growth in the year ahead.


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28 May

Payday Super Is Coming

WEBINAR // 28 May, 2026 - 12:30 - 1:15pm
From 1 July 2026, Australian employers must pay super on payday - not quarterly. Join us on Wednesday 28 May for a practical 45-minute briefing on what Payday Super actually requires, where the risks are for small businesses, and the steps you can take right now. Can’t make it live? Register anyway - all registrations will receive access to the recording to your inbox.


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23 Feb '23

Successful Succession Planning For Business

ONLINE WEBINAR
23 February 2023 // 12:30pm
In our upcoming webinar we'll be diving into some common exit strategies for successful succession planning, the pros and cons, and what you need to consider before making a decision.


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14 Sep '22

THE WOMAN SERIES // Estate Planning - Peace Of Mind With The End In Mind

You’ve worked hard for what you have – it’s time to protect it for the next generation.


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