Shafar Coaching

Results focussed Business Consultant who supports business with financial and strategic guidance helping them grow their business and become more profitable.
Things I typically support clients with are:
- Business Reviews - evaluation of your company’s operations, performance, and overall health. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential risks
- Strategic guidance – providing strategic guidance to help with clear direction and focus, ensuring the business activities are aligned with the long-term goals
- Pricing – analysing your current pricing and providing guidance on suggested new pricing going forward.
- KPIs – help create and monitor not only financial, but also non-financial KPIs. Helping gain more understanding around the lead and lag indicators in the business and helping the business focus more on those lead indicators, which will invariably drive financial performance.
- Key decision making - offering another, usually less emotionally attached, perspective on key decision making. Having a sounding board can often be of real value.
- Accountability – being a business owner can at times be lonely. Having regular support & accountability, can help through goal setting, regular check-ins and tracking of progress on agreed actions.

Results focussed Leadership Coach who helps leaders achieve their potential and become the best leader they can be. Coaches leaders to help grow the business, improve profitability , improve communication, helping to get the best of their staff and be all around better leader. Establishes quick rapport with clients in order to gain trust and allow them to open up. Asks in-depth questions to establish and gain real insight for both the client and the coach. Encourages clients, where appropriate, to think of possible solutions to their challenges, thereby resulting in more likelihood that they will follow through, but also creating independence.

Business Consultant & Leadership Coach

Various

Responsible for the financial management of a number of SMEs, including a Marcomms agency and a Tech business  (Part time on both roles). Overseeing finance function. Working with CEO to develop the business strategy. Review of monthly management accounts. P&L & Cashflow forecasting. Fundraising.	Setting up processes and controls to ensure more efficient & timely reporting and helping with working capital management.

Portfolio CFO

OnePulse

Responsible for the financial management of this Market Research App / SAAS Business. My main responsibilities include P&L & cashflow management, fundraising, investor relations. As well financial responsibilities, I am also heavily involved in the operational areas of the business including defining and implementing the strategy, development of the pricing model and helping to drive sales growth.

Ogilvy Public Relations (Ogilvy / WPP Group)

Responsible for the financial health of a growing business, helping to drive growth, improve efficiency and overall profitability. Overseeing month end financial reporting process, ensuring submission of accurate information on a timely basis. Working with senior management to drive the budgeting and forecasting process and ensuring appropriate staff cost management to ensure efficiency, but not hamper growth. Leading on any commercial negotiations. Managing complex complex client financial issues within the Ogilvy network on a global basis by ensuring that we offer a profitable, consistent & compelling proposal for work across multiple markets.  Setting tight guidelines & processes around resource planning & staff cost management and working closely with the operational teams to ensure ongoing management of resourcing based on client delivery requirements.

Achievements
• Helped manage strong & consistent growth in revenues and profit over a 4 year period. 
• Ensure finance became a trusted partner to the business by developing and nurturing a strong finance team. 
• Development of a robust process around resource planning. Key to consistently reducing the staff cost to revenue ratio, driving annual cost savings 
• Successfully negotiated contracts for a number key blue chip clients. Secured good hourly rates and strong contractual positions around transfer of intellectual property, payment terms, liability caps and indemnities
• Consistent SOX & Internal WPP Compliance      
• Introduced a number of initiatives to drive margin improvement including client profitability analysis, tighter scoping and senior staff billability. 
• Efficient management of net working capital through setting weekly targets around Accrued Revenue, WIP & Debtors.

Finance Director

Coley Porter Bell / Ogilvy Primary Contact (Ogilvy / WPP Group)

Managed the continued growth of both businesses through working with senior management to deliver continued growth and efficiency. Overall responsibility for managing finance across all areas including financial reporting, budgeting & forecasting, billing, accounts payables and receivables, payroll, Vat returns and managing the year end audit. Also responsible for managing the HR & Legal functions.

Achievements
• Consistently delivered both revenue and profit growth in both businesses.
• Successfully led complex client contract negotiations with a number of blue chip clients through negotiating favourable rates  
• Adapted to the financial downturn by implementing a cost reduction progamme  
• Instrumental in delivering a number of initiatives including monitoring of client efficiency, resource management and new employee referral programme to help drive margin improvement
• Provided strong commercial leadership and counsel to other members of both senior and junior management
• Successfully steered the company through annual statutory audits with no material audit adjustments

Virgin Media

Promotion into this role. Provision of financial control for the online division. Overall cost control and key in ensuring that EBITDA targets were achieved. Budgets and forecasts preparation. Worked closely with Managing Director to determine Portal strategy, which involved strategic research into market, identifying growth areas and competitor performance. Monthly presentation to senior management on the financial performance of the division, discussions about key monthly variances and future financial forecasts. Authorisation of expenditure, ensuring spend within budget and new contracts had undergone sufficient rigour 
Reviewed businesses cases to ensure that investments were viable and generating the required return. 

Achievements
• Preparation of business case leading to successful acquisition of online premium sports content from the Football Premier League
• Development of internals cost control process to ensure that ROI was being measured on any investments
• Led key project which involved the Outsourcing of Sports editorial function, delivering significant annual staff costs savings

Financial Controller, Online

Budgeting and forecasting preparation for Virgin Media television channels. Reviewing business cases for new channels and new platforms to provide our content. Preparation of 5 year Financial Forecasting Plan. Preparation of bonus scheme for sales team.

Achievements
• Developed the Advertising revenue model to understand the revenue opportunity on the On Demand platform
• Led the financial review of the project transforming the VMTV playout and post production facilities – review of supplier tenders, preparation of business case
• Developed business case to help launch new TV channels

Finance Manager, Television Division

Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc (Formerly Safeway Stores)

Financial Analyst roles across retail and supply chain providing commercial and analytical support in a number of areas including store performance, levels of stock holding and wastage.	Weekly performance review of sales to assess impact of price changes on volume and value.
Responsible for monitoring KPIs for all areas within Supply Chain – stock, availability and wastage. Provided wide ranged analysis of performance of smaller Safeway stores enabling 			Morrisons’ (post takeover) decision making on potential store divestment

Achievements
• Performed a key role in helping to achieve a significant year on year stock reduction; driven by increased focus on slow and non-moving electrical stock
• Set up model for Morrisons’ Retail Director to assess the Safeway stores with the highest ROI to prioritise a signifcant capital expenditure programme on which stores should be converted to the Morrisons’ format

Supply Chain Manager / Retail Analyst

Grant Thornton LLP

Corporate Finance – Carried out due diligence on businesses being acquired by private equity investors, seeking admission to the AIM market and fundraising across a number of sectors including Media & Leisure, Telecoms & Technology

Achievements
• Enabled investors to make informed investment decisions by providing sound due diligence on business across a variety of industries. Providing insightful analysis on historical trends and a viewpoint on strengths & weaknesses of management, greatly relied upon by investors

Audit – Audit senior / trainee accountant responsible for variety of assignments ranging from small owner managed businesses to larger public limited companies.

Achievements
• Advising clients on any weaknesses in accounting systems and steps to improve overall profitability

Audit / Corporate Finance

Are you an ambitious business owner wanting to grow your business?

Would you like support and guidance around key decision making? 

Would you like more clarity around the cashflow and finances of your business?

If any of this resonates, as a Business & Leadership Coach and also an experienced Fractional CFO / Finance Director, I work with business owners helping them with these types of challenges.

As an experienced CFO / FD, I have spent many years in finance leadership roles from large Corporates to SMEs and start-ups, across a wide range of industries including marketing communications, media & tech. I have a good understanding of how businesses operate and what is required to help businesses not only grow, but also thrive.

Throughout my career, I've partnered with business leaders and entrepreneurs providing insights and support needed to overcome challenges, create opportunities, and build resilient, thriving businesses. My approach combines strategic guidance with financial acumen to help provide solutions to drive your business forward.

The types of things that I would typically support you with, as a business owner, would be:

KPIs – helping set and monitor business performance against financial and non financial KPIs. 

Budgeting & forecasting – helping provide clarity on what you and the business are looking to achieve in the future, both in terms of revenue and profit. Helping drill down as to how the revenue will be achieved, reviewing the assumptions behind any projections.

Managing costs and cashflow – ensuring costs and cash are being managed in a sensible and efficient manner

Strategic guidance – providing strategic guidance to help with clear direction and focus, ensuring the business activities are aligned with long-term goals.   

Key decision making - offering another, usually less emotionally attached, perspective on key decision making. Having a sounding board can often be of real value.

Accountability – being a business owner can at times be lonely. Having regular support & accountability, can help through goal setting, regular check-ins and tracking of progress on agreed actions. 

If any of the above resonates and you feel that you could benefit from some support and guidance along your business journey and would love to understand how to work with me please message me! I would love to hear from you!

Email me at tony@shafarcoaching.com to book a FREE Discovery call
www.shafarcoaching.com

What a game!

Even if you’re not a Scotland fan… what a game!

Even if you’re not a football fan… what a game!

But to be a Scotland football fan….what a game!

Listening to the players afterwards, a few things stood out:

- Team spirit matters

- Leadership matters even more

- And when both align, great things happen

Scotland are going to the World Cup.

What a game!

Tony Shafar

Fractional CFO | Business Coach & Consultant | Leadership Coach | Mentor | Ex WPP / Ogilvy FD | Helping Business owners grow their business & increase profitability with financial & strategic support | Portfolio Finance

I went with the family to a Bagel shop on Brick Lane on Saturday.

There are two of them, almost side by side, both selling salt beef bagels.

One had a queue stretching down the street.

The other? 

Hardly anyone waiting.

My daughter said, “That one must be more successful.”

On the face of it, maybe.

But not necessarily.

Because busyness isn’t the same as success.

Is it that different in the agency world.

You might see competitors winning the pitches you wanted.

Working with brands you admire.

Often posting about making new hires.

But you rarely see what’s behind it:

- the margins they’ve sacrificed to win the work

- the clients that drain their team’s time and energy

- the overservicing that eats into profit

What looks busy from the outside isn’t always healthy on the inside.

As a Fractional CFO, I’ve seen many agencies chasing growth that looks great on the surface - but underneath, the numbers tell a different story.

Sometimes, the quieter agency with the right clients and solid margins is the one that’s genuinely thriving.

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #businesscoaching #fractionalfinancedirector #parttimecfo #parttimefd

“They really liked us but…”

I hear this often in agencies.

You pitch.

You don’t win.

And instead of digging into why, you cling to the comforting feedback the prospect gives you.

But kind words aren’t insight.

And they’re usually not the truth.

Real growth comes from asking the harder questions:

- Where did we actually fall short?

- Did we clearly demonstrate our value?

- Was our pricing aligned with the outcome?

When you stop convincing yourself the loss was “just bad luck” and start being honest about what really happened, you build a clearer offer and a stronger pipeline.

And that, inevitably, leads to winning more of the new business pitches.

#fractionalcfo #agencyfinance #businesscoaching #fractionalfd #financedirector #parttimecfo

You could do with some help with the finances in your business.

You think you have an idea what a CFO does?

But are you right?

Many business owners think a CFO just “handles the finances” or “reports on the numbers ”

In reality, a good CFO does so much more.

They help you:

- Shape financial strategy to match your vision

- Identify risks before they become problems

- Make confident, data-backed decisions

- Understand your key business drivers

In summary, they help you grow your business in a resilient sustainable fashion. 

A great CFO shouldn’t be just an accountant, they should be your real financial partner .

What is that you would expect from a CFO?

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #cfo #parttimefd #financedirector

Struggling to hit your full year revenue target?

What would a CFO ask?

The end of the year is approaching.

You’ve set yourself a full-year revenue target.

You’re currently falling £200k short of that number.

What now?

A CFO wouldn’t accept 

- We’ll see how it goes.

Or

- Hopefully we will somehow bridge the gap.

A CFO would want a plan.

How much can realistically come from existing clients?

Which projects could be accelerated or expanded before the year-end?

Where are the upsell or cross-sell opportunities?

A CFO would also look at new business:

What’s in the pipeline right now?

What’s actually closable before December?

Which prospects, which are most realistic, should we focus on?

A CFO helps builds a plan.

A simple, actionable map of where the next £200k can realistically come from.

A plan gives clarity.

It gives accountability.

It’s not guesswork.

It’s targeted.

Client by client.

Because closing the gap isn’t about hoping revenue appears.

It’s about knowing where to find it, and focusing your team’s energy there.

That’s what a #CFO would ask.

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #businesscoaching #partimecfo #parttimefd

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were driving somewhere.

I put the postcode into Waze and off we went.

As we got closer, something didn’t feel right. 

I checked and realised the postcode was slightly wrong.

Incorrect information, and an outcome we didn’t want.

The same thing happens in business all the time.

And often it is down to incorrectly tracking the revenue. 

Many businesses don’t do this properly.

Often, they say they don’t care. That’s for finance people to worry about.

But when you recognise revenue incorrectly, your numbers stop telling the truth.

You stop trusting your management information because deep down you know it’s off.

And when you do rely on it, it’s likely leading you in the wrong direction.

Getting your revenue recognition right isn’t just an accounting exercise.

It’s about making sure the data guiding your decisions is accurate, so you actually end up where you want to go.

#fractionalcfo #parttimefd #financedirector #fd #businesscoaching #agencyfinance

Do you have many bank accounts in your business?

Regularly moving money from one account to the other.

Ensuring you are setting money aside to make the necessary payments

For VAT.

Corporation tax.

Or other large bills. 

This all requires extra work.

It also means it is harder for you to have a good quick sense of how much cash you really have.

Checking this account.

Checking that one.

You don’t really want to always be having to move money around.

You just want clarity.

You just want comfort.

You just want to know how much money you have now.

And in the future when those payments are made.

Having many different bank accounts is one solution.

But having an up to date reliable #cashflow forecast is a better solution.

Telling how much money you currently have.

And #forecasting what money will come in and out in the next few months.

You don’t need more bank accounts.

You just need better information.

If you want to reduce stress, improve decision-making, and run your business with more confidence, start with your cashflow.

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #finsncedirector #cfo #parttimefd #parttimecfo #businesscoaching

Good at managing your company’s finances?

You’re probably better than you think.

Because you already do it.

In your personal life.

What do I mean?

You know your income - whether it’s a salary, regular dividends, or a mix.

That’s your company’s revenue.

You know your regular costs - mortgage or rent, food, car, bills.

That’s your company’s operating expenses.

You even keep track of one-offs - maybe a new sofa on your credit card that’ll clear next month, or a holiday you’re saving for.

That’s capex or planned future spending.
 
You probably even look ahead and think:

“I’ve got this coming in, that going out… and I’ll need X in the bank to cover Y.”

That’s #forecasting - just what finance people do.

The key to forecasting, whether for your home or your business, isn’t spreadsheets or fancy models.

It’s awareness, timing, and planning ahead.

That’s what I help business owners do:

Turn gut feel into financial clarity - so you can make confident decisions with your numbers instead of guessing.

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #agencyfinance #cfo #financedirector

What would a CFO do?

It’s Budget season, and you may or may not be preparing for next year.

What should you be looking at?

What questions should you be asking yourself?

For me, the starting point should be revenue.

What revenue are we generating this year?

What realistically will this look like next year?

Have we lost clients? Do we expect to lose more?

Are there good realistic opportunities to grow some of our existing clients? 

If so, which ones and how much growth?

What new business can we expect? 

This should be based on prior experience, but also the current pipeline.

Once you have a good sense of what may be a challenging but at the same time realistic revenue number, then you look at the costs.

For service-based businesses, the key cost usually being staff.

What staff are currently in the business?

If you are budgeting for growth, what resources will be required to help support that growth?

What additional staff do we need? 

When will we need them?

Do we need to invest in marketing?

What other spend do we need to incur?

Going into this type of detail is what a CFO would do. 

Introducing some rigour, asking the tough questions and grounding the numbers in reality.

Are you taking a similar approach in your budget planning this year, or is it time to start thinking more like a CFO?

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #parttimefd #partimecfo #cfo #financedirector #businesscoaching

You go to your favourite restaurant. 

You order the set menu. 

3 courses for £30. 

Halfway through the meal, you decide you want a salad to accompany the main course. 

It’s outside the set menu. 

At the end of the meal the bill arrives. 

You have been charged £35 for your food
 
£30 for the set menu 

£5 for your salad 

You pay the bill. 

No questions. 

Obvious, I know. 

What is the point you may ask?

Consider a similar scenario in your business. 

A client asks you to support them with managing their social media. 

You both agree that you will help them with Facebook and Instagram. 

You agree a price. 

Part way through the work, the client asks if you can also just look at LinkedIn for them as well. 

As part of the same scope. 

Do you expect them to pay more?

Does it feel uncomfortable to raise the subject?

Maybe you think it is awkward.  

Maybe you think they won’t see you as a true partner.  

You know you are doing a great job but worry they will no longer want to work with you for charging them more. 

Is that really likely?

Just like you won’t stop going to your favourite restaurant as long as the food and service are as hoped….

Even if you have been charged for your salad. 

#fractionalcfo #parttimefd #financedirector #cfo #overservicing

Want a good financial year? 

Creating a budget will increase your chances. 

Agencies owners often create budgets because you know you should.

You tell yourself that “all proper businesses create budgets.”

But why should you really create a budget?

Without one, you’re not really clear where you are heading. 

With one, you’re making decisions with clarity, intention, and focus.

A real budget gives you:

1. Predictability
You stop guessing. You start forecasting.
You understand more about how much you can spend, hire, or invest without jeopardizing cash flow.

2. Accountability
You know the plan. Your team knows the plan.
It stops being “We think we’re doing fine” and starts being “We’re ahead/behind this line.”

3. Faster Decisions
Less debating over decisions or gut-feel hires.
You’re clearer on the strategy, and you’re simply executing it.

4. Profit Discipline
A budget forces you to protect margins.
Not at the end of the year, but throughout the year.

The more thought you put into next year’s budget, the more likely you are to have the profitable year you desire. 

#fractionalcfo #fractionalfd #agencyfinance #fd #financedirector #cfo

How much do rely on assumptions to drive your business?

Assumptions are great for brainstorming.

They are far from ideal for decision making.

Too many business owners end up relying on assumptions.

Gut feel.

Half-hearted choices.

A nagging uncertainty about whether you’re making the right decision.

All because you don’t have the data you need.

The right data.

The kind of insight that gives you clarity as opposed to confusion.

That’s where good financial guidance can really help.

Someone who sees your business from a different vantage point.

Someone who isn’t emotionally tied to every decision.

Someone objective, experienced, and able to show you what “good” truly looks like, and what red flags to avoid.

If you’re struggling with decisions, feeling stuck in guesswork, try not to keep building your business based on assumptions.

With the right financial partner, you can make decisions with confidence,
not because you guessed, but because you know.

#fractionalcfo #parttimecfo #parttimefd #financedirector #fractionalfd

taplio

Tony Shafar's Linkedin Analytics

Tony Shafar

Performance ScoreTony Shafar's LinkedIn Performance

Tony Shafar's Best Posts (last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

.css-6ytdur{background-image:linear-gradient(284deg, rgba(39, 43, 72, 1) 0%, rgba(33, 47, 183, 1) 100%);color:transparent;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;}Tony Shafar's Linkedin Analytics

Tony Shafar

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Tony Shafar's LinkedIn Performance

Tony Shafar's Best Posts .css-1emoo84{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:400;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);}(last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Tony Shafar's Linkedin Analytics

Performance ScoreTony Shafar's LinkedIn Performance

Tony Shafar's Best Posts (last 30 days)