Business Growth Strategies

Client	Lobster & Fish Distributor
Details	Annual Revenue: $4-5M Employees: 15 Project Duration: 6 months (ongoing)
Problem Area	Accounting System and Processes, Inventory Management
BGS Project Summary	Evaluation of inventory systems, conversion from Peachtree, and complete redesign of chart of accounts and SKUs for inventory. Establishment of new accounting processes for credit card sales and factoring of accounts receivable.
Technology	QuickBooks Enterprise with Advanced Inventory, RightNetworks
Major Gains	Established stable, modern accounting system with secure remote access. Streamlined bookkeeping, ordering and inventory processes while eliminating one employee position.

Client	Dairy & Restaurant Provisions Distributor
Details	Annual Revenue: $4-5M Employees: 10 Project Duration: 8 months (ongoing)
Problem Area	Accounting and Reporting Processes, Organizational Structure and Staffing
BGS Project Summary	Conversion from Quicken and one-write system to hosted QuickBooks with paperless accounts payable processing. Complete evaluation and redesign of accounting and reporting processes. Integration of recently acquired company, including analysis of organizational structure and resource staffing.
Technology	QuickBooks, RightNetworks, Bill.com
Major Gains	In Phase I, established true general ledger accounting program, including setting up QuickBooks and paperless accounts payable with Bill.com. Integrated sales processes from newly acquired company into a single unified methodology and SKU list. Rationalized organizational structure and created role definition. Phase II will add true inventory accounting.

Client	Residential Design-Build Construction Firm
Details	Annual Revenue: $8-10M Employees: 35 Project Duration: 1 year (ongoing)
Problem Area	Accounting, Sales and Operational Processes
BGS Project Summary	Evaluation of job costing alternatives. Re-engineering of all major accounting and business processes. Definition of sales process methodology. Implementation of new job cost system, integrated with QuickBooks, for accounts payable, billing, time entry, sales lead management and job profitability reporting.
Technology	QuickBooks and CoreCon Project Management System
Major Gains	Implemented remote electronic time capture and true job costing. Created paperless accounts payable process with multi-level approvals. Automated monthly billing process and reduced customer invoicing time from 24 hours to 1 hour. Created well-defined sales process and centralized lead tracking. Upgraded and integrated estimating function. Eliminated need to manage by spreadsheet.

Client	Summer Camp
Details	Annual Revenue: $3-4M Employees: 30-40 Project Duration: 6 months (ongoing)
Problem Area	Accounting Processes and Budgeting
BGS Project Summary	Accounting structural analysis, redesign and first-time budget implementation
Technology	QuickBooks, RightNetworks and Bill.com
Major Gains	Created new accounting and reporting structure with revamped chart of accounts and creative usage of classes. Worked with management team to create first-ever budget for new season, allowing for true visibility into cost structure.

Client	Residential & Commercial Roofing Contractor
Details	Annual Revenue: $1-2M Employees: 15 Project Duration: 1 year (ongoing)
Problem Area	Organizational Structure and Staffing, Accounting Systems
BGS Project Summary	Analysis of fundamental business processes and organizational structure. Establishment of proper job costing methodologies and addition of new staff to office, project management and field positions.
Technology	QuickBooks
Major Gains	Performed a deep-clean of QuickBooks accounting data and completed a comprehensive organizational and functional review. Established best practices for job cost accounting and conducted a true job-by-job profitability analysis. Job profitability analysis allowed for real-time adjustments to estimating and project management, increasing overall company profitability by 33%. Created new roles in office and field, hiring and training part-time bookkeeper and assistant project manager.

Client	Community Health Center (with 3 locations)
Details	Annual Revenue: $12M Employees: 60 Project Duration: 6 months (ongoing)
Problem Area	Communications Technology
BGS Project Summary	Re-implementation of failed multi-location VoIP phone system. Research, documentation and implementation of new multi-lingual call flow design. Establishment of strategy and training protocols.
Technology	VoIP phone system
Major Gains	Implemented new “patient-centric” VoIP call flow and in-house Call Center. Call Center saved $250K from outsourcing. Developed new organizational structure with leadership to manage Call Center. Deployed in June 2013 with goal of increasing quality of care, maximizing patient visits, and improving revenue performance.

Client	Organic Dairy Farm
Details	Annual Revenue: $1-2M Employees: 12-15 Project Duration: 1 year
Problem Area	Long-term Business Plan and Funding, Accounting Systems, Processes and Training
BGS Project Summary	Conversion of QuickBooks from Mac to Windows and re-implementation with proper farm-based structure. Creation of long-term strategy with full business plan centered on purchasing land and re-locating farm from leased property. Assistance in procuring $1.5M in capital for farm purchase, capital equipment and operating carry.
Technology	QuickBooks, RightNetworks
Major Gains	Successfully implemented new accounting system and processes, and trained bookkeeper on operations. Achieved goal of purchasing new farmland with the help of multiple lenders and relocating farm from leased property. Developed reporting methodologies for lender compliance.

Client	Landscape Construction and Maintenance Contractor
Details	Annual Revenue: $7-8M Employees: 50-75 Project Duration: 2 years (ongoing)
Problem Area	Accounting Systems, Processes and Staffing
BGS Project Summary	Conversion of Timberline accounting to QuickBooks Enterprise and implementation of Intuit Payroll System. Analysis of accounting department needs and development of plan for proper staffing and structure. Recruitment of new Controller. Re-engineering of all core accounting processes.
Technology	QuickBooks Enterprise, Intuit Assisted Payroll
Major Gains	Successfully implemented new accounting processes and greatly streamlined job costing and billing procedures. Hired new Controller and assisted in re-structuring accounting department with proper job descriptions and responsibilities. Developed weekly and monthly dashboard reports to better connect the owner to the business.

Testimonials

My partnership with Brett has been more valuable then I could have imagined. Our initial partnership was formed as a means to build a financial model and budget for my small professional services business. The relationship quickly morphed when I decided to go back to work in the corporate world and sell my company. Brett didn't miss a beat and became an integral part of the sale process - which resulted in a deal in under a month. He was there every step of the way, guiding me and serving as a sounding board for a first time seller. He led me through the process with great attention to detail, professionalism, reliability. His tenure and experience was incredibly useful. I highly recommend Brett to any small business looking for the very best financial advice out there. Thank you a million times Brett, I couldn't have done it without you!Alexandra Curtiss, Owner, YogaSource Boston

I feel very lucky to have found Brett. I initially hired him to help me when I took a management position in a larger company than I had worked at for some years. He coached me very well for my first six months, enabling me to quickly adapt to the environment, and understand the requirements and challenges of that job. Without his help, I would have spent much longer learning how to contribute and would not have seen the "big picture" as soon or as well. I have also benefited from Brett's expertise to redo my own bookkeeping process to be more efficient, and we will be working together to plan my business for the next ten years. His understanding of businesses, of any size, is extremely impressive, and it is rare to find someone as articulate and thorough as he is. He is a pleasure to work with. Tom Perkins, Owner, Wise Marine

We are a direct marketing diversified organic farm. Our business doubled in size from 2010 to 2011. Our payroll tripled in size. Over the course of the year we quickly got buried by paperwork due to our lack of organization and processes in the office. We had had an accountant who was just keeping our head above water but not helping us in feeling in control of our business. Brett has come in and in the time frame of two months helped us to organize our office and processes in the office. Our work load for the same tasks has been reduced to 25%. We have automated many of the tedious tasks in the office giving us more time and head space to analyze our business. He has helped us to think about debt in a different light and to not be so fearful of it. With Brett's help we hope now to look at how much mortgage the farm could afford.Luke Mahoney, Owner, Brookford Farm LLC

BGS, Brett specifically, has been instrumental in taking our business to the next level. Brett's approach to learning our business, how we operate and interviewing our business partners to determine what we need to operate more efficiently was an enjoyable and insightful process, not just for him, but also for us. Brett was able to design a business model and create systems and processes specific to our unique business that we simply could not do. The benefits of these systems are that we are now streamlined and spending our time and energy where it will make a larger impact in the continued growth of our business. We have and will continue to contract Brett to design further systems and even co-develop a business plan for future ventures because not only does he know our business inside and out, but we also trust him implicitly. He understands and is also committed to our mission in growing a sustainable business that supports fellow local, small businesses, yet also has the innate business knowledge to generate profit so that we can continue doing positive work in our community without compromising our standards. As a start-up that's grown into solid and successful and profitable business, we highly recommend BGS to small businesses who are ready to take it to the next level but don't know where to begin. Begin with BGS, begin with Brett!"Julia Frost, Business Manager, CHIVE Sustainable Event and Design, LLC

I've had the pleasure of working with Brett since 2005 when Brett selected AvidXchange as Winstanley's paperless AP invoice automation partner. Brett had the courage and vision to select AvidXchange at that time, when we had few customers and fewer references, had the leadership skills to unify his organization behind a radically new business process, had the perseverance to implement what was then a less-than-mature product, had the patience to work with us over time to make the product more usable and more useful, and, through it all, displayed a cheerful attitude that belied the difficult circumstances. Brett knows how to tackle tough challenges. I look forward to working with him again. David Miller, Board Member and Founder, AvidXchange, Inc.

I have had the pleasure of working with Brett as part of the MRI User Group organization, with Brett serving as President of the New England Chapter. Brett is a valued member of the UG organization, bringing lots of energy, creativity and new ideas to the team. Brett has many strengths, including a keen insight to organizational matters and excellent people management skills. I have also had the opportunity of working on a few projects with Brett, and his proactive "can-do" nature and natural leadership abilities have resulted in successful implementations. Brett would be a considerable asset to any team.John Olson, Director of IT, Vedder Management

I worked with Brett Lazar for approximately 7 years as our VP of Operations. Brett helped our company double in size during that time period and Brett was effective at managing our IT growth, creating systems and procedures, managing payroll functions, human resources, and special projects. Brett has a strong attention to detail and I would strongly recommend Brett for any size company.Adam Winstanley, Principal, Winstanley Enterprises, LLC.

Brett contracted with us to design and implement a financial accounting system augmenting their current monthly distribution process. The project called for automating a complex set of manual accounting procedures and integrating the system into their current general ledger and accounts payable systems and routines. Brett was instrumental in the success of the project, providing valuable insight and direction into the various processes being overhauled, and skillfully guided the project through its various stages to completion. Brett's leadership and project management skills were greatly appreciated, he is easy to work with and we look forward to doing future projects with him.Scott Mahler, Owner, Datex Media

I have worked with Brett for several years as members of the Avidxchange Strategic Council and he was one of the driving forces behind the existence of the users group. He has excellent organizational and management skills and his continued efforts with our group helped create changes to the Avidxchange application that were not only beneficial to his company but to the users as a whole. It is rare to work with someone of Brett's professionalism and knowledge and I would recommend him for any position.

I worked with Brett for nearly seven years, during which time he and I worked together in a number of capacities. In his initial role at Winstanley, Brett was our corporate Controller and was responsible for our Accounting Department. In this capacity, he led the restructuring of this group to better meet the needs of the organization and scale to support future growth. Following his role in this effort, Brett was tasked with working with me in leading the use of technology to underpin our company's strategic direction. Included in these efforts was an overhaul of hardware infrastructure and implementation of various software and web-based applications that allowed us to integrate our various departments and locations. In addition, Brett oversaw Human Resources for the company, and in this role was instrumental in the cost effective expansion of employee benefits including insurance coverage and retirement investment options. In each of these roles, Brett brought a thoughtful approach and enthusiastic attitude that were critical elements in helping us achieve success in each of these areas. At the same time, Brett demonstrated the ability to work across different business groups both inside and outside of an organization. These attributes would make him a valuable addition to any organization.Demian Gage, CFO, Winstanley Enterprises LLC

I reported to Brett for five years at IDe. He is an excellent leader and knows how to guide and motivate his teams. Brett had the IT, HR, Accounting, and Administration teams reporting to him while at IDe. Brett is an awesome strategic thinker who can get the job done. Brett thrives on solving problems and implementing solutions that are both efficient and cost effective. I would highly recommend Brett without reservation.Jerry Loiselle, Program Manager, EMC

Client Success Stories

Testimonials