8 Strategies to Manage Growth (and the Associated Costs of Growth)

GTP Admin • May 21, 2025

Running a small or medium-sized business is challenging. Investing in hiring, marketing and raising prices may drive growth… but also impact the bottom line. Making prudent investments while managing cash is extremely important.

 

Here are some practical strategies to help leaders achieve long-term profit growth, without putting the business at risk.

 

 

1. Stay Informed: Monitor Key Metrics

 

Keep an eye on gross margin, net profit margin, and other key metrics which make sense in your business. For example, a financial services firm implemented a real-time dashboard to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), and this analysis helped make informed decisions about their pricing and cost-control strategies.

 

 

2. Price Right: Regularly Review Your Pricing Strategy

 

Research the market to ensure prices are competitive. Your pricing should capture the true worth of products or services in the minds of your customers. For example, a theater owner learned to modify ticket prices based on customer demand, resulting in increased revenue per performance even in slow periods.

 

 

3. Bundle Up: Offer Product Bundles

 

Create bundles of products or services to encourage customers to buy more. This can increase the business’s average sale value and boost profits. For example, an e-commerce platform introduced personalised product bundles based on customer purchase history, leading to a significant increase in average order value.

 

 

4. Discount with Purpose: Offer Strategic Discounts

 

Use discounts strategically to move slow-moving inventory or to attract new customers. For example, a seller of furniture offered targeted discounts for high-end products during off-peak seasons, which had a long-term positive impact on the bottom line.

 

 

5. Start Smart: Streamline Your Operations

 

Review processes and identify inefficiencies. Find ways to automate or simplify them. This reduces costs AND frees up time for the team to focus on what matters. For example, a manufacturing business implemented an automated inventory system, saving 100 man-hours per month. In addition to reducing costs, the time saved was partly allocated to innovation, with good results.

 

 

6. Stay Sharp: Negotiate with Suppliers

 

Regularly review supplier contracts and don't be afraid to negotiate better terms. Consider forming partnerships or buying in bulk to get discounts that boost the bottom line. A retail chain which renegotiated supplier contracts, achieved a 15% cost reduction, which directly increased profit margins.

 

 

7. Be Agile: Implement Just-in-Time Inventory

 

Keeping a lean inventory helps reduce storage costs and avoids tying up cash in excess stock. For example, a food distributor uses sales forecasts to order inventory only when needed. This has reduced warehouse costs and food waste, leading to higher profitability.

 

 

8. Work Wisely: Outsource Non-Core Activities

 

Consider outsourcing tasks like Accounting or IT support to specialised firms. This lowers overhead costs and gives access to expertise to help the business grow. For example, a software developer outsources some projects to an offshore team, which accelerates time-to-market and improves customer satisfaction.

 

 

Each business is different but consider these practical strategies to improve your business's profitability and set the stage for long-term success.


More GTP Articles

By Karen Grainger October 1, 2025
The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House is closing! From 1 July 2026 there will be no more access to the SBSCH. This is due to the Payday Super reforms being introduced from 1 July 2026. Existing users are encouraged to transition to alternative options for Super stream and their use of a super clearing house. This includes reviewing their existing software options and payroll packages or looking at options offered by super funds, commercial dealing houses or other payroll software providers. For more information Employers can refer to ato.gov.au/howtopaysuper. For more information on Payday Super refer to previous blogs on our website on this topic.
By Jessie Lakin September 24, 2025
What is Medicare levy? The Medicare levy is a small tax most Australians pay to help fund our public health system. It’s 2% of your taxable income and is automatically included in your total tax payable at tax time. Who pays the Medicare levy? Most Australian residents will pay the 2% Medicare Levy, once their income reaches the Medicare threshold as in the chart below. For most taxpayers once they earn $27,222 they will start paying some form of Medicare. However, in certain cases, you might get a reduction or even an exemption from the Medicare levy. For instance, if you meet specific conditions such as being a low-income earner, foreign resident or having a medical exemption, you may qualify for a reduced rate or full exemption.
By Jess Sluggett September 17, 2025
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s part of our everyday lives. From smart phones to online banking, AI is quietly working in the background, making things faster, easier, and more efficient. But like any tool, it comes with both advantages and challenges. The team at GTP are constantly learning about AI and how it impacts what we do, our work and in life for our clients—whether you’re running a small business, working the farm, managing your investments, or raising a young family. How AI Can Help You Here are some ways AI could be integrated into your life right now: 1. Automating Routine Bookkeeping For business owners, managing receipts and invoices can be a time-consuming task. AI-powered tools like Xero or MYOB now use machine learning to automatically categorise expenses, match transactions, and even flag anomalies. This means less time in the office, more time doing what you do best and more time doing what you love. 2. Smarter Budgeting and Saving Young families and retirees alike can benefit from AI-driven budgeting apps like Frollo. These tools connect to your bank accounts, track spending habits, and offer personalised suggestions to help you save more or reduce costs. They can even alert you when bills are due or if you’re close to exceeding your budget. 3. Crop and Weather Monitoring For those on the land, AI is transforming agriculture. There are now apps that use satellite imagery and machine learning to predict crop yields, monitor soil health, and provide early warnings for pests or drought. These insights help make better-informed decisions—potentially improving both productivity and sustainability. 4. Enhanced Customer Service If you run a business, AI chatbots can be used to respond to customer queries outside business hours, freeing up your time and improving client satisfaction. Many businesses are also using AI to analyse customer feedback and buying patterns, helping them tailor services and stay competitive. 5. Personalised Investment Advice Investors may already be using AI without realising it. Many superannuation platforms and investment apps now use AI to offer tailored portfolio recommendations based on your goals and risk tolerance. While this doesn’t replace personalised financial advice, it can be a helpful tool in managing your retirement income. 6. Time-Saving Tools for Busy Families For young families juggling work, school, and household duties, AI can help streamline daily life. Virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa can manage calendars, set reminders, order groceries, and even help plan meals based on what’s in the fridge. AI-driven shopping apps can also track prices and suggest budget-friendly options—saving both time and money. The Limitations of AI While AI can be incredibly helpful, it’s not perfect. It relies on data, and if that data is wrong or incomplete, the results can be too. AI doesn’t understand context the way a human does—so it may make errors in judgement that you wouldn’t. Privacy is also a concern; many AI tools collect and analyse personal information, so it’s important to read the fine print, choose trusted providers and very carefully consider entering any personal details.  In Summary AI offers exciting possibilities across many aspects of everyday life—from saving time and money to improving decision-making. But like any tool, it’s most effective when used wisely and with care. AI is not a replacement for human advice. It can support decision-making, but when it comes to tax planning, legal matters or big financial decisions, there’s no substitute for speaking with a qualified, trusted professional. Jess created this blog using ChatGPT by providing a detailed prompt providing details on writer perspective, audience and various content parameters. Edits have been made following fact-checking and to correct context as required.
September 11, 2025
Setting the right price for products and services drives sales, profitability, and enables long-term growth. Here are some pricing strategies that can help unlock significant business potential. 1. Understand Costs Effective pricing is only possible with a good understanding of costs, such as: Fixed Costs: The expenses that remain constant regardless of production levels, like rent, salaries, and insurance. Variable Costs: The costs which fluctuate based on production volume, including raw materials and direct labor. Break-even Point: The minimum sales volume required to cover all costs, and a valuable baseline for pricing decisions. Accurate and frequent financial reporting is necessary in order to keep a handle on these metrics. 2. Analyse the Market Enlightened leaders study their competitors’ pricing strategies, especially what they charge and the value offered at those price points. They also carefully monitor market demand (e.g. based on seasonal or economic factors) because high demand may justify higher prices. 3. Value-Based Pricing Strategic pricing means understanding customer perception of value. Products should be priced based on perceived value in addition to the costs of production. Also, understanding the value proposition enables the seller to highlight unique features and benefits of their products. That way, they market and sell in ways that persuade customers to choose them over competitors. 4. Dynamic Pricing Different circumstances may warrant different prices. For example, adjusting prices based on real-time demand is common in industries like travel and hospitality. Promotional Pricing means offering temporary price reductions to stimulate demand, clear out inventory, or attract new customers. 5. Bundling and Packaging It can make sense to combine multiple products or services into a single package at a discounted rate. This can increase perceived value and encourage customers to purchase more. A related concept is tiered pricing, whereby different tiers of products are offered at varying price points to cater to different customer segments, such as budget-conscious and premium customers. 6. Monitor and Adjust Pricing Since market and economic conditions are constantly in flux, leaders should continuously monitor pricing strategy performance. This regular review includes gathering feedback from customers and sales teams to understand how pricing impacts sales and customer satisfaction. A small variation in price can significantly impact business profitability and growth potential. Use these strategies to unlock the full profit potential of your business!
By Jarrod Kemp September 10, 2025
Gone are the days when you had to keep shoeboxes full of fading paper receipts. But many individuals and business owners still wonder: do I need to keep paper receipts for tax purposes? The short answer is no—but you do need to keep records. Let’s walk through what the ATO expects, how to store your records properly, and how to make life easier at tax time. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) does not require you to keep physical paper receipts—but it does require that your records be: Legible (easy to read) Accurate Complete Stored safely for at least 5 years That means digital copies are perfectly acceptable, if they meet the above criteria. You can store your receipts in many formats: Scanned images or PDFs Photos from your phone (if details are clear) Emails or digital invoices Files stored in cloud systems (like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive) Just make sure: The date, amount, supplier, and purpose are clearly visible. You can access the file if needed (e.g. if the ATO audits you). Here are some easy ways to stay organised and compliant: 1. Take a Photo Straight Away Got a work expense? Snap a photo of the receipt on your phone before you lose it. 2. Use Cloud Storage Create a folder for each financial year and upload scanned receipts, invoices, and bills. Bonus: no risk of fire, water damage, or faded ink. 3. Accounting Software Tools Programs like Xero, QuickBooks, and MYOB let you upload and attach receipts to specific transactions. Easy and secure. 4. Label Everything Clearly Use file names like “2025-03-01 - Bunnings - Office Shelving - $124.pdf” so it’s easy to search. How Long Should You Keep Records? For individuals and sole traders: 5 years from when you lodge your tax return. For companies and trusts: often 5–7 years, depending on your structure and obligations. If you’re claiming deductions for depreciable assets, keep records for 5 years after the asset is fully written off. What Not to Do Don’t throw away receipts until they’ve been safely saved digitally. Don’t rely on ink receipts—they fade fast! Don’t store files only on your phone—back them up in the cloud or on a secure computer.  You no longer need to keep piles of paper, but you do need to be smart about saving your receipts. With digital tools and a little organisation, you can stay ATO-compliant and reduce tax-time stress.
More Posts