Your Business Growth Partner
GUIDING THE 'BEST KEPT SECRETS' TO #1 IN THEIR MARKET
Trent Butler is a Chartered Accountant who acts as a Business Coach, Growth Advisor and Marketing Strategist to growth-minded professional service business owners.
We'll help you increase your profits, implement systems to improve operations and build a team that can operate without you - giving you the money and freedom to live the life you want.
Your Business Growth Partner
GUIDING THE 'BEST KEPT SECRETS' TO #1 IN THEIR MARKET
Trent Butler is a Chartered Accountant who acts as a Business Coach, Growth Advisor and Marketing Strategist to growth-minded professional service business owners.
We'll help you increase your profits, implement systems to improve operations and build a team that can operate without you - giving you the money and freedom to live the life you want.
Just a few of the 'best kept secrets' we've worked with:
"I was attracted to Trent's clarity of what could be achieved, his process driven approach to achieving objectives, coupled with his knowledge and experience. It's been absolute pleasure working with Trent and his team. I am extremely pleased with the results...”
Giles Hill
Director, EQ Property
The Truth Is You Have A Lot On Your Plate When It Comes To Being #1 In Your Market...
You Might Be Struggling With:
Identifying & attracting the right type of higher-value client
- Past efforts have attracted the wrong type of client.
- Prospects just want to know 'price' and don't seem to care about anything else.
- Leads seem to take forever to sign-up and become a client.
You just want to attract higher-value clients who value your expertise and expect to pay a fair premium to work with you.
Monitoring cash flow & tracking return on investment
- You’re unsure what metrics to be tracking.
- You’re not clear on what benchmarks to aim for.
- You're not sure if your marketing is making or losing money.
You just want to understand dollars-in vs dollars-out and whether or not it's all worth it.
Developing process and people to handle the next growth phase
- Growth is starting to cause other operational challenges.
- Getting the right people in the right seats has become easier said than done.
- The team can never quite seem to follow process or consistently achieve what is expected.
- You're getting pulled in a hundred different directions and clients are beginning to notice.
You just want to get everyone on the same page and following processes that actually work and scale.
Figuring out what to do and what not to do next from a marketing and business development standpoint
- Exactly who is our ideal client and how do we get more of them?
- Just what is our point of difference (or do we even have one)?
- Do people see us as a commodity service provider?
- What 'tactics' would work best specifically for our firm and stage of business?
- Where should we be spending our marketing dollars and efforts?
You just want to know what you should be doing and why.
Aligning the leadership team on strategy, planning and execution
- The leadership team is losing sight of the bigger picture (core mission, vision and values).
- Key team members just can't seem to agree on what should be done next, how and why.
- Problems use to be handled quickly but now take weeks/months to resolve.
- Important but not urgent activities are just not getting done.
You just want everyone in the business aligned and beating to the same drum.
Just a few of the 'best kept secrets' we've worked with:
"I was attracted to Trent's clarity of what could be achieved, his process driven approach to achieving objectives, coupled with his knowledge and experience. It's been absolute pleasure working with Trent and his team. I am extremely pleased with the results...”
Giles Hill
Director, EQ Property
THE TRUTH IS YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE WHEN IT COMES TO BEING #1 IN YOUR MARKET...
You Might Be Struggling With:
Identifying & attracting the right type of higher-value client
- Past efforts have attracted the wrong type of client.
- Prospects just want to know 'price' and don't seem to care about anything else.
- Leads seem to take forever to sign-up and become a client.
You just want to attract higher-value clients who value your expertise and expect to pay a fair premium to work with you.
Monitoring cash flow & tracking return on investment
- You’re unsure what metrics to be tracking.
- You’re not clear on what benchmarks to aim for.
- You're not sure if your marketing is making or losing money.
You just want to understand dollars-in vs dollars-out and whether or not it's all worth it.
Developing process and people to handle the next growth phase
- Growth is starting to cause other operational challenges.
- Getting the right people in the right seats has become easier said than done.
- The team can never quite seem to follow process or consistently achieve what is expected.
- You're getting pulled in a hundred different directions and clients are beginning to notice.
You just want to get everyone on the same page and following processes that actually work and scale.
Figuring out what to do and what not to do next from a marketing and business development standpoint
- Exactly who is our ideal client and how do we get more of them?
- Just what is our point of difference (or do we even have one)?
- Do people see us as a commodity service provider?
- What 'tactics' would work best specifically for our firm and stage of business?
- Where should we be spending our marketing dollars and efforts?
You just want to know what you should be doing and why.
Aligning the leadership team on strategy, planning and execution
- The leadership team is losing sight of the bigger picture (core mission, vision and values).
- Key team members just can't seem to agree on what should be done next, how and why.
- Problems use to be handled quickly but now take weeks/months to resolve.
- Important but not urgent activities are just not getting done.
You just want everyone in the business aligned and beating to the same drum.
Professional business coaching can help you:
Improve operations, implement systems and remove bottlenecks so that you get your time back.
Hire and train the right team, communicate better with each other and eliminate people problems.
Grow your business with bigger and better clients.
Overcome cash flow issues and improve your financial management.
Make better decisions and become more profitable.
WELL... YOU CAN!
Butler & Co Advisory is a small team of experienced entrepreneurs coaching aspiring entrepreneurs. We are experts in one thing – growing profitable companies through an appropriate mix of business coaching, growth advisory and marketing strategy consulting.
Whereever you're stuck, we can help:
MORE LEADS, SALES, AGGRESSIVE GROWTH?
YOU GOT IT.
MORE LEADS, SALES, AGGRESSIVE GROWTH? YOU GOT IT.
You won’t believe how easy it is to get your phone ringing with top-shelf, ready-to-buy prospects until you see our methodology for yourself. It’s time for you to set the pace and leave your competitors behind.
RECRUIT & RETAIN WINNERS INSTEAD OF LOSERS?
COMING RIGHT UP.
RECRUIT & RETAIN WINNERS INSTEAD OF LOSERS? COMING RIGHT UP.
Only the very best hiring managers win the perpetual war for talent. You’ll join the ranks of elite recruiters when you learn how the top guns do it. It’s time to get the rock stars you deserve and let the rest work for the others.
CONTROL YOUR CASH AND STASH MONEY AWAY?
EASY.
CONTROL YOUR CASH AND STASH MONEY AWAY? EASY.
Smart business owners know how to control costs, forecast and manage cash, and grow profits. It’s time to control the flow of money through your business and build a large pile of cash in your bank account.
GET YOUR BUSINESS READY TO SELL FOR BIG BUCKS? LET’S ROLL.
Any business can be turned into a cash machine that runs with minimal to zero daily involvement of the owner(s). It’s time to turn your staff into a team that will run your business like they own it, so you can sell it to whomever you wish, whenever you wish.
Who We Work With
We work primarily with established business owners in the following categories.
Advisory Firms
Accounting firms, consulting firms, real estate agencies, medical clinics and marketing agencies.
Professionals
Consultants, coaches, real estate agents, accountants, mortgage brokers, medical practitioners, marketers and freelancers.
Our Founder & Lead Business Coach, Trent Butler
The vision of Butler & Co Advisory is to be the undisputed market leader in business growth advisory services in Australia.
Our plan to achieve that vision is to work hand-in-hand with a smaller volume of exceptionally talented industry experts, taking each of them to 'market-leader' status in their respective niches and/or geographic locations. We then let their results do our talking.
A Chartered Accountant, Trent has over 10 years experience working across three different firms spanning the three 'tiers' of the accounting profession; a small boutique firm, a mid-tier firm and the ‘big 4’ firm – Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
Since founding Butler & Co Advisory in 2018, Trent has worked with over 50+ Australian professional service businesses. He deeply understands the nuances, growth challenges and stakeholder dynamics that present at every stage of a firm's life cycle.
Trent knows how both prospective clients and professional staff conduct their due diligence and choose a professional service provider in the modern digital world.
He understands that as your business grows and thrives, so will our partnership. So let’s talk, we promise it will be a breath of fresh air.
Our Founder & Lead Business Coach, Trent Butler
The vision of Butler & Co Advisory is to be the undisputed market leader in business growth advisory services in Australia.
Our plan to achieve that vision is to work hand-in-hand with a smaller volume of exceptionally talented industry experts, taking each of them to 'market-leader' status in their respective niches and/or geographic locations. We then let their results do our talking.
A Chartered Accountant, Trent has over 10 years experience working across three different firms spanning the three 'tiers' of the accounting profession; a small boutique firm, a mid-tier firm and the ‘big 4’ firm – Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
Since founding Butler & Co Advisory in 2018, Trent has worked with over 50+ Australian professional service businesses. He deeply understands the nuances, growth challenges and stakeholder dynamics that present at every stage of a firm's life cycle.
Trent knows how both prospective clients and professional staff conduct their due diligence and choose a professional service provider in the modern digital world.
He understands that as your business grows and thrives, so will our partnership. So let’s talk, we promise it will be a breath of fresh air.
What is Trent like to work with?
Click on the images below to watch the videos.
LOCATE BUYERS AGENCY
"Their [Trent's] approach with us has been fantastic and I really like that they actually care about their clients. They're actually interested in you getting the best results possible, and that shows up in how they work and how they approach what they do.
They're very strategic. They'll come up with great ideas and great ways in which you can improve on your business."
Shane Hiscock, Founder & Buyers Agent, Locate Buyers Agency
“They listened to our requirements and concerns and formulated a plan tailored to our specific circumstances. We feel they delivered a practical and detailed strategy that suits our needs and reflects our values and we are now working with Butler & Co to implement this.”
Chris Clarke
Partner, Clarke & Brownrigg Chartered Accountants Adelaide
CFO-ONE ADVISORS
“It took us a couple of months to really get clicking, and then around months three or four, we really started to see a huge return on investment which was fantastic.”
Mike Urness, CEO, CFO-One Advisors
“Wow very promising stats actually…Can’t wait to ramp this up next year given the high enquiry to click through rate and high organic search rate (with no SEO!)”
James Livingston
Founder & Partner,
Arc Medical Accountants
PROPERTY FRONTLINE
"What a positive experience it was working with Trent. What I particularly liked was the mix of tools and feedback that helped me connect with clients in a systemised and targeted way, which saved me so much time."
Debra Beck-Mewing, Founder & CEO, Property Frontline
“Working with Butler & Co has been such a positive experience, helping me develop a suitable marketing strategy and generate high quality leads. Butler & Co are very professional and have a very strategic approach with lead generating. We’ve achieved outstanding results and through my experience, I can honestly recommend Butler & Co and the services 100%.”
Maryanne Drosos
Founder & Director,
Blue Diamond Recruitment
B2B LEADS
“Being a lead gen and marketing guy, I thought my sales process was down pat to be honest...
He [Trent] showed me his methods of conducting sales calls and strategy sessions, which turned out to be way more effective."
Ryan Caswell, Founder, B2B Leads
“I'm so grateful for the support and guidance that Butler & Co’s business coaching has provided me thus far. Without them, I’m not sure if I would have continued in business. I'm now excited for the future and for what's next – we’re only just getting started!”
Kristie Oldfield
Founder & Director,
Parabroker.au
ACHIEVE MARKET LEADING STATUS WITHOUT:
The hassle and risk of taking on a business partner or prematurely hiring and managing a full-time marketing, finance or operations person.
Replacing your existing team members.
Throwing away what is already working.
Schedule a call to see if our approach can help take your business to #1 in your market.
ACHIEVE MARKET LEADING STATUS WITHOUT:
The hassle and risk of taking on a business partner or prematurely hiring and managing a full-time marketing, finance or operations person.
Replacing your existing team members.
Throwing away what is already working.
Schedule a call to see if our approach can help take your business to #1 in your market.
COACHING WILL PAY OFF OVER THE LONG TERM - AND WE GUARANTEE RESULTS.
'Win/Win' is a core value here at Butler & Co Advisory, which is why we offer a return on investment guarantee.
Investment presumes that there will be a return. Otherwise, it’s just an expense.
If you qualify – and do the work – we offer a guarantee:
After 17 weeks of coaching, you will agree that coaching has paid for itself - or we will work with you at no charge until that is true.
This drives us to do great work and ensure we're only commencing relationships with those who we're sure will see commercially positive outcomes.
Our latest articles to help you grow your business
Bookkeeper, Accountant, Management Accountant, or Fractional CFO?
Why Most Business Owners Get This Wrong
One of the most common things I hear from business owners is this:
“I’ve got an accountant… but I still don’t feel on top of the numbers.”
That’s not a failure on your part.
And it’s usually not a failure on the accountant’s part either.
It’s a misunderstanding of roles.
As a business grows, the financial side doesn’t just get bigger - it gets more consequential. Decisions start to carry real weight. Timing matters. Cash flow gaps hurt faster. Guessing becomes expensive.
This is where many owners stall. Not because they lack effort or ambition, but because the financial function hasn’t grown up with the business.
Let’s break this down simply.
Finance Is a Leadership Skill, Not a Compliance Task
Early on, finance is mostly about survival:
Paying bills
Lodging BAS
Getting tax done on time
Later, finance becomes about leadership:
Knowing what you can afford before you commit
Understanding which parts of the business are really working
Making decisions with the headlights on, not in hindsight
Different stages require different financial capability.
That capability comes from distinct roles within the finance team
The Four Finance Roles (In Plain English)
1. Bookkeeper - Keeps the Score Correct
What they focus on: Accuracy
What timeframe: What’s already happened
Your bookkeeper makes sure transactions are captured properly. For example:
Sales, purchases, payroll, bills
Bank and credit card reconciliations
BAS preparation (if qualified)
Clean files for year-end
In some businesses, they’ll also handle invoicing, payment runs, or basic debtor follow-up, but that varies and should always be clarified.
Their job is simple, but critical:
keep the data clean.
What they don’t do is analyse, interpret, or advise.
Why this matters to you:
If the data is messy or late, every decision built on it is shaky.
2. Accountant - Keeps You Legal
What they focus on: Compliance and tax
What timeframe: The past
Your tax accountant:
Prepares and lodges tax returns
Finalises annual accounts
Advises on structure, GST, PAYG, super
Keeps you compliant with the ATO
This role is non-negotiable.
But it’s important to say this clearly:
Tax accountants are not there to run your business finances.
They look backward so the authorities are satisfied. That’s their lane.
Why this matters to you:
Compliance protects the business - but it doesn’t guide day-to-day decisions.
3. Management Accountant - Turns Numbers Into Insight
What they focus on: Performance
What timeframe: Now and next
This is where finance starts to become useful for business decision making
A management accountant helps you:
Build budgets and rolling forecasts
Track margins, costs, and profitability
See where money is being made - or leaked
Understand the impact of pricing, hiring, and growth decisions
This role works with the business, not just at year-end.
They can help answer questions like:
Which jobs or clients are actually profitable?
What happens to cash if we grow faster?
Where are we exposed right now?
Why this matters to you:
You stop managing by gut feel and start managing with clarity.
4. Fractional CFO - Helps You Decide What to Do Next
What they focus on: Direction and risk
What timeframe: The future
A fractional CFO provides financial leadership without the cost of a full-time executive.
They:
Build 12–24 month cash flow and financial models
Pressure-test growth decisions
Anticipate funding gaps before they appear
Set the financial rhythm, standards, system and discipline
Act as a sounding board for big calls
They don’t do bookkeeping.
They don’t lodge tax.
They use clean, timely information to help you lead.
Why this matters to you:
When decisions start to carry real financial risk, guessing is no longer an option.
Why One Role Can’t Do Four Jobs
I often see owners trying to get CFO-level advice from a bookkeeper or a tax accountant.
Each role has a different purpose. At the risk of oversimplification:
Bookkeeper: Records what happened
Accountant: Reports it legally
Management Accountant: Explains what it means
Fractional CFO: Helps you decide what to do
They’re complementary, not interchangeable.
What You Likely Need Next
Many businesses don’t need to let go of everything at once. But they do need support on the right next layer.
You may need:
A bookkeeper if admin is backing up or accounting system is behind / not yet set up
A management accountant if you don’t trust the reports
A fractional CFO if the numbers are clean but decisions feel heavy
An accountant at all times, for compliance
This is an apprenticeship in business.
As the business upgrades, the owner must upgrade too.
Final Thought
Finance isn’t about being “good with numbers.”
It’s about creating enough clarity to lead calmly.
When the right financial roles are in place:
You see problems earlier
Decisions feel steadier
Growth becomes intentional, not chaotic
If the owner wants a better business, first the business needs a better owner.
Getting the finance function right is one of the fastest ways to make that happen.
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Schedule a call to see if our approach can help take your business to #1 in your market.
No pie-in-the-sky. No generic ideas.
No hard sell.
Just straight-forward analysis of your approach to marketing and sales, team-building skills, gross and net profitability, and business transfer readiness.