When the firm has outgrown the way it’s run.
Operating Design Advisory | Governance & Board Advisory | Speaking & Industry Engagement
Operating Design Advisory
Governance & Board Advisory
Speaking & Industry Engagement
Strategic advisory for established accounting, advisory and professional-services firms.
As firms grow and evolve, the way they’re managed and decisions are made doesn’t always keep pace.
I work with owners, executives and boards to identify what’s holding their firm back, recommend what needs to change and work with the people responsible to put those decisions into practice.
You know something needs to change. Making it happen is the hard part.
You’ve appointed managers, but partners are still making decisions that should sit elsewhere.
Responsibilities overlap. Decisions are agreed but don’t translate into action. People are held accountable for outcomes they don’t have the authority to deliver.
Revenue may be growing, but profitability and capacity aren’t keeping pace.
These issues often become more apparent during periods of change. A new management appointment, another partner joining the business, an acquisition, succession or the introduction of a board.
The business has evolved, but the way it’s run hasn’t kept up.
And the people inside it are often too close, too busy or too involved to work out how to change it.
That’s where an independent perspective, commercial judgement and a clear recommendation can make the difference.
How I help firms operate and perform better
My advisory work focuses on two complementary areas.
Operating Design Advisory
How the firm is run.
I work with owners and executive teams to understand what’s constraining performance and design how management, responsibilities, decisions and commercial accountability should work.
Sometimes the issue is a Practice Manager who’s responsible for workflow and team performance but still needs partner approval for routine decisions.
Sometimes it’s a management team that agrees on priorities but struggles to carry them through.
And sometimes the firm has grown or changed so significantly that its existing structures are no longer appropriate.
I diagnose where things are breaking down, recommend what needs to change and help establish a better way for the business to operate.
I work with the people responsible for implementing those decisions, helping them develop the authority, capability and management discipline to make the changes work in practice and last.
The objective is a firm that makes better decisions, has clear ownership and performs without constant senior intervention.
Governance & Board Advisory
How the firm is governed.
As organisations become more complex, the arrangements that once worked for ownership, management and oversight may no longer be appropriate.
I advise owners, executives and boards on governance structures, decision-making responsibilities, accountability and effective oversight.
This work can become particularly important when firms are navigating succession, acquisitions, ownership changes, new leadership structures or the establishment of a board.
I bring an independent, commercially grounded perspective to the decisions and arrangements that shape how the organisation is governed.
The objective is governance that supports effective decisions, appropriate accountability and the long-term interests of the business.
Experience, judgement and a practical way forward.
I start by understanding what’s actually happening inside the business.
That means looking beyond the organisational chart or the latest strategy document to understand the numbers, how decisions are made, who’s responsible for what and where things aren’t working as intended.
It also means understanding the issues that don’t always make it onto a meeting agenda.
I’ll challenge assumptions, ask the difficult questions and tell you what I think needs to change.
From there, we establish a clear way forward, including the decisions to be made, the responsibilities to be assigned and the people who will carry the work through.
Where the engagement involves changes to how the business operates, I remain involved with the people responsible for making those changes, helping them build the capability and authority to operate differently.
Often, I’m also the person an owner or executive can talk to about matters they can’t comfortably raise inside their own firm.
Someone who understands the commercial realities, can listen without an agenda and will challenge their thinking when it’s needed.
Good advice is measured by whether the firm runs differently afterwards.
Trusted for judgement, experience and perspective.
“Toni’s role extended beyond consultancy; she became an integral part of our executive discussions. Her ability to connect and engage with the Board was evident in her articulate presentations and insightful guidance during our meetings.”
Managing Director, Professional Services Firm
“Toni delivers strategic and effective executive governance and project advisory support. Her active participation at a board level provides invaluable direction and insight.”
Director, Professional Services Group
“Her incredible ability to connect with anyone on a meaningful level is matched by her readiness to roll up her sleeves, get it done, and lead courageously, especially when the going gets tough—all while sharing a laugh along the way.”
Founder & Director, Professional Services Business
“Toni’s strategic insights and guidance fuelled my career development, empowering me to rise through the ranks with newfound confidence and competence.”
Business Operations Manager
Meet Toni Eisenhut
Chartered Accountant. Lawyer. Former CEO & Managing Director. Strategic Advisor.
I’ve spent my career working inside and alongside professional-services businesses, helping them grow, evolve and navigate the challenges that come with increasing complexity.
I helped build and grow a professional-services firm from inception to $4M in revenue and a team of 27, before moving into executive leadership within a larger $17M multidisciplinary group.
I’ve experienced firsthand the pressures of managing growth, making difficult decisions, navigating competing priorities and balancing the commercial and human sides of running a business.
I’ve sat in the seat of the people I now advise.
That experience shapes how I work today.
I understand that decisions affecting people, performance, ownership and the future of a business are rarely straightforward.
And I understand the value of having someone independent who can see the bigger picture, challenge your thinking and help you decide what to do next.
Through Your Business Confidante, I bring that experience to owners, executives and boards who want their businesses to operate and perform better.
Speaking & Industry Engagement
The way we run businesses shapes more than their performance.
It shapes the experiences of the people who lead them, work in them and depend on them.
Drawing on my experience building, leading and advising professional-services firms, I contribute to industry conversations about why organisations outgrow the way they’re run, what prevents meaningful change and the commercial and human consequences when things stop working.
My interests span organisational performance, decision-making, management accountability and the relationship between business success and the lives of the people behind it.
I welcome opportunities to contribute to industry events, professional education, panel discussions and speaking engagements.
Let’s have a conversation.
If your firm has reached a point where the way it’s run needs to change, I’d welcome a confidential conversation.
We’ll discuss what’s happening, what you’ve already tried and whether I’m the right person to help.