Client Stories
Testimonials and project accounts from owner-managed firms we have advised across Victoria.
What clients say
The planning review gave us a single document we could put in front of our bank manager and our production manager without rewriting it for each audience. That alone justified the fee — though I wish we had done it two years earlier.Helen MarshDirector, Marsh & Cole Engineering, Geelong · Strategic Planning Review
James did not pretend the family conversation would be easy. My brother and I left the succession workshop with dates on paper for the first time. We still disagree on valuation, but at least we are arguing about specifics now.Robert YinManaging Owner, Yin Family Foods, Dandenong · Succession Planning Workshop
I was sceptical about someone watching our warehouse for two days. Priya identified three approval loops that only existed because I had never written down who could sign off on overtime. The delegation plan was blunt — exactly what I needed.Marcus ReidOwner, Reid Electrical Services, Ballarat · Operational Review Session
Catherine pushed back when we wanted twelve priorities. We ended up with four, which felt thin at first. Six months later we had finished three of them — the first time that has happened in my twenty-two years running the firm.Sandra HoltPrincipal, Holt & Partners Accounting, Bendigo · Strategic Planning Review
The written plan was thorough. Implementation has been slower than we hoped — partly our fault, partly market conditions. Lilac Field's follow-up call helped us reset without starting from scratch. I would have liked more hands-on support in month two, but the scope was clear upfront.David TranOwner, Tran Commercial Fitouts, Sunshine · Strategic Planning Review
Extended account: Marsh & Cole Engineering
Marsh & Cole, a precision engineering firm with 34 staff in Geelong, approached Lilac Field in early 2025 after a major contract renewal forced a capacity decision: invest in a second CNC line or specialise in higher-margin custom work.
The constraint: Helen Marsh, the founder’s daughter and current director, wanted growth. Her operations manager argued the skilled labour market could not support expansion. Both views were backed by partial data.
Our work: Over seven weeks we interviewed eight staff, reviewed three years of job costing, and mapped which customers were profitable after rework time. The written plan recommended specialising in medical-device components — a segment Marsh & Cole already served but had never prioritised.
Outcome: The firm deferred the CNC purchase, hired two specialist programmers, and renegotiated terms with three low-margin automotive clients. Helen reports that monthly meetings now open with the plan’s priority list rather than whichever issue shouted loudest that morning.