Get your business sorted, without everything depending on you
I’m Christine Abela, an Oxygen8 business consultant based in Timaru. I work with established South Canterbury business owners who want better control, stronger profits and a business that does not rely on them to keep everything moving.
Together, we identify what is holding the business back and put the practical structures in place to change it. That may involve strategy, financial performance, leadership, accountability, systems, marketing or automation, depending on what the business actually needs.
Best suited to established owner-operated businesses with a team, growing complexity and an owner who is carrying too much.
South Canterbury-based | More than 30 years working with business owners | Strategic advice combined with practical implementation
Has the business become too dependent on you?
You may have good staff, loyal customers and plenty of work, but still feel as though you are the person holding everything together.
Decisions come back to you. Problems wait for you. Important work gets pushed aside because something more urgent has appeared. Revenue may be growing without producing the profit, cash or personal freedom it should.
These problems rarely have one simple cause. They can come from unclear direction, weak financial visibility, inconsistent execution, poorly defined responsibilities, missing systems or growth that has outpaced the way the business is managed.
You may recognise some of this:
- You are working harder than the business’s results justify.
- Staff are busy, but priorities and accountability are unclear.
- You cannot easily see which jobs, customers or activities make money.
- Too many decisions, customer issues and approvals still come through you.
- Systems have grown piecemeal and people do things differently.
- You know the business needs to change, but finding the time and deciding where to start are difficult.
My job is to help you find the real constraint, agree on the priorities and follow through until the changes become part of the way the business operates.
Business advice that leads to practical change
Some consultants give you a report. Some coaches help you arrive at your own answers. I work alongside you to understand the business, challenge the thinking where necessary and help turn decisions into practical action.
We start with the whole business rather than assuming the answer is marketing, technology, cost-cutting or another new tool. Once we know what is getting in the way, we can work on the right combination of direction, numbers, people, execution, systems and growth.
My background in business consulting, programming, websites, marketing and automation means I can often see the connections between problems that are usually treated separately. It also means our discussions can move beyond what you should do and into how it can actually be implemented.
Ready to talk about what needs to change in your business?
Understand what is really happening
Get an objective view of the whole business, including direction, financial performance, workload, people, systems and owner dependency. Identify the few issues that deserve attention first.
Turn decisions into action
Build a stronger, less dependent business
A South Canterbury business consultant who can work alongside you
I live and work in Timaru and primarily support business owners throughout South Canterbury, including Timaru, Temuka, Geraldine, Waimate, Mackenzie and Ashburton.
Being nearby makes in-person meetings and on-site work practical when they will help. It also means I understand the realities of running a regional New Zealand business, including smaller employment markets, close business networks and the importance of reputation.
I also work online with clients elsewhere in New Zealand and Australia where my experience is a particularly good fit.
When technology, marketing or automation is part of the answer, I can help with that too. But we fix the underlying business process first. There is no value in automating chaos.
The Oxygen8 approach
Oxygen8 provides structured, ongoing business consulting for owners who want measurable improvement rather than another burst of ideas that disappears into day-to-day work.
We assess the whole business, identify where profit, capacity or business value is being lost, and establish a practical programme of improvement. Regular meetings provide the discipline to review the numbers, make decisions and keep agreed work moving.
You work directly with me, with the additional experience and resources of the wider Oxygen8 network behind us.
See how Oxygen8 consulting works
Start with a confidential discussion
We will talk about what is happening in the business, what you would like to change and what has already been tried. I will ask some direct questions and give you an honest view of whether I am likely to be the right person to help.
If there appears to be a good fit, the next step is a structured assessment of the business. This gives us a shared view of the priorities before we commit time and money to solving them.
Book a time with Christine
No charge and no obligation.
Practical Advice for Business Owners
Thoughts on business performance, owner dependency, leadership, systems and using technology sensibly.
Ready to get your business sorted?
Let’s talk about what is happening now, what you want to change and whether I am the right person to help.