Pearson Trueman & Associates

Start Up Rank: 4
Revenue: $6,589,957
Founder(s): Suzanne Pearson, Shannon Trueman
Industry: Property and business services
Head Office: Victoria
Employees: 49
Website: www.pearsontrueman.com

Undergoing change is a difficult task for any company to handle, and many collapse in the process.

Suzanne Pearson and Shannon Trueman of Pearson Trueman & Associations noticed the trend, and began a business helping other companies in the process of changing things up.

It counts government departments and major corporations, including ANZ and KPMG, as its major clients and provides services including technical writing, instructional design, documentation and resourcing.

Trueman says the company had noticed a number of organisations spending millions introducing new structures and processes, and decided she and Pearson could offer a more dedicated service.

"It may be an organisation going through changes due to the global financial crisis. These businesses might be changing up internal structures to make themselves more competitive, and go through a phase of asking how they do that."

"We then work with them to articulate what those changes are going to be, and discuss the lay of the land, so to speak, when those changes are complete. We also provide communications materials for employees to ensure these projects are successful."

The changes can range from simple reshuffles to major restructures, and Trueman says the company is "anal in the way we approach things".

"There have been times where you get to the pointy end of a project, and you have to work some extra hours and make sure everything is in control. We haven't had anything go majorly wrong, but every project does have its own challenges, and every engagement its own personality."

But despite Pearson's careful control of the business, there have been problems. She says challenges have included managing a positive cashflow, developing a whole new business plan and ensuring the skills of employees match the company's needs.

Pearson has also moved the company on an ambitious streak of accreditation programs, and says that "if we hadn't done that, then we would be in trouble".

"We have a lot of organisations looking to take our advice, and many are asking companies like ours for more evidence of accreditation. And we have to give it to them, because they're inevitably going to ask for some type of evidence we can do what we say we do."

She says the move is just one of the ways the company is continuing to rethink the way it goes about delivering its services. The company's short-term goal is to reach $10 million in revenue, and with 2008-09 results of $6.5 million, the business is well on its way.

MOST CHALLENGING PART OF STARTING YOUR BUSINESS:

"Staffing is always an issue, having the right levels of skills and a good mix. That is probably a good challenge."