Salsbury & Co., established in 2015, is not your typical accounting, human resources and consulting firm. Instead, think of Salsbury & Co. as an extension of your team, ready to assess your company’s operations. The team at Salsbury & Co. features seasoned professionals in a variety of departments allowing them to offer you the best solution to your goals. In this interview, owner of Salsbury & Co. April Salsbury shares about this local firm and how the staff at Salsbury & Co. is ready to assist businesses of all types.
Given such a wide array of services, how would you define what Salsbury & Co. does?
Our goal is to have one place where a company can feel like we are an extension of their own team. Although we’re not always on-site, we’re there right next to them helping every step of the way with open communication and remarkable flexibility to accommodate their needs. I think it’s those aspects of how we work and what we do within the services we offer that really makes us different and stand out, creating and continuing long lasting relationships with our clients.
On the consulting side, as an example, we typically work with the owner as if we were the owner of the company. For some of our clients, we run the entire business side for them, which allows the owner to pursue their passion. Whether that be working with patients, working on cars, doing the design work – whatever it may be – we like to take care of everything and be involved as much as we can. We have staff meetings with their team, we make all the decisions in the business and help the organization reach the owner’s unique goals. Recently, for many of our clients we filed their PPP loans, forgiveness applications, EIDL applications, and even interact with their bankers and insurance companies.
We take the operational element out of the mix for the business owner, all the while meeting with them regularly to keep them informed so they understand the decisions that are being made but have opportunity to have input. For less than the cost of a single employee, the business owner gets access to an entire team ready to assist – it’s one of the benefits of hiring Salsbury & Co.
Was this type of concierge all-service consulting business your initial mission for Salsbury & Co.?
No, before this I was a CEO giving talks to small-business owners about a lot of different aspects of running a business. It was frustrating to me because I was always getting the same questions asked each time. At the end of the day, the structure of business to be successful is the same. The only thing that needs to change is the customization to each owner’s ideals and goals.
Could you give me an idea of what growth you’ve seen lately?
Well, to give you an idea, pre-COVID we were at a rate of typically onboarding three to four clients a month, but since last year, we are at a rate of onboarding a new three to four clients a week. I think we’ve hit a point of earned trust in our community in addition to brand recognition, business development and ecstatic client referrals that are contributing to great momentum.
What’s your favorite part about onboarding a new client?
Oh, wow, so many things! Business fascinates me. Especially the stories like how they got into business – I often seen these incredible businesses with incredible journeys that just “happen” as the owners have little-to-no prior knowledge about operations. Simply, they worked hard and made it happen. About 35% of our business is healthcare, the other parts are made up from manufacturing, retail, automotive and environmental services – really every industry you can imagine. We welcome everyone.
Why do your clients sign on to work with Salsbury & Co.?
It depends on their goals. There was one client who came to us wanting to sell their business within three to five years. Not only did we help them sell it, we helped them more than double the revenue of the business during that time – increasing annual revenues from around $800,000 to $2.4 million. Others come to us because they hit a standstill and realize they don’t know what they don’t know. More and more owners are recognizing the benefits of delegating work.
What’s your biggest takeaway from how a client of yours stays successful?
Open-mindedness and confidence. The hardest thing is our own mindset that gets in the way. It’s those business owners that are open to new or different ideas and keep moving forward who stay successful. Realize you don’t know what you don’t know and look to the right people to help you.
Article brought to you by the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.
