SMB Wisdom

Episode Title: The Right Experts at the Right Time: Why Directors and Debtors Need Both Legal and Accounting Advice Before Crisis Hits
Guest: Ann O’Connell, Special Counsel – Hall & Wilcox
Host: Alice Ruhe, Partner – SMB Advisory

Episode Overview:

In this episode of SMB Wisdom, host Alice Ruhe is joined by Ann O’Connell from Hall & Wilcox to unpack the essential role that both legal and accounting advisors play in helping directors and debtors navigate financial distress—before a crisis unfolds.

Ann is a Special Counsel in dispute resolution with a strong focus on restructuring, insolvency, corporate workouts, and debt recovery. With extensive experience advising both private and public clients—ranging from SMEs to top-tier banks—Ann brings deep insight into the intersection of legal risk and commercial reality.

What We Cover:

✅ Legal vs. Accounting Advice
— When should directors engage a lawyer versus their accountant?
— How can both advisors collaborate to guide decision-making?

✅ Legal Professional Privilege
— What is it, and why is it crucial during times of financial pressure?
— How can it shape strategy before formal appointments?

✅ Beyond the Balance Sheet
— Financial health is just one part of the picture.
— What other legal risks should directors be thinking about early?

✅ Legal Risks in Employment and Leasing
— Why these areas often trip up directors during restructures.
— Common pitfalls when legal advice is overlooked.

✅ The Cost of Delay
— Why early engagement with professionals makes all the difference.
— How timely advice can help prevent escalation.

Key Takeaways:

• Early advice is good business—especially when facing financial headwinds.

• Legal professional privilege is a strategic tool, not just a protection.

• Directors need to think holistically—legal, financial, and operational risks all matter.

Connect with Ann O’Connell:
You can find Ann’s full bio and contact details in the episode notes and on our website:

Ann (Watson) O’Connell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-oconnell1/

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Until next time—be Wise in Business.

🎙️ SMB Wisdom Podcast — Episode: Building a Resilient Team with Donna Marcus

Host: Alice Ruhe, Managing Principal - QLD at SMB Advisory
Guest: Donna Marcus, Business Services Accountant & Tax Adviser, Strategem

Topic: How to Build a Resilient Team

🔍 About the Episode

In this insightful episode of SMB Wisdom, Alice Ruhe sits down with Donna Marcus, an experienced Business Services Accountant and General Manager from Strategem. to discuss practical advice and leadership insights into building resilient teams — a topic that resonates with business leaders across industries.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• What team resilience really means in a business context

• The key traits of resilient teams and why they matter

• How leadership can cultivate resilience, particularly through periods of change

• The impact of remote and hybrid work on team dynamics and adaptability

• Common mistakes leaders make that undermine resilience—and how to avoid them

📇 Connect with Donna Marcus

You can reach Donna Marcus via:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-m-38624837/

• Strategem Website: www.strategem.com.au

🔔 Don’t Miss an Episode

Subscribe to SMB Wisdom so you never miss a valuable tip from our network of expert guests. If you enjoyed today’s conversation, please rate and review the podcast — it helps others discover our show!

Join us next time, and until then — be Wise in Business.

🎙️ SMB Wisdom Podcast — Episode: Making Offers & Documenting Agreements

Guest: Allan Kawalsky, Partner at Turks Legal
Host: Alice Ruhe, Principal at SMB Advisory

#Insolvency #Contracts #BusinessLaw #LegalTips #SMBAdvisory #TurksLegal #SMBWisdom

📌 Episode Overview

In this insightful episode of the SMB Wisdom Podcast, host Alice Ruhe sits down with Allan Kawalsky, a partner at Turks Legal and an expert in insolvency and banking law.

Allan brings deep practical knowledge of how businesses can protect themselves through clear, enforceable contracts.

From horror stories that could have been prevented to expert advice on navigating high-stakes negotiations, this episode is a must-listen for any business owner aiming to reduce risk and boost legal literacy.

💡 Key Topics Covered

• Legal Requirements for Binding Offers
  What must an agreement contain to be legally enforceable under Australian law?

• Verbal vs Written Agreements
  Are handshake deals valid? When is writing a must?

• Common Drafting Mistakes
  Learn from others’ missteps and get tips to draft agreements that stick.

• Protecting Yourself in Negotiations
  How to stay safe and savvy in high-stakes contractual situations.

• Digital Contracts and e-Signatures
  Are they as reliable as pen-and-paper? Allan explains what holds up in court.

• Real-Life Legal Cautionary Tales
  Allan shares compelling (and cautionary) examples from his legal practice.

🔗 Connect with Allan Kawalsky

🌐 Allan Kawalsky | Turks

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

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📲 Share with a friend or colleague who needs legal wisdom!

Until next time — Be Wise in Business.

International Women’s Day (IWD) has come a long way—but have we really moved beyond the token gestures? In this episode of SMB Wisdom, host Alice Ruhe is joined by Radhika Kanhai to explore how IWD has shifted from simply showcasing women in the workplace to a deeper conversation about equality, representation, and action.

Together, we discuss:

🔹 How IWD has evolved beyond just one day of recognition
🔹 Why feminism must be intersectional—beyond just white women
🔹 The importance of equal representation where decisions are made
🔹 Why showing up, standing up, and sticking up every day matters

It’s not just about celebrating women—it’s about honouring the work that has come before and ensuring real change continues. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on what true equality looks like and how we can all do better.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#SMBWisdom #InternationalWomensDay #EqualityForAll #RepresentationMatters

Sapphire Parsons -Psychosocial Risk Management in the workplace.

Welcome to the SMB Wisdom Podcast, a forum to provide valued tips for business owners from an extended network of experts, on their topics of expertise and Hosted by SMB Advisory Partner, Alice Ruhe.

Alice’s guest in this episode is Sapphire Parsons of Macpherson Kelley.

Sapphire is a Senior Associate in the Employment, Safety & Migration Team at Macpherson Kelley. Her workplace relations experience spans nearly a decade, having worked within the commercial space and at national levels of the Australian union movement. Her practice covers industrial relations, employment, discrimination, and safety. In 2023, Sapphire was the Winner of the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Award for Workplace, Health, and Safety. In 2022, she was the Winner of the Rising Star of the Year (SME) Award and was a Finalist for the Innovator of the Year (Individual) Award at the 2022 Women in Law Awards. In 2022, she was also a Finalist in the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Award for Workplace, Health & Safety.

In this episode, Sapphire and Alice discuss Psychosocial Risk Management in the workplace.

You can contact Sapphire at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sapphireparsons/

You can contact SMB Wisdom at:

[email protected]

You can contact Alice Ruhe:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceruhe/

#SMBWisdom

#Podcast #smbwisdompodcast #businesspodcast #businesstips

SMB Wisdom | SMB AdvisorySMB WisdomInstagram (@smbwisdom)Alice RuheInstagram (@alice_ruhe)

Well we have made it to the end of 2023 (almost!) and in this special Reflections Series, SMB Wisdom Host Alice Ruhe sits down with a series of guests to discuss the milestones they reached, challenges they faced and lessons they learnt throughout the course of 2023.

In this episode Alice speaks with Donna Marcus of Strategem.

Welcome to another new episode of SMB Wisdom. In this installment, Alice Talks to David Kreltszheim from Cornwalls about The ever-evolving world of crypto and its impact on business.

David has worked for leading national and international firms for over 20 years. David’s clients have included the 4 major Australian banks, several international banks, Australian and international fintech companies as well as the Commonwealth and State Governments.

David has significant skills and experience in banking and finance and insolvency, and any new regulations affecting these sectors and business and government more generally.

One of David’s key strengths is his ability to master new areas of practice and any regulations that are relevant to his specialities. David seeks to be a thought leader, presenting and publishing regularly on new law and its implications for business.

With 6 years’ experience working in the legal arm of an international accounting and consulting firm, David works effectively in multidisciplinary teams with IT, information risk management, audit and business process re-engineering professionals.