Sharon Gibbs
Chartered Management Accountant and Trainer
Overview
Sharon tutors on the CMI level 7 finance course and works with CMBD clients to help them improve their financial control, management and performance. She has gathered a significant level of experience through working with a number of different companies over the last 30 years with the focus in the latter half of this on those operating within the SME market.
Expertise
As a Chartered Management Accountant Sharon works closely with business owners in developing the type of reporting that enables them to steer their business. Ensuring the basic checks and balances are in place to allow the production of accurate information on which to develop their business strategy. Many businesses struggle to understand their true cost drivers. Sharon works with them to unravel which areas require their attention and to help identify the profitable work as distinct to where they may be “busy fools”. By identifying the areas that are most beneficial to the business, she helps owners to remove the pressure from the decision making process.
In addition to providing part time FD support to a select number of businesses, Sharon spends most of her time working with owners to grow their businesses through developing and understanding of their financial reporting and ensuring their staff have the skill level required to continue this development cycle.
Experience
Starting her career in the corporate world of The Boots Company PLC, Sharon received extensive training in both accountancy and a plethora of softer skills. The second half of her time with the company was spent in the logistics function where she was responsible for the interpretation of financial information to management from supervisor level upward. Providing training to all levels of management and helping them to set their own cost forecasts gave an ideal base for her future advisory role.
Moving on through pharmaceutical production and international business she took up her first FD role in the construction industry in 2000. After a very successful spell helping grow this business, an inappropriate move left her looking for a new challenge.
In 2009 she set up her own company working with companies in the SME market. Due to the timing of this project, much of her early work was with “distressed” businesses. This really brought home the need to concentrate on helping owners identify the elements of the businesses that were profitable and the need to eliminate waste both of time and other resources. Development of recovery strategies and a focus on customer service were also essential elements of this work.
Over the last 8 years Sharon has worked with over 30 companies helping them produce the results their efforts deserve.