Award winning accountant and business coach Haylee Wrenn has launched an affordable online programme to help small business owners recover from the financial impact of Covid-19.
Business 180 delivers a helping hand to anyone needing financial management, work-life balance and mental health support tools.
Wrenn says seeing too many anxious, stressed and burnt-out clients giving up on their businesses during Covid made her decide she needed to be part of the solution, so she developed an affordable online programme.
“Far too often, I’ve watched accountancy fail small businesses,” the former IRD debt collector explains.
“Doing tax returns is one thing, but nobody teaches you how to go into business and do it well, providing essential, practical information to help people really look after themselves. I couldn’t find anything else in the market to capture business owners when they’re in a dark place, especially in such challenging times.”
Business 180 is designed to assist businesses under immediate threat, covering topics such as assessing business health, company viability, as well as exploring exactly what happens when a business is liquidated or bankrupted. It outlines what mechanisms are in place to support people’s mental wellbeing. The content is innovative and interactive, provided through quizzes, self-assessment tools, case studies and interviews.
Broken into separate modules, which can be undertaken online at business owners’ own pace, the Business 180 programme begins with ‘Is Your Business in Trouble?’
The module also offers professional psychotherapy guidance around managing stress and encouraging business owners to prioritise themselves and their wellbeing.
“Many of my clients struggle with mental health, which has a knock-on impact on their physical health such as high blood pressure,” says Haylee.
“In the most severe and heart-breaking cases, I’ve seen stress-related suicide, while others have lost their livelihood due to stress-induced illnesses, impacting their children and eventually ending their marriage.”
Each Business 180 module takes between three and five hours to work through, and there are various pricing options available.
All modules also offer regular access to Haylee’s expertise and a closed Facebook group providing valuable peer support.
“This really is what I’m passionate about and my life’s work – empowering small business owners through education and practical assistance,” says Wrenn.