PrincipleFocus

It’s not about what you know, it’s about what you notice.

That was just one of the learnings our Senior Consultant, Sarah Nash, brought back from Mindshop's incredible Australasian Conference in Melbourne recently - and what an event it was.

As a leading coaching and resource hub for advisory services, Mindshop brought together some of the nation’s leading business advisors together for two days of focused discussion on the future of advisory services as well as trends in AI, technology and leadership.

Keynote speeches from Adam Spencer and Alisa Camplin were among the other highlights of the event, and it was wonderful to catch up with the likes of Emma Olsen at Flor Hanley over the course of the event.

Stay tuned for more Mindshop insights from Sarah to come.

Tax, a tall coffee, and a ten minute commute - that's just a few of Pious' favourite things, and we're very fortunate to have him as our Tax Advisor here at PrincipleFocus.

We pulled Pious aside for a quick chat about his work, and here's what he had to say:

📍What is your role at PrincipleFocus?

I am a Tax Advisor. At PrincipleFocus, our work begins with understanding the family: what they want to achieve, what matters to them and where they want the business to go. Drawing on my legal background and tax experience, my role is to translate those objectives into practical structuring and succession strategies. This means considering not only the immediate tax outcome but also ownership, control, asset protection and governance over the longer term.
I work alongside our client managers on business structuring and restructuring, succession planning and governance for multigenerational enterprises. Most of our clients are farming families and helping them build wealth, protect it and pass it to the next generation is work worth getting up for each morning. The coffee helps.

📍Any words of wisdom for farming families who are starting their succession planning journey?

Succession is not an event that begins when someone is ready to retire. The conversation should begin much earlier, as the next generation’s strengths, personalities and ambitions emerge. This allows the family to create an environment in which each person can develop and thrive in the role that best suits them, whether that is on the farm or elsewhere. Gone are the days when succession simply meant transferring the farm to whichever child came back. Good succession planning creates choices that reflect different ambitions. Off-farm investment, on-farm management and the eventual transition of ownership and control should be considered together. Done well, succession can preserve both the farming enterprise and family relationships. Done badly, the Supreme Court can become the theatre in which the family fights.

📍 What is one piece of advice you find yourself giving family businesses most often?

Be clear about the intended commercial and family outcomes before choosing the legal or tax structure. Trusts, companies, rollovers and concessions are tools rather than the starting point. The right structure is one that serves the family’s objectives, protects the business and remains workable for the next generation.

📍If you had to choose, what is the best part about living and working in regional Australia?

My commute is 10 minutes. After living in Sydney for more than a decade, I never take that for granted. In regional Australia, you develop a genuine understanding of your clients, their businesses and the communities in which they operate. I now understand the practical value of a rain gauge and will soon be putting one in my own backyard. The advice we give has visible consequences. You can see how it helps preserve a farming enterprise, support a family through transition or position a regional business for its next stage. That combination of community, trust and practical purpose is difficult to beat.

Exciting news.

PrincipleFocus is delighted and privileged to announce the appointment of Hannah Russ, Rebecca Pryor and Greg Carolan as directors of the company, effective from 1 August 2026.

Hannah, Rebecca and Greg have a combined experience of more than 70 years in business, farming and professional services. They each have previously been responsible for managing our client service teams, promoting the forward-thinking culture at PrincipleFocus, advising clients on key business decisions and supporting clients in meeting their compliance obligations. They are more than ready for the next step.

Their appointment, combined with several new team members joining our team over the past 12 months, and the change of responsibilities in our business, will provide improved client communication and service, and increased functionality to address client projects; whether that be a farm succession project, restructuring client businesses or expanding business through new strategies or acquisitions.

The announcement is a prelude to our own succession plan. Yes, just as with our farming clients, a succession process is critical to the future of the business.

We trust you will join us in wishing them well in their new and deserved roles, and I have every confidence the business is in very safe hands as I depart on annual leave.

From 6 August through to 7 September, I will be taking some time out of the office, and I look forward to returning refreshed and ready for the next exciting chapter here at PrincipleFocus.

-Pete, on behalf of The PrincipleFocus Team.

There's nothing like a few schnitzels to celebrate the end of the financial year.

Recently, the PrincipleFocus team ventured out to the Milestone Hotel in Dubbo to mark the end of FY26, and getting our team around the table was a great reminder of what fantastic staff we have on deck.

If you'd like to join a driven team that's enabling farm businesses to thrive, visit the PrincipleFocus website today to explore our current vacancies.

We are currently seeking the following positions to join our team:

📌 Client Administration Coordinator
📌 Business Administration Coordinator

Claiming fuel tax credits?
Temporary changes to the fuel tax credit and road user charge have added a layer of complexity to fuel tax credit calculations in 2026.
Find out more below.

Your next opportunity awaits.

We’re seeking a self-directed, authentic and focused Business Administration Coordinator to join the PrincipleFocus team. Based in our Dubbo office, this full-time role will see you support, develop and manage the business administration and revenue functions for PrincipleFocus while supporting with select services for our valued clients.

To find out more or apply today, visit the PrincipleFocus website.

🔗 principlefocus.com.au/join-us

Join Us | Current Opportunities — PrincipleFocus Explore current career opportunities with PrincipleFocus, a regional advisory service delivering proactive business solutions for regional and agricultural families. Join our team today.

Our very own Nicolette Vaughan joined this recent webinar to unpack how AgriWebb & Figured's new integration can generate value and efficiencies for farm businesses.

To hear what Nicolette had to say, click the link below to access the webinar recording.

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Webinar: Linking production and financial planning Learn how connecting livestock performance and farm finances gives producers like Josh Walter the clarity to plan ahead and act with confidence.