SMALL BIZ OPTIMIZE | SME BUSINESS ADVISORY
Practical business advisory and strategic consulting, backed by real-world experience.
Running a successful business takes more than ambition and hard work. It requires sound decisions, capable people, effective systems and the ability to adapt.
At Small Biz Optimize, we help Australian small and medium business owners overcome challenges, improve performance and make informed decisions about their future.
Led by Mahtab Lahijany (Matty), our boutique advisory practice brings nearly 18 years of hands-on business ownership, commercial judgment and creative problem-solving to every engagement.
A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO BUSINESS ADVICE
Every business has its own challenges, opportunities and ambitions. Behind the financial statements and daily operations are people who have invested their time, resources and energy into building something meaningful.
We believe good business advice begins with listening.
Before recommending changes, we take the time to understand your business, what matters to you and what may be holding you back.
Our role is to bring clarity to complex situations, challenge assumptions constructively and help turn good decisions into practical action.
Because building a better business should also mean building a better future for the people behind it.
How we help
Whether you need a fresh perspective, stronger operations or support with an important commercial decision, our services focus on building sustainable business capability.
Business Coaching
Stronger leadership. Clearer decisions. Greater confidence. Business ownership can be rewarding, but it can also be demanding and isolating. We work with owners to clarify priorities, strengthen decision-making, improve accountability and develop their leadership capabilities. The objective is to help you become a more effective business owner while reducing unnecessary dependency on your daily involvement.
Strategic Business Consulting
Understand the challenges. Identify opportunities. Take action. We examine the systems, people, processes and commercial decisions that influence business performance. From operational improvement and strategic planning to cost management and business turnaround, we help identify practical solutions aligned with your resources and objectives.
Business Buying & Selling
Better information for important commercial decisions. Buying or selling a business involves more than negotiating a price. We help assess operational strengths, earnings quality, owner dependency, commercial risks and opportunities for improvement. Our focus is on helping buyers and owners understand the evidence behind a business's value and make more informed decisions.
Our Approach
Three interconnected pillars for a stronger, more resilient business.
We see every business as a living system. Its people, operations, finances, customers and leadership must work together to create sustainable results. Our advisory methodology simplifies this complexity into three essential areas.
Strengthen the foundations.
Create effective operations, capable teams, clear responsibilities and reliable systems that allow your business to function consistently.
Deliver genuine customer value.
Understand your market, improve products and services, strengthen customer relationships and deliver what your customers value.
Measure what matters.
Examine business performance, profitability, risks and opportunities. Use evidence to guide decisions, strengthen resilience and plan for the future.
Build the capability. Serve the market. Evaluate the value.
Meet the Principal Advisor
Principal Business Advisor | Entrepreneur | Business Owner
Matty has spent nearly 18 years building, acquiring, managing, improving and selling businesses.
Her professional background combines business ownership with food science, agricultural engineering and audit engineering, giving her an analytical yet practical approach to commercial challenges.
Her experience spans vocational training, hospitality, product innovation, international commerce and research-led business development.
She understands that business decisions are rarely straightforward. Owners must balance financial realities, employees, customer expectations, changing markets and their own personal goals.
Matty’s approach begins with listening, examining the evidence and working collaboratively to identify practical opportunities for improvement.
She believes a successful business should create value for customers, support the people within it and provide greater independence for its owner.
Business Experience That Goes Beyond Theory
Our approach has been shaped by real ownership responsibilities, commercial decisions and the challenges of operating businesses across different industries.
Business Acquisition & Operational Improvement Acquired an established training organisation generating approximately $1 million in annual revenue through a business cash-flow-funded arrangement. Reduced unnecessary overheads, improved operational systems, developed the sales team and introduced automation to reduce daily owner involvement.
Business Turnaround & Exit Acquired an underperforming hospitality business, invested in improvements and developed additional revenue opportunities. The business was subsequently sold in two stages for a combined $125,000.
Product Innovation & International Commerce Co-founded and developed a specialist saffron business, managing product development, supplier relationships, quality systems and international sales. Established automated sales and operational processes to reduce routine owner involvement.
Research, Innovation & Business Development Co-developed an agritech business concept integrating research, technology and strategic planning. The concept achieved fifth place nationally in a multi-round business competition.
Good advice should lead to meaningful progress. Our approach is structured, practical and flexible enough to reflect each business’s circumstances.
We begin with your goals, challenges, priorities and understanding of your business.
We review relevant information, business systems and performance to distinguish facts from assumptions.
Together, we determine which issues and opportunities deserve attention first.
We translate findings into achievable actions, clear responsibilities and measures of progress.
We provide guidance, coaching and constructive feedback as agreed changes are introduced.
We review outcomes, learn from the evidence and adjust the approach where necessary. Our purpose is not to make decisions for you, but to help you make better-informed decisions with greater confidence.
A business advisor helps you understand what’s working, identify what’s holding your business back and make informed decisions about what comes next. At Small Biz Optimize, we provide practical guidance on business strategy, operations, growth and long-term planning, tailored to your circumstances.
You don’t have to be struggling to benefit from business advice. Perhaps growth has slowed, profits aren’t where they should be, or you’re considering a major change. An outside perspective can help you identify opportunities, challenge assumptions and prioritise your next steps before small issues become expensive problems.
Business coaching focuses on developing your confidence, decision-making and leadership skills. Consulting focuses more directly on analysing business challenges and recommending practical solutions. At Small Biz Optimize, we draw on both approaches depending on what you and your business need.
Yes. We work with business owners who want to strengthen existing operations, improve profitability, explore new opportunities or prepare for their next stage of growth. Our approach begins with understanding your current position before recommending changes that make commercial sense.
Yes. We provide strategic advisory support for business owners and prospective buyers, including business readiness, operational assessment, growth opportunities and transition planning. Where specialist legal, accounting or licensed transaction services are required, we encourage clients to engage appropriately qualified professionals.
Our advice is grounded in practical business ownership experience, not just theory. Led by Mahtab Lahijany (Matty), we take time to understand the people, operations and commercial realities behind each business. Our Build. Serve. Evaluate. approach keeps recommendations practical, collaborative and focused on meaningful progress.
Yes. Although Small Biz Optimize has roots in Brisbane, we work with Australian business owners across different locations through online consultations and suitable remote advisory arrangements. The best working arrangement depends on your business needs and the nature of the engagement.
The cost depends on your business needs, the complexity of the work and the level of ongoing support required. We begin by understanding your situation, then discuss an appropriate scope of services and pricing before you make a commitment. Our aim is to provide clear expectations and practical value.
Every business is different. Some improvements, such as clearer priorities or better processes, can begin relatively quickly. Others, including profitability, operational change and sustainable growth, require more time. We focus on realistic actions, measurable progress and adapting the strategy as circumstances change.
We start by listening. You’ll have the opportunity to explain your business, current challenges, objectives and what you’d like to achieve. We’ll discuss where advisory support may be useful and identify suitable next steps. The conversation helps determine whether we’re the right fit to work together.
A fresh perspective can be the beginning of meaningful progress.
Whether you’re looking to strengthen operations, develop your leadership, explore growth opportunities or make an important commercial decision, we’re here to listen.
Tell us a little about your business and what you hope to achieve.
Small Biz Optimize | Boutique Business Advisory | Coaching | Strategic Consulting
Brisbane, Queensland | Supporting Australian Businesses
