CFO & FINANCE SUPPORT SERVICES

×

Akana Ittatoba – Scalable Financial Infrastructure and Strategic Growth Advisory

Established in 2023, Akana Ittatoba is a proudly Indigenous-owned enterprise based in Australia and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Akana Group (USA). With a mission to deliver culturally responsive logistics, procurement, and infrastructure solutions across Australia and beyond, Akana Ittatoba engaged SandS Australia to build its entire financial and operational backbone from inception.

Our CFO & Finance Support Services team continues to provide strategic direction, financial clarity, and operational strength to enable sustainable, values-driven growth.

What We Delivered:

• Complete Financial System Setup: Implemented Xero with a fully customised chart of accounts, automated workflows, payroll integration, and compliance-aligned reporting tools.
• Governance and Control Frameworks: Designed role clarity structures, delegation matrices, and internal controls across procurement, finance, and compliance areas.
• Commercial Strategy & Feasibility Advisory: Led commercial modelling and cost-benefit assessments for high-value projects, including a proposed USD 150M crane acquisition and a strategic Guam port logistics opportunity.
• Organisational Design and Resourcing Strategy: Developed internal structure to support national-scale operations while upholding cultural integrity and community employment values.
• Performance Monitoring & Risk Management: Established KPI frameworks, reporting dashboards, and a centralised risk register linked to real-time financial and operational performance.
• Strategic Joint Venture Formation: Supported the setup of a U.S.-based joint venture with Gray Snow, a leading Native American enterprise, positioning Akana Ittatoba for cross-border logistics, defence, and supply chain opportunities in both Australia and the U.S.

Outcomes:

• ✅ Transitioned from startup phase to a nationally-operating, audit-ready enterprise within 12 months
• ✅ Successfully entered government procurement pipelines across Australia
• ✅ Strengthened reputation as a high-performing, Indigenous-led business partner
• ✅ Secured strategic partnerships across logistics, infrastructure, and government sectors
• ✅ Built a scalable foundation aligned with long-term cultural, economic, and operational goals

Why It Matters:

In an environment where cultural values must co-exist with commercial agility, Akana Ittatoba has emerged as a standout model. Through hands-on, strategic CFO support, SandS Australia enabled the business to go from concept to capability backed by strong systems, meaningful partnerships, and a clear growth trajectory both in Australia and internationally.

×

Akana Mills – Seamless Operational Launch and Sales Readiness from Day One

Launched in 2024 as a joint venture between Akana Ittatoba and Mills Corp, Akana Mills is led by NBA champion and proud Indigenous leader Patty Mills. With a bold mission to uplift communities through culturally aligned procurement and employment, Akana Mills required an efficient and scalable business structure from day one.

SandS Australia was engaged as the trusted partner to lead the operational, financial, and strategic setup.

What We Delivered:

• Finance System Setup: Implemented Xero from the ground up, including payroll, budgeting, expense tracking, invoicing, and reporting structures.
• Sales Readiness and Quoting Frameworks: Designed and embedded quoting systems and margin control templates to enable fast, accurate tender responses.
• Inventory and Procurement Structure: Built scalable workflows to support inventory mapping, supplier engagement, and logistics tailored for remote delivery environments.
• Strategic Partnership Assessment: Supported Akana Mills in evaluating early-stage partnership opportunities, ensuring alignment with their commercial, community, and capacity objectives.
• Risk Controls and Governance: Developed risk registers, internal controls, and role clarity documentation to build internal capability from day one.
• Launch Planning: Delivered back-office systemisation, operational documentation, and compliance guidance for a smooth go-live.

Outcomes:

• ✅ Akana Mills launched with robust, compliant, and scalable systems that enabled them to hit the ground running
• ✅ Secured early supplier and employment-related partnerships in the Northern Territory
• ✅ Aligned operational frameworks to Indigenous procurement and reporting requirements
• ✅ Leadership empowered with tools to track delivery, manage risk, and grow strategically

Why It Matters:

In a sector where many startups struggle to convert vision into sustainable delivery, Akana Mills launched with clarity, systems, and strategic foresight. SandS Australia's structured support enabled the team to enter the market with purpose, performance, and deep community impact from day one.

×

Rebuilding Financial Integrity for a Growing Law Firm: Betts Law Company

When Betts Law Company (BLC), a fast-growing legal practice, approached S & S Australia in December 2023, they were navigating financial growth with a fragmented and non-compliant accounting setup. Despite working with an external provider, their internal systems lacked structure, audit readiness, and operational clarity, placing the firm at significant legal and compliance risk.

Recognising the urgency and long-term implications, Donald Betts, an accomplished business leader, former U.S. State Senator, and the visionary Principal of BLC steered the firm with clarity and a growth mindset. His strong governance instincts, shaped by years of public service and deep legal insight, enabled him to make timely strategic decisions that positioned the firm for scale and compliance. His leadership created the ideal conditions for S & S Australia to implement financial transformation with precision, discipline, and long-term vision.

What We Delivered:

• Rebuilt financial systems from scratch, ensuring full statutory and trust account compliance
• Restored Xero and Smokeball systems, correcting misclassified data, unreconciled entries, and missing audit trails
• Resolved legacy non-compliances and successfully passed multiple VLSB trust audits
• Developed full-cycle AP, AR, payroll, and reporting systems, improving visibility, reliability, and sustainability
• Enabled a smooth migration to LEAP, building the platform manually to reduce costs and ensure compliance

Financial Systems & Compliance Transformation:

BLC's Smokeball and Xero systems were critically misaligned with incorrect transaction dates, missing GST, unreconciled ledgers, and undocumented expenses. SandS:

• Rebuilt both systems from the ground up,
• Corrected financial records and restored accurate compliance workflows,
• Resolved all outstanding BAS submissions, and
• Enabled real-time financial visibility and reporting.

Our work ensured BLC passed the FY24 and FY25 trust audits despite inherited issues, safeguarding their professional standing.

Ongoing Support & Cash Flow Management:

In early 2025, during a period of evolving financial priorities, we worked closely with Donald, whose background as a U.S. Senator and visionary business leader brought deep strategic thinking to the table. With his proactive leadership and our weekly financial reviews, real-time forecasting, and tailored advisory support, we ensured confident decision-making, maintained momentum, and laid strong foundations for scalable growth.

Legal Practice Management Advisory:

As part of our broader CFO support services, we also:

• Led the migration from Smokeball to LEAP, manually building trust accounting and matter tracking structures
• Developed performance frameworks, dashboards, and billing KPIs tailored to legal operations
• Trained staff in new systems and SOPs to embed process efficiency

Results:

• ✅ 100% compliance with VLSB standards
• ✅ Zero disruptions during major system transitions
• ✅ Improved fee recovery and billing accuracy
• ✅ Reduced admin burden on legal staff through structured financial processes
• ✅ Ongoing strategic partnership and financial clarity for sustainable growth

Betts Law Company didn't just get an outsourced accountant. With Donald Betts' forward-thinking leadership and proven record in public service and business, they gained a true strategic partner. Together with S & S Australia, BLC transformed its operations, reinforced trust and compliance, and set the foundation for confident, long-term expansion.

×

Parable Productions – Strategic Financial Management and Efficiency Gains

Parable Productions engaged our services to manage their full finance function and bring structure to a rapidly evolving creative business. Our team worked closely with them to streamline reporting, resolve historical issues, and support key financial processes with efficiency and accuracy.

High-Impact IR Log That Delivered Cost Savings

One of our key contributions was developing and maintaining Parable's IR (Income Recognition) Log using a highly customised Excel model. This log replaced the need for costly software and enabled the team to track contracts and revenue accurately, saving the business thousands of dollars while maintaining flexibility and clarity.

AASB-Compliant Reporting and Valuation Support

We ensured all financial work adhered to Australian Accounting Standards (AASBs), which laid the foundation for reliable reporting and accurate business valuation. Our approach gave the client confidence in their financial data and supported long-term strategic planning.

Backlog Resolution and Resource Optimisation

We inherited significant backlogs and accounting mismatches, which we resolved through systematic clean-up and reconciliation. We also matched the right resources to the right tasks, optimising the workflow and ensuring timely delivery of financial reports and outcomes.

Restoring Financial Confidence

Through our work, Parable Productions regained confidence in their financial systems. We delivered consistent reporting, enabled transparency, and brought a disciplined approach to resolving legacy issues, creating a solid foundation for future growth.