Hi

I’m Warrick Strydom owner of WS Business Advisory

Certified Business Advisor  (*IOA® Certified)

Growth & Exit Specialist     (*IOA® Certified)

* Institute of Advisors, Australia.

  • 25+ Years in business.

    • Currently owner of a successful e-commerce Business.
    • 13 at Director-level.
    • Extensive turnaround & acceleration experience.

  • 4 x Businesses founded.

  • 3 x Managing Director roles.

Warrick Strydom: Certified Business Advisor & Strategic Growth Consultant

Quick Summary – The Business Advisor Profile:

Warrick Strydom is a top business strategist specializing in the mid-market entrepreneurial sector. His focus is on achieving:

  • Time Freedom: Helping Business Owners scale revenue without being chained to a 60-hour work week.
  • Business Valuation: Transforming their deep expertise into measurable, enhanced business value.
  • Exit Readiness: Ensuring entrepreneurs are prepared for a strategic and profitable exit, avoiding common pitfalls.

Why Work With a Strategy Advisor Who Understands Chaos

I am a top business strategist for mid-market entrepreneurial businesses. I help growth-minded Business Owners who want to scale their revenue without being chained to a 60-hour work week.

Many of my clients come to me because they feel stuck, even though they know they’re really good at what they do. I work with highly accomplished entrepreneurs with unbelievable expertise in their respective fields. However, with time, growth and busyness have trumped value. Articulating your value isn’t just a buzzword; it’s one of the most powerful tools you can master to increase your revenue and build the business you’ve been dreaming of.

My Advisory Philosophy: Mindset and Core Experience

Hello to all Founders, Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and change drivers! I never set out to be an advisor—I set out to make a difference. As one wise person said, “it’s not about the role, it’s about the goal.”

Professionally speaking, I am a work-in-progress, constantly challenged and inspired by remarkable entrepreneurs. My skills have been forged alongside dynamic teams I have had the honour of leading.

Key Takeaway on Entrepreneurship vs. Corporate:

Having spent most of my professional life in wildly entrepreneurial environments, with a few years in corporate, my biggest takeaway is this: Entrepreneurial companies play to win; Corporates play not to lose. This difference is key to the risk-taker and change-driver mindset I bring to every client engagement.

Warrick Strydom’s Core Credentials:

  • Experience: 25+ years experience through booms and busts, junior and senior roles.
  • Leadership: Held Managing Director and CEO designate roles in large entrepreneurial businesses (multi-industry experienced).
  • Founding: Founded 4 businesses (including one spectacular failure).
  • Turnarounds: Led two taxing turnaround strategies and several high growth agendas.
  • Acquisitions: Successfully acquired a successful Cape Town-born e-commerce business.

The Secret Sauce: Customer Value, Culture, and Financial Clarity

I am a growth-minded strategist, focused on customer-led growth via customer value creation. Remember: customers buy solutions to their problems, they don’t buy products or services.

  • The Customer is the Hero: My secret sauce is placing the customer’s needs at the centre of the business strategy.
  • Culture & Advantage: I’m passionate about a positive business culture—for the good of people and as a powerful competitive advantage.
  • Sales Focus: I prioritize sales, recognizing the sales team as the essential, often unsung, heroes of any growth journey.
  • Financial Insight: I have the ability to understand the crucial story your financials are telling, turning raw data into strategic direction.

My Entrepreneurial Journey: The Road to WS Business Advisory

The Confronting Truth: Why Business Owners Are Not Exit-Ready

In my career, I observed the ascent of a Group of businesses become remarkably successful and be acquired by a Private Equity Group. It was here I learned the confronting truth: all business owners will exit their businesses someday, voluntarily or involuntarily. I also had front-row seats to the severe risks of selling a business on an earn-out deal structure, which often places all the risk on the entrepreneurs after giving up control. This validated the need for strategic, exit-ready planning.

Leadership Under Fire: Navigating the 2020 Pandemic

The ultimate test of my leadership came in 2020 amidst global uncertainty. I worked tirelessly to offer clarity amidst fear, navigating a business when bank lines of credit were withdrawn. We focused on what we could control, traded like our lives depended on it, and self-funded the business. By rallying the team around a compelling and clarifying vision, we saw zero financial or job losses. This defining experience proved the power of disciplined, focused leadership under extreme pressure.

The Launch of WS Business Advisory

My brilliant wife eventually challenged me to monetize the business advice I was constantly giving to friends and colleagues. In November 2020, I launched WS Business Advisory for Entrepreneurs & Business Owners.

Today, I have agency again, doing what I always set out to do: make a difference. Entrepreneurs who hated facing their businesses are feeling focused and free to lead their organizations again. The vision for my business has come to life: Fulfilling Business Owners’ dreams of personal freedom!

Final Takeaway: My standard of living may have decreased, but my quality of life has rocketed. The fun part is that the best is yet to come.