Accounting For
Marketing
and Creative

There’s no one-size-fits-all structure, especially in creative business. The right choice depends on your growth plans, level of risk, whether you have business partners, and what kind of clients you work with. Sole trader is simple and suits freelancers getting started, but as soon as you’re earning consistently or building a team, it’s usually worth moving to a company or trust for tax, liability and flexibility. Agencies with multiple directors or contractors often benefit from hybrid setups: like a discretionary trust operating through a company. We don’t just register your ABN and send you on your way. We look at your cash flow, IP ownership, personal goals, and exit strategy before recommending a structure. That means no unexpected tax bills and a setup you won’t have to untangle later.

If you’re running a creative agency, chances are you’re juggling a mix of local and overseas clients, software subscriptions, and digital products. GST rules can get murky fast especially if you’re using platforms like Stripe, Upwork, or selling templates on Gumroad. Here’s the core: if you’re registered for GST in Australia (which you must be if you earn over $75,000), you charge GST to Australian clients but generally not to overseas ones. However, there are nuances like whether the client is a business or individual, or how they consume your service. Some agencies end up overpaying GST or missing credits they’re entitled to. We walk you through it clearly, handle BAS on your behalf, and make sure your invoicing, Xero setup, and international transactions are compliant and working in your favour.

Absolutely. Whether you’re thinking of hiring your first full-time designer or managing a team of remote freelancers, the structure behind how you pay people matters. Employee wages, super, leave entitlements and PAYG are treated differently to contractor invoices. It’s easy to get this wrong and the ATO takes a dim view of “disguised employment” arrangements. We help you determine the best hiring path for your business model, build a payroll system that keeps you compliant, and forecast the cash flow implications of growing your team. For many agencies, we also advise on contractor agreements, payment schedules, and even how to price your work to absorb new staffing costs. Hiring should feel like a step forward, not a financial risk. We make sure it is.

Irregular income is normal in creative and digital businesses. One month you might land a $40K campaign, the next you’re waiting on overdue invoices. That doesn’t mean your tax has to feel unpredictable. The key is cash flow visibility and proactive planning. We don’t wait until EOFY to tell you what you owe. Instead, we run quarterly or even monthly reviews that factor in your actual revenue, projected pipeline, and upcoming expenses. We help you smooth out income highs and lows, set aside the right amount for tax, and identify deductions you may be missing like equipment, subscriptions, travel or content production. Tax planning isn’t just about paying less (although that helps). It’s about reducing surprises so you can focus on scaling your creative output with confidence.

Yes, and we do it in plain English. Many creative agency owners undercharge without realising it. You price a project, pay a freelancer, cover software and revisions… and wonder where the margin went. We help you dig into the real costs behind your services, understand your breakeven point, and identify where you’re leaking profit. That might mean restructuring retainers, introducing minimum project fees, or rethinking how you scope work. We also look at your pricing through the lens of tax making sure your business model supports things like super, GST, and future growth. Our goal isn’t to turn you into a spreadsheet person. It’s to give you clarity, control and a pricing model that supports the creative work you’re best at. No fluff, no jargon just advice that sticks.