The board, the executive team, have got really good faith and confidence in the finance team. When you have confidence in the numbers, you’ve got confidence to grow and confidence to open up more clinics and invest and continue to run forward. So you don’t want doubt in that. You want to just be able to execute the strategy and just go.
– Dianna Butterworth, CFO of Kieser Australia
Today I’m speaking with Dianna Butterworth, CFO of Kieser Australia. In this episode, we talk about . . .
- Background: Dianna’s path from financial advisor and entrepreneur to CFO
- Company Overview: Kieser Australia is a physiotherapy-led strength training provider with 31 clinics
- Initial Challenge: Managing 27 separate Xero files across clinics
- Solution Chosen: NetSuite ERP with implementation by Anexa
- Key Outcomes:
- Replaced 80+ spreadsheets with NetSuite Planning and Budgeting
- Improved team efficiency, moving from 1:5 to 1:12 clinic-to-bookkeeper ratio
- Faster monthly reporting and greater data visibility
- Budget cycle shortened from six months to one to two months
- Integrated Tools: Celigo, Zone & Co, ExpenseMe
- Conference Takeaways: Upcoming AI features in NetSuite and the value of peer networking
Advice to CFOs:- Invest early in scalable systems
- Prioritise agility as much as accuracy
- Build confidence in the numbers to support growth
🧰 Apps & Tools Mentioned:
NetSuite, Xero, NetSuite Planning and Budgeting, Celigo, Zone & Co, ExpenseMe, ApprovalMax, Rippling, Blue Collar Cloud Solutions
Dianna Butterworth, CFO of Kieser Australia shares the move from 27 Xero files to NetSuite, improving scalability, budgeting, and team empowerment.
Episode Transcript
Highlighted Timestamps
01:40 – Career Journey: From cufflinks to CFO
03:55 – About Kieser: What the business does and how it helps Australians
06:40 – Before NetSuite: The chaos of 27 Xero files
09:10 – Choosing NetSuite: Finding the right ERP for growth
11:30 – Empowering the Team: Moving from manual tasks to analysis
13:45 – Budgeting Breakthrough: Ditching spreadsheets for better planning
16:00 – Role of Anexa: Importance of a strong implementation partner
18:35 – Tech Stack Deep Dive: Celigo, Zone & Co, ExpenseMe
21:00 – Budgeting Speed: From six months to one month
23:30 – Advice for CFOs: Invest early and trust your data
25:20 – Insights from SuiteWorld: AI, networking and lifelong learning
28:10 – Wrapping Up: Thinking big and enjoying the journey
