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The BGEM Strategic Compass

One page. Three years. One direction.

Every BGEM member builds a Compass: a single page that connects why the business exists, where it is going in three years, and the four things that must happen this year to get there. It is the page the room holds you to. Below are eleven completed examples across every room, plus a charity and a corporate leader, so you can see what good looks like before you write your own.

Every example is fictional. Names, businesses and figures are illustrative, in NZD excluding GST.

How to read a Compass

Start with the vision. Work backwards.

The circles run from purpose to the year in front of you. Year 3 is the vision. Year 2 is the step that makes it reachable. Year 1 is the step that makes Year 2 reachable. Every circle carries a date and a measure, so progress is never a matter of opinion.

Mission

Our purpose

Give business owners clear numbers and practical insight for better decisions.

Year 3

Our vision

A partner-led advisory firm with reliable service and recurring income.

31 Dec 2029 · $2.6m / 25%

Year 2

Dominant goal

Grow advisory capability and transfer client ownership to team leaders.

31 Dec 2028 · $2.3m / 23%

Year 1

Dominant goal

Build recurring advisory income while protecting core service quality.

31 Dec 2027 · $2m / 22%

From the Clearview Accounting example. Measures are annual revenue / operating margin after owner salary.

01

Mission

Why the business exists: who you serve and the difference you make. It rarely changes.

02

Year 3 vision

A clear picture of the business three years out, with a date and a measure attached.

03

Dominant goals

One goal for Year 2 and one for Year 1. One each, because a business with five priorities has none.

04

The 4/16

Four critical outcomes that deliver the Year 1 goal, each with an owner and four dated, measurable milestones.

05

Guiding principles

Four behaviours that guide how the team delivers, each with a plain line on what it means in practice.

06

Review rhythm

Every example is reviewed every six weeks, so the page stays a working document rather than a plan in a drawer.

Completed examples

Eleven Compasses, finished.

Three from each room, then two that show the Compass works beyond the owner-operator: a charity CEO and a regional general manager. Open any example to see the full page, including all sixteen milestones and the guiding principles.

Ecosystem room · 1 of 3 · Accounting

Clearview Accounting

Riley Chen, Partner

12 staff. Baseline: $1.6m revenue, 18% operating margin.

Mission

Give business owners clear numbers and practical insight for better decisions.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$2m / 22%
  2. Year 2$2.3m / 23%
  3. Year 3$2.6m / 25%

Year 1 dominant goal

Build recurring advisory income while protecting core service quality.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$1.5m core accounting revenue
  • 2$500k advisory revenue
  • 3Achieve 22% operating margin
  • 4Reduce partner delivery dependence
View the full Compass for Clearview Accounting (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Clearview Accounting

Ecosystem room · 2 of 3 · IT services

Anchor IT Services

Jordan Patel, Director

14 staff. Baseline: $2m revenue, 12% operating margin.

Mission

Keep growing businesses productive through dependable IT and responsive support.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$2.5m / 16%
  2. Year 2$2.9m / 18%
  3. Year 3$3.4m / 20%

Year 1 dominant goal

Improve recurring revenue and service reliability before expanding headcount.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$1.8m managed-service revenue
  • 2$700k project revenue
  • 3Achieve 16% operating margin
  • 4Meet contracted service standards
View the full Compass for Anchor IT Services (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Anchor IT Services

Ecosystem room · 3 of 3 · HR consulting

Peoplewise Consulting

Casey Roberts, Founder

6 staff. Baseline: $750k revenue, 14% operating margin.

Mission

Help owners lead people fairly and build teams that perform with confidence.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$950k / 20%
  2. Year 2$1.2m / 22%
  3. Year 3$1.5m / 24%

Year 1 dominant goal

Create predictable revenue and delegate delivery to senior consultants.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$600k retained HR revenue
  • 2$350k project and training revenue
  • 3Achieve 20% operating margin
  • 4Delegate trusted client delivery
View the full Compass for Peoplewise Consulting (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Peoplewise Consulting

Industry room · 1 of 3 · Construction

Summit Construction

Taylor Reed, Director

28 staff. Baseline: $8m revenue, 6% operating margin.

Mission

Deliver well-built commercial spaces with clear commitments and reliable completion.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$10m / 8%
  2. Year 2$11.5m / 9%
  3. Year 3$14m / 10%

Year 1 dominant goal

Grow selectively while improving project margin and cash collection.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$10m revenue from selected projects
  • 2Achieve 8% operating margin
  • 3Improve project cash conversion
  • 4Deliver reliably through site leaders
View the full Compass for Summit Construction (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Summit Construction

Industry room · 2 of 3 · Architecture

Form Architecture

Morgan Lee, Principal

10 staff. Baseline: $1.5m revenue, 12% operating margin.

Mission

Design useful, enduring places that reflect client purpose and respect the site.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$1.9m / 18%
  2. Year 2$2.3m / 21%
  3. Year 3$2.8m / 23%

Year 1 dominant goal

Build a balanced project pipeline and improve fee recovery.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$1.9m recognised fee revenue
  • 2Achieve 18% operating margin
  • 3Improve design delivery reliability
  • 4Build associate-led delivery
View the full Compass for Form Architecture (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Form Architecture

Industry room · 3 of 3 · Electrical

Current Electrical Services

Jamie Wilson, Owner

10 staff. Baseline: $1.4m revenue, 9% operating margin.

Mission

Keep local homes and workplaces powered safely through reliable electrical service.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$1.8m / 15%
  2. Year 2$2.3m / 16%
  3. Year 3$2.8m / 18%

Year 1 dominant goal

Build a profitable service base alongside disciplined project delivery.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$600k service and maintenance revenue
  • 2$1.2m in installation project revenue
  • 3Achieve 15% operating margin
  • 4Delegate reliable field operations
View the full Compass for Current Electrical Services (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Current Electrical Services

Open room · 1 of 3 · Hospitality

Harbour Table Hospitality

Sam Taylor, Managing Director

Two venues, 45 staff. Baseline: $4m revenue, 6% operating margin.

Mission

Give local guests warm, dependable dining experiences worth returning for.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$4.8m / 12%
  2. Year 2$5.4m / 14%
  3. Year 3$6m / 15%

Year 1 dominant goal

Lift revenue and restore margin through guest loyalty and cost discipline.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$3.8m combined venue revenue
  • 2$1m events and catering revenue
  • 3Achieve 12% operating margin
  • 4Build consistent service through managers
View the full Compass for Harbour Table Hospitality (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Harbour Table Hospitality

Open room · 2 of 3 · E-commerce

Everyday Home Online

Avery King, Founder

9 staff. Baseline: $2.4m revenue, 7% operating margin.

Mission

Make practical home essentials easy to choose, buy and receive.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$3m / 10%
  2. Year 2$3.7m / 13%
  3. Year 3$4.5m / 15%

Year 1 dominant goal

Improve customer retention and inventory discipline while growing sales.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$3m annual net sales
  • 2Increase repeat customer value
  • 3Achieve 10% operating margin
  • 4Deliver a dependable order experience
View the full Compass for Everyday Home Online (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Everyday Home Online

Open room · 3 of 3 · Landscaping

Greenline Landscapes

Cameron Blake, Owner

16 staff. Baseline: $1.8m revenue, 8% operating margin.

Mission

Create and care for outdoor spaces that people can enjoy throughout the year.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$2.2m / 14%
  2. Year 2$2.7m / 16%
  3. Year 3$3.2m / 18%

Year 1 dominant goal

Improve job profitability and grow recurring maintenance alongside builds.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1$800k maintenance revenue
  • 2$1.4m landscape construction revenue
  • 3Achieve 14% operating margin
  • 4Build dependable crew-led delivery
View the full Compass for Greenline Landscapes (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Greenline Landscapes

Charity example · Community trust

Community Pathways Trust

Robin Hayes, CEO

18 staff, 60 volunteers. Baseline: 600 households supported, one-month unrestricted reserve.

Mission

Help families facing hardship regain stability through practical, coordinated support.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1700 households
  2. Year 2850 households
  3. Year 31,000 households

Year 1 dominant goal

Improve family outcomes while stabilising funding and team capacity.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1Support 700 households meaningfully
  • 2Secure $1.5m annual funding income
  • 3Build a three-month unrestricted reserve
  • 4Build reliable staff and volunteer capacity
View the full Compass for Community Pathways Trust (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for Community Pathways Trust

Corporate GM example · Regional leadership

National Service Group, Northern

Drew Mason, Regional GM

180 staff across three cities. Baseline: $30m revenue, 10% operating margin.

Mission

Give customers consistent service across our cities while building capable local teams.

The path to the vision

  1. Year 1$34m / 12%
  2. Year 2$38m / 14%
  3. Year 3$42m / 15%

Year 1 dominant goal

Lift regional performance through accountable city leaders and common standards.

Four critical outcomes

  • 1Deliver $34m regional revenue
  • 2Achieve 12% operating margin
  • 3Deliver consistent service across cities
  • 4Build accountable city leadership
View the full Compass for National Service Group, Northern (PDF, opens in a new tab) Download PDF for National Service Group, Northern

All examples are fictional. NZD excluding GST. Unless stated otherwise, circle measures are annual revenue / operating margin after owner salary, and milestone dates are in 2027.

Your Compass

Build yours with a room that holds you to it.

A Compass is easy to write and hard to keep. Members write theirs with BGEM and bring it back to the room, so the people around the table can test it, challenge it and help you deliver it.

Apply for a place See how it works

Compass example

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