What changed when The Movement Mill stopped managing finance in-house

June 12, 2026
Read Time: 11 min

What started as a search for help with day-to-day finances became a long-term partnership that changed how The Movement Mill manages and plans for the future.

When Shane Roenne started The Movement Mill in 2017, he was drawing on years of experience across a range of physiotherapy practices. Having seen what worked and what didn’t, he set out to build the kind of clinic he believed patients deserved.

However, as the business expanded, it became clear that the financial support that had worked in the early days was no longer enough. More of the bookkeeping and finances were falling back onto Shane, taking up valuable time and pulling his focus away from running the business.

That’s when a trusted referral led him to Slate Accounts.

Outgrowing an in-house bookkeeper

In the early days, an in-house bookkeeper managed the financials. But as The Movement Mill expanded, the demands on the finance function evolved.

“It got to the point where I had to become more hands-on with the bookkeeping,” Shane said. “It soon became clear to me that our needs had changed, and the bookkeeper we had was no longer the right fit for our needs.”

Looking for a better solution, Shane reached for advice from business peers and his business coach, who recommended Slate Accounts.

“I trusted the referral because they were operating a business similar to mine, with multiple locations, but on a larger scale,” he said. “Then, when I first met with Slate Accounts, I could tell from the questions they asked that they understood the challenges. Michael was fantastic, and I felt they were a good fit from the beginning.”

Shane remembers it as a straightforward transition.

“I went from being really hands-on with the accounts and our original bookkeeper to handing things off to the team at Slate Accounts. I gave them access to my accounts, and they just took over.”

Taking control of the finance function

Today, Slate Accounts functions as The Movement Mill’s finance team, managing bookkeeping, payroll, reporting, forecasting, and financial advice.

“Prash is so good with numbers; she just gets it,” said Shane. “For me, it’s not my core skill set. I can see the bigger picture, and I focus on that, and they take care of the rest.”

That division of labour has freed up significant time.

“They’ve taken a lot of extra work off me,” Shane shared. “Payroll is really easy for me now. I go in, click a few buttons, and it’s done — whereas before, a lot of it was me doing it manually.”

The team also introduced systems that simplified routine tasks like receipt management and expense processing. Rather than collecting paperwork and manually entering information, Shane simply takes a photo of a receipt, and the Slate Accounts team handles the rest.

With the day-to-day finance function running smoothly, Shane had more time to focus on the business itself. The Slate Accounts team, meanwhile, began helping him improve visibility and make better decisions for the future.

Forecasting cash flow with six months of visibility

Working closely with the Slate Accounts team, The Movement Mill now has cash flow forecasting that extends six months ahead, giving Shane greater visibility over future revenue, expenses, and hiring decisions.

“It’s been really helpful, especially over the last couple of years when things have been tough generally, and there’s been a shortage of clinicians,” he said.

The model has changed how Shane approaches business decisions. Investments that once involved a degree of uncertainty, whether equipment purchases, recruitment, or growth plans, are now backed by clearer financial insights.

“I now have the depth of insight about where we’re sitting with cash, what our revenue goals are, and what I can spend money on to help meet them,” he said.

The Slate Accounts team also liaises directly with Shane’s tax accountant, reducing much of the back-and-forth and helping keep everyone aligned.

Want to see a simple forecast for your clinic? Try our free forecasting tool.

Using financial data to improve revenue and retention

The increased visibility created opportunities to improve business performance, too.

By analysing The Movement Mill’s monthly reporting, the Slate Accounts team identified a gap between clinician capacity and revenue performance. Together, they developed a staff incentive program designed to reward performance and encourage growth.

“I’ve tried incentive programs before, and they didn’t take off. But this new one has been running for over a year now, and it’s working really well,” Shane shared.

“The team has handled all the administration behind the program, including calculating bonuses, processing payments, and sending clinicians letters outlining their incentives. They send me a summary spreadsheet, and all I have to do is review and approve it.”

According to Shane, a key part of the program’s success comes from Slate Accounts’ experience. “Their exposure running these programs in similar businesses really came into play. It’s been very beneficial for me,” he shared.

The impact of the incentive program has gone beyond revenue.

Staff retention is a persistent challenge in the industry, particularly for practices that invest heavily in training and developing clinicians. “For us to train someone up and lose them is very costly, in terms of money, the emotional load, and the impact on the business overall,” he said.

The incentive program has helped encourage ownership, improve motivation, and support retention in a competitive market.

A partnership that goes beyond numbers

Over time, Shane came to rely on the team for more than just financial support.

“There was a time when I was feeling frustrated with all the things that come with running a business, and even considered selling,” he said. “Michael made time to help me work through my options.

It really was above and beyond — out of his scope in many ways — but having someone who understood the challenges I was going through was really helpful.”

Less stress, more confidence, and better sleep

For Shane, one of the biggest benefits has been peace of mind.

“The days when I used to be up at midnight doing my books, accounting, and payroll work are gone,” he shared.

“Now I wake up in the morning, and everything is uploaded. I click one or two buttons, and people are paid. I’m much less stressed, and it’s made a massive difference to my wellbeing.”

Shane also explained how he used to hold the businesses’ financial picture in his head. “Now I can just let that go because the Slate Accounts team is able to keep track of all of it,” he said. “And if I need to find out, I can just open the spreadsheet or meet with Prash or the team. They’re genuinely accessible.”

For other business owners in the same position, Shane’s advice is straightforward. “If you need somebody to make things run smoothly and efficiently, and take a lot of this stuff off your hands, speak to the team.”