Client Experiences
What business owners have said about working with us
These are accounts from clients across Sabah — written in their own voice, reflecting what the engagement was actually like for them. We have not edited for polish or selected only the best.
Back to Homepage8+
Years of
advisory practice
140+
Client
engagements
4.8
Average client
satisfaction rating
94%
Clients who returned
for further work
What Clients Say
Accounts from Sabah business owners
Nora Kamarudin
Owner, retail shop · Kota Kinabalu
"I came in not knowing what kind of help I was looking for — just that something in the numbers was not sitting right. Ahmad went through everything methodically and pointed out a few things I had been overlooking for years. The written summary was short and completely usable. I came away with actual things to do."
Counsel Review · May 2025
Daniel Lim
Director, logistics firm · Sandakan
"We used Direction Planning to work through whether to expand our fleet or focus on improving what we had. The sessions were structured but not rigid — we went where the conversation needed to go. The decision framework at the end has been useful for other choices since, not just the one we were focused on."
Direction Planning · April 2025
Salmah Rosli
Principal, professional services · Kota Kinabalu
"The Advanced Advisory Partnership was what I needed — someone to look at how the practice was organised, not just what we were selling. Rachel was thorough without being intrusive. The documentation pack they produced has been genuinely useful for onboarding a new associate."
Advanced Advisory Partnership · March–May 2025
Jeffery Matanjun
Owner, food and beverage · Tawau
"I had spoken to a few advisors before and always felt like I was being sold something. Wira Bestari was different — they listened more than they talked for the first session. By the second session we were into the actual work. Honest and straightforward."
Counsel Review · April 2025
Hairul Tan
Managing Partner, construction · Kota Kinabalu
"We had grown quickly and the internal reporting had not kept up. The Advisory Partnership gave us a proper review of how decisions were being made — and where they were getting stuck. The closing summary was shared with all three partners and we have referred back to it several times."
Advanced Advisory Partnership · February–April 2025
Wendy Sia
Founder, education services · Kota Kinabalu
"Direction Planning helped me work out what to prioritise after a slow period. I had too many ideas and not enough clarity on which was worth pursuing. The sessions brought structure to a conversation I had been avoiding. The check-in a few weeks later was also useful — it caught one thing I had drifted away from."
Direction Planning · May 2025
Case Studies
How the work played out in practice
A few accounts of what brought clients to us and what the engagement produced.
Case Study 01 — Retail, Kota Kinabalu
Identifying a cost structure that had grown out of shape
Challenge
A small retailer with four years of operation noticed margins shrinking despite steady sales. The owner suspected a supplier pricing issue but had not confirmed it. The business had no clear picture of where costs were concentrated.
Engagement
A Counsel Review across three weeks — two sessions reviewing the full cost structure, supplier agreements, and pricing approach. The written summary identified three specific cost categories that had grown disproportionately over two years.
Outcome
Two supplier agreements were renegotiated within six weeks of the engagement closing. Gross margin improved by approximately 6 percentage points over the following quarter. The owner found the written summary useful as a reference when approaching suppliers.
"We knew something was off. Having it written down clearly made it much easier to act on."
— Client, Counsel Review, March 2025
Case Study 02 — Professional Services, Kota Kinabalu
Planning a second service line with limited additional capacity
Challenge
A two-person professional services firm wanted to introduce a second service line. The principals had identified the opportunity but disagreed on timing and resourcing. They needed an outside perspective to work through the options clearly.
Engagement
Direction Planning over six weeks — four sessions examining capacity, cost projections for each option, and a scenario review of three realistic paths. The decision framework at the end structured how the partners would evaluate readiness before committing.
Outcome
The principals chose a phased introduction of the new service line, beginning with existing clients before opening to new ones. At the follow-up check-in, the first phase was underway and tracking within the parameters the plan had set out.
"The sessions gave us a common language for the decision. We stopped talking past each other."
— Client, Direction Planning, April 2025
Find Us
Get in touch directly
Phone
+60 88-237 614Address
Jalan Gaya 41
88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Office Hours
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Professional Credentials
Affiliations and recognition
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Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Sabah
Advisory Services recognition, Small Enterprise Support — 2023
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SME Corp Malaysia
Registered business advisor for SME development programmes
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Malaysian Institute of Management
Active membership, professional development maintained annually
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PDPA 2010 Compliance
Client data handled in accordance with Malaysian data protection law
Ready when you are
A conversation costs nothing
If you are wondering whether any of our engagements might be relevant to where your business is, reach out. We will take the time to understand and give you an honest view — whether or not the answer involves working with us.
Get in Touch