Where NDIS Providers Are Losing Money Without Realising It, with Dion Tobi (Ep 67)

NDIS providers can lose a surprising amount of money without there being one obvious thing going wrong. An unpaid invoice might look like the problem, but the real issue can sit much further back in the business, from service agreements and participant budgets to staffing, systems and the way invoices are coded. In this episode of the NDIS Provider Growth Journey, Michael speaks with Dion Tobi about the financial problems he sees inside NDIS businesses and how providers can get better at finding the real cause. Dion explains how he works with businesses that have money outstanding, why fixing the invoice alone is often not enough, and how better systems can help stop the same problem happening again. They also get into some of the expensive mistakes providers can make without realising it. Dion talks about SIL and community access providers overscheduling supports and suddenly finding themselves $30,000 or $40,000 into a participant's budget with little chance of recovering it. They also discuss incorrect invoice coding, delays from plan managers and how seemingly small administrative problems can create much bigger cash flow issues. The conversation goes beyond unpaid invoices too. Dion explains why businesses should look at where referrals are being lost before spending more money trying to generate new ones, how the true cost of losing a staff member can be much higher than their salary, and why expensive employees doing low-value tasks can quietly eat into profitability. Michael and Dion also talk about building a business from the other direction. Instead of starting with an idea and hoping the numbers eventually work, Dion explains why he prefers to start with the end goal, work backwards into the income and hours required, and then decide whether the business model actually makes sense. If you run an NDIS business and want to better understand where money may be leaking out, why invoices are being delayed or rejected, and how to build a business that is financially stronger rather than just busier, this episode is worth listening to. That was a great podcast. If you want some one-on-one support, get in touch with me, michael@athletickoala.com.au.