Visit our dedicated small business restructuring site for small business owners facing financial distress.
Northern Beaches - Personal Services
When debt feels overwhelming, understand your options.
If you’re struggling with debt or worried about what comes next, we’re here to help. We provide confidential advice for individuals and families across the Northern Beaches, including those whose debts are connected to a business. We’ll help you understand where you stand, explore your options and find a practical way forward.
Brookvale office · Australia-wide by phone and video · Registered liquidator and bankruptcy trustee · Direct access to the practitioner · 25+ years in insolvency
Local support, when you need it
When you’re facing financial pressure, it helps to have someone close by who you can sit down and talk to.
Here on the Northern Beaches. Visit us at Suite 222, 20 Dale Street, Brookvale for a confidential conversation.
Appointments that fit around your life. Meet in person, by phone or by video, with appointments outside business hours available by arrangement.
Support for your circumstances. Whether you’re dealing with personal debt, business pressures or a combination of both, we’ll help you understand your options and the next steps.
You can contact us directly or bring your accountant, lawyer or a support person into the conversation.
When to seek help
However the debt built up, the starting point is the same
How we work:
Some people come to us after years of running a business. Many never had one, and credit cards, loans or a tax bill grew faster than they could pay them down.
Business owners can also end up personally liable through a guarantee or a DPN.
Whatever led here, it is not a moral failing. The law provides formal ways to deal with debt you can't repay, and the first step is working out which one fits.
When to get in touch:
Using one card to pay another
Minimum repayments eating most of your income
A legal threat or bankruptcy notice
A called-in guarantee or a DPN
You've stopped opening the mail
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WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH:
Thyge Trafford-Jones
Thyge is an ASIC Registered Liquidator (No. 458321), Registered Small Business Restructuring Practitioner and AFSA Registered Bankruptcy Trustee (No. 1582).
He is a member of the Australian Reconstruction, Insolvency & Turnaround Association and CPA Australia. He is also a Justice of the Peace.
Thyge handles the assessment himself. You won't be passed to a case manager, and you'll get a straight answer about what is and isn't available.
WHO ELSE YOU WILL WORK WITH:
Melissa Daubney
Client Liaison
Melissa brings a rare blend of business acumen and compassion to her role at TTJ Advisory.
With a background in sales and marketing, and firsthand experience running her own small business, Melissa is known for going above and beyond to support individuals and small business owners through challenging times, ensuring they feel heard, understood, and in control of the path forward.
When she’s not supporting clients, Melissa is a proud mum of four boys and a master of juggling family life with work. Her secret weapons? Coffee, spreadsheets, and a great sense of humour.
Worried about debt? Start here.
You may be struggling with credit cards, loans or overdue bills, or finding that repayments leave little for everyday expenses.
Perhaps your income has changed, a relationship has ended, or business debts are affecting your personal finances.
You don’t need to know which solution is right before asking for help. We’ll explain your options, what they could mean for you and the next steps.
Where personal and business debts overlap, we can help you understand both.
One conversation can make things clearer.
We’ll help you understand what you owe, what you’re personally responsible for and which options may be available.
Our expertise spans personal insolvency, company liquidation and small business restructuring, so we can consider how your personal and business debts fit together.
You’ll get plain-language explanations and practical next steps. If part of your situation needs a separate independent specialist, we’ll explain that early.
Start by telling us what’s happening. We’ll help you work through it.
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CASE STUDIES
Building contractor facing personal exposure
The notice arrived. The clock had already started.
Challenges
Fixed-price work, higher costs and delayed progress payments pushed a busy contractor behind with ATO and super obligations. A Director Penalty Notice brought the director's personal position into the matter.
Assets
Work in progress, contract receivables, vehicles, tools and equipment.
Debts
ATO and super liabilities, suppliers and finance commitments, with possible personal exposure for the director.
Proposal
The director's commercial lawyer brought Thyge in urgently for the insolvency assessment while retaining the legal matter. The company's position, the notice and the director's exposure would be reviewed separately, with timing treated as critical.
Outcome
No outcome is assumed. What remains available depends on the notice, lodgement history, timing and the underlying viability of the business.
Outcome
PRIMARY: Small Business Restrucuring
SECONDARY: Directors Penalty Notice Amendment, Statutory Trustee, Bankruptcy Advice
Retail or lifestyle business
Stock was on the shelves. Cash was not.
Challenges
A local retailer overbought stock before demand slowed. Cash became tied up in inventory while rent, suppliers and tax obligations continued to fall due.
Assets
Saleable stock, online store, customer relationships, fixtures and equipment.
Debts
ATO liabilities, suppliers and lease commitments.
Proposal
The bookkeeper saw aged payables and tax liabilities worsening and suggested an early conversation. Thyge would assess whether a profitable core remained, what value could be recovered from stock and whether the cost base could realistically be reset.
Outcome
No restructuring outcome is promised. Early review helps determine whether the business can be stabilised or whether an orderly exit would preserve more value.
Outcome
Professional services firm
A major client left. The tax debt stayed.
Challenges
An established consultancy relied heavily on one client. When the contract ended, receivables slowed but staff, software and occupancy costs continued. BAS and PAYG liabilities accumulated before the cost base could be reset.
Assets
Debtors, work in progress, client relationships, business IP and equipment.
Debts
Legacy ATO debt, employee entitlements and ordinary trade creditors.
Proposal
The firm's accountant made an early introduction. Thyge would first test whether the business remained viable at a lower cost base, then compare the available informal and formal pathways against a revised forecast.
Outcome
No outcome is assumed. The point is to assess the position while the client book, staff and underlying business may still hold value.
Outcome
Hotel and pub
Paid 18c in the dollar
Challenges
COVID-19 lockdowns, a 70% drop in monthly sales and high fixed and operating costs.
Assets
Debts
$280,000 unsecured, including $200,000 owed to the ATO
Proposal
A payment plan arranged with the ATO and other creditors to repay $40,000 over ten months.
Outcome
Creditors accepted the proposal. Unsecured creditors received their scheduled payments. The business avoided liquidation and the cost of voluntary administration, enabling future profitability and stability.
Outcome
Restaurant group
Paid 22c in the dollar
Challenges
COVID-19 lockdowns, a significant drop in customer foot traffic and increased supply costs.
Assets
Debts
$240,000 unsecured, including $180,000 owed to the ATO
Proposal
$52,800 to unsecured creditors, paid over eight months, supported by a cashflow forecast prepared for the repayment plan.
Outcome
Creditors accepted the proposal. Employees received their full superannuation and kept their jobs. Unsecured creditors received their scheduled payments. The business avoided liquidation and the cost of voluntary administration, allowing for future growth and stability.
Outcome
Custom cabinetry business
Paid 20c in the dollar
Challenges
Supply chain issues, higher material costs, fixed expenses and the impact of COVID-19.
Assets
Debts
$150,000 unsecured, including $125,000 owed to the ATO
Proposal
$30,000 lump sum for unsecured creditors, presented as a better return than liquidation.
Outcome
Creditors accepted the proposal. The business continued trading without significant debt and avoided voluntary administration.
Outcome
Construction business
Paid 15c in the dollar
Challenges
COVID-19 restrictions, supply chain disruption, increased material costs and project delays.
Assets
Cash at bank, vehicles and equipment
Debts
$300,000 unsecured, including $240,000 owed to the ATO
Proposal
$45,000 to creditors as a lump sum, supported by a detailed cashflow forecast and a private investor.
Outcome
Creditors accepted the proposal. Unsecured creditors received their dividend. The business avoided liquidation and the cost of voluntary administration, and continued trading.
Outcome
You don't need your paperwork in order or to know what to ask for.
Your first conversation is confidential and focused on understanding what has happened. Thyge will explain the options in plain language, identify any deadlines already running, and set out the next step.
A confidential conversation. What's happened, what's owed, what's already been lodged.
An assessment of the position. Whether the business is viable, and where personal exposure sits.
An agreed next step. In writing, with what it involves and what it costs.
Bankruptcy is not the only option, and it is not the end.
A PIA lets you settle debts without bankruptcy, and binds all unsecured creditors if accepted by the required majority.
Bankruptcy usually lasts three years, and most unsecured debts are released when it ends.
Both carry a permanent NPII record, so the right choice depends on your circumstances.
FAQ
The questions Northern Beaches business owners and individuals ask us most often.
What if my personal debts are connected to my business?
We can help assess how the two positions relate, including which obligations belong to you and which belong to a company.
Can someone join the conversation with me?
Yes. You're welcome to include your partner, a trusted support person, accountant or lawyer.
Does asking for help mean I'll have to declare bankruptcy?
No. Seeking advice helps you understand your position and the options that may be available. Bankruptcy is one possible pathway.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can contact us directly, or ask your accountant or lawyer to make an introduction.
When should a Northern Beaches business seek restructuring or insolvency advice?
It is worth seeking advice early when tax or super obligations are slipping, an ATO payment plan is no longer working, suppliers are tightening their terms, a major contract has been lost, or a Director Penalty Notice or personal guarantee is in play. Early advice generally provides more time to assess the available options.
Which Northern Beaches industries does TTJ Advisory assist?
TTJ Advisory works with owner-led businesses across the Northern Beaches, including construction and trades, hospitality, retail, professional services, marine and boating, and health and allied health. The circumstances of each business are assessed individually.
Can my accountant or lawyer contact TTJ Advisory on my behalf?
Yes. TTJ Advisory regularly works alongside accountants and lawyers on the Northern Beaches and is available for a confidential conversation before you are formally engaged, so your adviser can understand the options that may be available.
Which areas of the Northern Beaches does TTJ Advisory service?
TTJ Advisory works with businesses across the Northern Beaches, including Brookvale, Manly, Dee Why, Mona Vale and surrounding suburbs, as well as with clients further afield by phone and video conference.
Does TTJ Advisory have an office on the Northern Beaches?
Yes. TTJ Advisory has a local office on the Northern Beaches and can meet with business owners, accountants and lawyers in person by appointment, as well as by phone or video conference.
Tools & Resources
SBR eBook for Accountants
Sole Trader Bankruptcy in NSW: Complete 2025 Guide by Licensed Trustee
Read Our Blog
SERVICES
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AUSTRALIA OFFICES:
NORTHERN BEACHES:
Suite 222, 20 Dale St
Brookvale NSW 2100
Thyge Trafford-Jones
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Principal — ASIC Registered Liquidator (No. 458321) · AFSA Registered Trustee (No. 1582)
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Member, Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association (ARITA)
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Member, CPA Australia
TTJ Advisory is a registered business name of Restructure My Small Business Pty Ltd (ACN 670 511 476).
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
© 2026 TTJ Advisory.
TTJ Advisory acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we operate, live and gather as employees, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
