Two businesses in the same sector face the same rising costs, the same economic headwinds, the same pressures. One pulls ahead. One stalls. What's the difference — and is it something owners can control? To answer that, AVA Advisory conducted the 2026 Australian SME Resilience Radar (ASERR), a national survey of more than 1,000 business owners, CEOs and managing directors across ten key sectors, from construction and healthcare to retail, hospitality and professional services. In this session, AVA Advisory Founder and CEO Andrew Quinn shares what the data reveals about the real dividing lines in Australian business today – the decisions, behaviours and conditions that consistently separate the businesses gaining ground from those losing it. He'll cover how the landscape has shifted, the forces reshaping how SMEs operate, and, most importantly, the patterns owners and advisors can act on. This is a practical, evidence-based briefing for business owners, accountants and advisors who want to make confident decisions in an uncertain environment – and who'd rather be reacting to the data than to their competitors. Attendees will leave with a clear read on the current SME landscape and sharper questions to take back to their own business or clients.