Who writes our content
Every piece of content on this site is created by, reviewed by, or signed off by a named member of the Valont team. The byline names the person actually accountable for the content's accuracy.
Primary authors:
- Andrew Northcott — Founder & Chairman. Writes on strategy, business architecture, owner experience, and the bigger picture of running an Australian SME.
- Nick Lucock — Chief Executive Officer. Writes on the operational and practical side of back-office delivery, customer-perspective topics, and how-to content.
- Valont team specialists — finance, payroll, HR, IT, and growth specialists contribute deeper technical content within their domains, always reviewed by the senior named author.
Each individual author has a profile page documenting their qualifications, experience, and the topics they write on.
How we research and source content
We follow these standards for the content we publish:
Primary sources where possible. When we cite an Award, a regulation, an ATO position, or a Fair Work decision, we cite the source directly — not a third-party summary. Links go to the primary document.
Disclosure of secondary sources. Where we cite secondary sources (research firms, industry analysts, press coverage), we name them and link.
Disclosure of our own data. Where we cite Valont's own data (customer numbers, internal benchmarks), we say so explicitly so readers can weight it appropriately.
Disclosure of estimates and modelling. Where numbers are estimates rather than measurements, we say so. "Typically", "approximately", and "in our experience" mean different things and we use them precisely.
Current information. Regulatory information has a "currency" date. Where laws have changed since publication, we update the piece and date the update.
How we review what we publish
Three review checkpoints before any substantive content publishes:
- Author self-review. The author reads the piece for accuracy, tone, and structural quality.
- Senior review. Another senior member of the Valont team reads the piece for accuracy, tone consistency, and brand alignment.
- Subject-matter sign-off. Where the piece covers regulated content (Awards, tax, employment law, cybersecurity), the relevant specialist signs off on factual accuracy.
For pieces involving Valont's commercial framing (pricing, comparisons, positioning), Andrew personally signs off.
How we correct errors
If we publish something incorrect, we fix it. The process:
- Acknowledge the error promptly — usually within 24 hours of being made aware
- Correct the substantive content — the corrected version replaces the incorrect version
- Note the correction visibly — a "Last updated" date on the piece, and where the correction is material, a note explaining what changed
- Notify the person who flagged it — if a reader reported the error, we tell them we've fixed it
If you find an error on this site, you can report it via our contact form.
What we don't publish
A few things we deliberately won't publish on this site:
- Content that misrepresents our experience. If we haven't worked with a particular industry, business size, or scenario at depth, we say so rather than implying otherwise.
- Case studies without customer consent. Every case study we publish has explicit customer permission. Composite examples are clearly labelled.
- Content that attacks named competitors. Honest comparisons are appropriate; personal attacks on competitor firms or individuals are not.
- Sponsored content disguised as editorial. We don't accept payment for editorial coverage. If we ever publish sponsored content, it'll be clearly labelled.
How our content interacts with our commercial interests
Most of what we publish naturally aligns with selling Valont's services — because we genuinely believe the integrated back-office model is the right answer for many Australian SMEs.
But the content has its own integrity:
- We tell readers honestly when Valont isn't the right fit for them. The Valont Alternatives page is a real list of honest alternatives, not a strawman comparison.
- We acknowledge trade-offs in our own model. The integrated model isn't universally right; we say so.
- We publish content that doesn't directly drive sales (research, glossary, educational pieces) because building genuine authority is the slow play and we're playing it.
The honest test for any piece of content we publish: "would this read as substantive even to a reader who decides not to engage with Valont?" If the answer is no, we don't publish it.
Accessibility and inclusion
We aim to make our content accessible:
- Clean HTML structure with semantic headings
- Sufficient colour contrast in the visual design
- Alt text on substantive images
- Plain language where the topic permits
- Australian English throughout (with terms explained where they may be unfamiliar to international readers)
We're not perfect on this and continue to improve.
Privacy in our content
When we write about customers, real people, or specific businesses:
- We get permission before naming
- We anonymise where permission for naming isn't available
- We don't disclose customer financial information beyond what they've explicitly consented to
- We never share customer contact information or personal details
Updating this policy
This editorial policy is reviewed at least annually. Material changes are noted with a "last updated" date.
Last updated: 1 June 2026
Contact
For editorial enquiries or to report a correction, please use our contact form and mark your message for the attention of the editorial team.