Importance of the Relationship Between the Independent Financial Advisor and the Small and Medium-Sized Entrepreneur

The purpose of the article. The purpose of the paper was to determine the importance of the relationship between the independent financial advisor and SMEs. No academic or practice-oriented research has been yet undertaken in this field in Poland. The presented study aims to reduce the identified research gap. Methodology. The fulfillment of the research objectives will be based on the analysis of a survey conducted among SME entrepreneurs who reported a need for the services of an independent financial advisor. Results of the research. The study, carried out in 2024, involved 50 participants from the SME sector from the Greater Poland voivodeship (province in Poland). Building a long-term relationship between an independent financial intermediary and an SME was primarily driven by trust and competence. The main benefits SMEs gain from working with an independent advisor are time savings and a safer arrangement of financing transactions. Long-term drivers in working with an independent financial advisor were important to SME sample, whereas short-term factors, including the cost of the advisory service itself, were relatively less important.