Sales are great, but wouldn’t they be better if you were actually able to reap the rewards? Many CEOs that were not trained with an accounting/finance background struggle to understand profitability. They think that if sales are great, then the business is great. But when sales increase, inventory and overhead increases. Productivity also decreases –
Ever seen a black swan? The term was coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. A finance professor and former Wall Street Trader, Taleb created the term in his book, “The Black Swan”. It describes a situation that is both unexpected and hard to predict. Events like 9/11, Brexit, and natural events (like an earthquake) have caused
When we talk to people who have sales or operations backgrounds, we quickly pick up on their hatred/dislike/disdain/etc. for accounting. We get it. Accounting can be boring, especially if it’s not used for management purposes. But when we talk with the management team either in our coaching workshops or our consulting practice, we always implement
As social media and search engines become more intelligent and prevalent, companies are battling the image that others outside the organization see as well as what employees feel. Entrepreneur Magazine even said that, “Company culture is more important than ever. It’s not that company culture was ever unimportant, but it’s quickly proving to be a
Whether you are working with a client, putting together a reporting package, networking with potential theory, or closing the books, there’s a rule you can apply to make your life easier. This rule is probably one that you’re very familiar with – regardless of whether you practice it. When you are completing a job, there
One of our clients called us up because his DSO went from 34 days to over 72 days within a couple months. He couldn’t figure out what was causing his daily sales outstanding (DSO) to increase so dramatically in such a short time. When we came in the office to investigate, we found that there
Recently, we have seen a new term emerging regarding the type of employees some companies have: corporate zombies. Why should you as a financial leader care about the type of employees your company has? It all lies in your income statement. One of the largest (if not the largest) expense item is your human capital.
Most people (especially those outside the finance side of the business) see the financial function as a cost center. Although an accounting department does not generate any revenue, it has the potential to dramatically improve profitability. Think about this: you should be able to convert 1-2% of sales into profits if the department was more
People, myself included, are generally more hesitant with taking credit cards for business on anything major… and I don’t blame them! There’s typically a 2% charge on sales. However, if you use your credit cards the correct way, it may be worth considering. To save you time and risk, here’s a few things that we learned from using
Have you ever come across that one customer who you would do anything to get rid of? Have you ever questioned what to do with the customer that causes more strife than good? Whether they’re a drain or merely a pain, these customers cost you money. So what do you do with unprofitable customers? Business is
It’s that time of year… There’s so much going on and it’s becoming difficult for you to stop and breathe. Kids are finishing up school, which entails end-of-year parties, standardized testing, and projects. Businesses are pushing to boost sales as the end of the second quarter quickly approaches. Summer vacations are booked. You may feel a
Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked. – Warren Buffet Is the Houston economy’s metaphorical “tide” going out? It’s hard to say, but some businesses are definitely feeling a bit “naked” these days. They may not even realize the peril they’re in because they still have positive cash flow despite the fact they’re losing money. This begs
JOIN THE NEXT STRATEGIC CFO™ WORKSHOP SERIES
Strategic CFO™ Financial Leadership Workshop
The Art Of The CFO®
August 7-10th, 2023
CONNECT WITH STRATEGIC CFO™
