So, time to sell?
So, time to sell? The last few years have been wonderful for business owners who wanted to sell privately owned companies that they had built up over time. A sound business has been able to attract multiple bidders and often get a premium price for its owners, never mind the pause caused by the COVID […]
Beware These Real Estate Financing Potholes
I have been buying commercial real estate for nearly 20 years, and each investment has involved the use of leverage, taking out a bank loan for as much of the purchase price as possible to increase the investors’ cash-on-cash returns. These days it’s harder than it’s ever been because of the close relationship between high […]
Our Take on Financial Metrics
The literature typically calls them KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators. I used to call them Critical Performance Factors, or CPFs, before the idea became popular and in every consultant’s toolkit. Whatever you call them, the financial KPIs should be collected and reported in a dashboard format, an essential addition to your monthly financial reporting package […]
The Value of a Management Retreat
I joined a southeastern US based client of ours last week for their quarterly offsite management retreat, a regular exercise they have pursued in the interest of keeping their goals current and relevant and their managers focused on working as a team to meet the goals. The process and the outcomes were invigorating for everyone, […]
Who needs a board of advisors?
A question asked by private company owner/operators – perhaps when they’re asking advice from someone they trust, their banker, lawyer, CPA, or their sister-in-law. It’s not that they don’t think they need advice – OK, for some of them that’s true – it’s just that having a structured group of advisors sounds like (a) a […]
5 Ways to Get Real Profits Out of Your Balance Sheet – Part 1 of 5- copy
Do you want to have more financial control of your company? Of course you do, or you wouldn’t be reading my posts. But let’s be clear: this is not an attempt to make you into your own controller. We have people who do that for you. Rather, whether your role is CEO, President, owner/operator, senior […]
How To Be Your Own CFO
How To Be Your Own CFO Smaller companies often do not have the resources to hire a CFO, even a fractional one, yet those intent on succeeding, growing, and profitably exiting have financial issues to address that are often more critical to their survival than they would be in a larger company. If you are […]
Noses In, Fingers Out
Noses In, Fingers Out That expression will be familiar to readers who have served on boards of directors or have had some decent board governance training. They will agree with it or not, often largely depending on their relationship with the company. Since I have served on, and chaired, a couple of mid-sized nonprofit boards […]
They Settled. You Shouldn’t.
They Settled. You Shouldn’t. Last year we worked with a client in the furniture distribution business, a successful, rapidly growing company with retail customers across the country and suppliers across the globe. They asked us to help them integrate the financial systems of a company they had just acquired, and we stepped up and did […]
Handling conflict or avoiding it – a choice
Handling conflict or avoiding it – a choice As an enthusiastic member of the Private Directors Association, I read with interest the solicitations of candidates for director positions across the country and in a wide variety of industries. Often written by search firms who are anxious to diligently reflect their client’s concerns and desires, sometimes […]