Growing mid-sized businesses today face myriad financial and operational challenges that often exceed the capabilities of their finance staff. One solution to meeting these challenges is to hire a contract CFO to provide on-demand CFO services.
Retaining a contract CFO to provide high-level financial leadership and...
When they think of QuickBooks, many executives and CEOs typically think about an accounting software program used by bookkeepers, accountants and CPAs to manage a small or mid-sized firm’s finances, inventory, customers and vendors. But thinking in terms of “QuickBooks for CEOs” broadens awareness to...
“If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door.” While the origin of this saying is in dispute — it’s generally attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson in the late 19th century, but a quote from him saying exactly this...
In many ways, retail businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. Despite the rise of e-commerce over the past decade or so, millions of Americans still do their shopping at good old-fashioned retail stores — whether locally owned “mom-and-pop” businesses or national and big-box...
Owners of seasonal businesses often face unique financial challenges when it comes to managing the business. This is especially true for retail businesses, many of which rely on sales made during the last quarter of the year to ensure a profit for the entire year.
The...
At first glance, the finance and production planning functions in a mid-sized business don’t seem to have a lot to do with each other. They are separated functionally and don’t often communicate with each other directly. Also, production planning reports to an operations director or supervisor while finance reports...
In the recent article, Plan Year-End Business Tax Strategies Now, I described a few year-end tax-planning strategies that could help you save money on your 2017 tax bill when you file your return next spring. But tax planning isn’t the only kind of planning you should be doing now. This...
With the holidays coming up, the last thing you probably want to think about right now is taxes. After all, don’t you have until March before you must start thinking about taxes? Well, yes and no. While your tax return might not be due until March or later, there...
So far, 2017 has been a very good year for many businesses in California and nationwide. Key economic indicators — such as GDP growth, manufacturing activity and hiring — are pointing up, and business owners are more optimistic than they have been in over a decade, according to the...
A growing number of mid-sized businesses are investing resources in the practice of financial planning and analysis — or FP&A, as it’s usually referred to. As we discussed in a previous article, many of these firms are benefitting from the forward-looking and strategic exercises that are part of the...