The Hidden Operational Risks of Customer Concentration

Last week we introduced the idea of customer concentration—how too much revenue from too few clients can create unseen risk. This week, let’s look at how that plays out in real-time, every day, inside your operations.

Here’s the reality: when one customer makes up a big chunk of your income, your entire operation starts to bend around their needs.

• You prioritize their timeline.
• You adapt your systems and people to their processes.
• You…

Let’s call it like it is — most small and mid-sized businesses are held together by duct tape, good intentions, and a whole lot of spreadsheets.

Your CRM doesn’t talk to your accounting software.
Your online orders don’t sync with your inventory system.
And every department has a slightly different version of what’s actually going on.

This patchwork can work — for a while. But when it’s time to grow? That’s when the cracks start to show.

That’s where Robotic Process Automation (RPA) earns its s…

If you’ve ever walked into your warehouse and thought,
“Why do we have so much of this… and none of what we actually need?”
—you’re not alone.

Inventory can quietly become one of the biggest operational challenges in a business. And for small to mid-sized companies, it’s not just about space — it’s about cash flow, customer satisfaction, and the ability to grow without chaos.

Too much inventory? You’ve got money sitting on shelves.
Too little? You’re losing sales and disappointing customers.
Eithe…

This month’s Ask the CFO session was all about automation—and not just the futuristic kind. We focused on real, practical ways to automate and streamline processes in small and mid-sized businesses using tools that are already available and often underutilized.

For years, I’ve talked about shifting finance teams from being stuck in transactional work to delivering more strategic, value-added insight. The truth is, many businesses still run on spreadsheets, green bar reports, and systems that ha…

These days, speed isn’t just nice to have — it’s expected.

Customers don’t want to wait hours (or days) to get an order confirmation, invoice update, or shipping status. If they can get faster answers somewhere else, they will. And if your team is buried under a pile of emails and spreadsheets, even your rock stars can’t keep up.

That’s where Robotic Process Automation (RPA) steps in.
Not to replace your people — but to support them, take the pressure off, and make sure your customers hear back…

Let’s be honest — most mistakes in a small business don’t happen because people aren’t trying hard enough.

They happen because people are human.

They’re moving fast, juggling too much, switching between systems, answering calls, and trying to hit a deadline. Sooner or later, something slips. A number gets mistyped. A field gets skipped. A customer gets the wrong invoice.

It’s not about blame — it’s about reality. And unfortunately, those little human moments can start costing real money.

Tha…

We kicked off July’s Ask the CFO with a bit of classic irony — tech issues on a day I planned to talk about… tech. After a brief detour into split screens and microphone mysteries, we got rolling.

And honestly, it felt like the perfect metaphor.

Because when it comes to business operations, most of us are still dealing with a lot of “split screens.” Systems that don’t talk to each other. Processes that eat up valuable time. People working harder than they should just to keep things from fallin…

Let’s talk about something that quietly drains the life out of your team’s day: repetitive, manual tasks.

You know the ones — entering data into systems, updating inventory sheets, generating invoices, processing orders. The kind of work that doesn’t require creativity or strategy, just time and repetition. Necessary, yes — but exhausting.

Most folks assume that’s just the cost of doing business. But I’m here to tell you: it doesn’t have to be.

Meet RPA — Your New Favorite Team Member

Roboti…

Let’s talk tariffs.

If you’re like most companies I work with, you’re staring down unclear rules, surprise charges on invoices, and vendors shrugging when you ask what’s going on. Right now, one of my clients is dealing with a 25% tariff—originally aimed at China—but it’s hitting their steel imports from Mexico. We’re asking basic questions like: Do we keep buying from Mexico and eat the tariff, or just shift sourcing to the U.S.? No one’s giving clear answers.

The bottom line? You can’t wait …

Thanks to everyone who joined me for the May 20th Ask the CFO! Whether you were on live or catching the replay, I’m always grateful for your time and engagement.

This session turned into a rich conversation that touched on three critical areas impacting small to mid-sized businesses today: inventory management, pricing and costing strategy, and the evolving landscape around tariffs and supply chains.

Let’s break down the big takeaways.

Inventory Optimization Isn’t Optional

I started our di…