Articles
operations
Start here before you touch AI
There’s a question I keep hearing right now, and it usually comes up pretty quickly in a conversation:
“How should we be using AI in our business?”
It sounds like the right question. It feels practical. It feels like something you shouldhave an answer to right now.
But it’s actually the wrong place to start.
In last month’s Ask the CFO session on AI with Ken Scales, we kept coming back to something much simpler. Ken Scales said it directly:
“What are we trying to achieve first? It’s not, l…
Considering an External Sale? What Business Owners Need to Know
For many business owners, an external sale is the best path to exit. Whether selling to a competitor, private investor, or private equity firm, a well-planned transition can provide financial security and ensure the company’s long-term success. However, selling a business isn’t as simple as finding a buyer—it requires careful preparation, strategic decision-making, and an understanding of the potential benefits and challenges.
Key Considerations for an External Sale
One of the most important s…
The Real Cost of Doing It All Yourself
Every month in Ask the CFO, I like to pull back the curtain on what’s really happening behind the numbers. Not the polished version we present in board meetings or end-of-year reports — but the real, everyday decisions that shape a company’s direction. Running a business isn’t just about spreadsheets and forecasts; it’s about how you spend your time, where you focus your energy, and what trade-offs you’re willing to make along the way.
What I’ve noticed lately — across clients in different indu…
Want Better Margins? Start with Better Tools
Stop Flying Blind: Use Tech to Track and Control Costs
One of the biggest mistakes I see mid-sized business owners make is this: they try to run a $25 million company with $2 million tools.
I’ve been in more than a few meetings where someone tells me they “track everything in spreadsheets” or “get the reports from accounting once a month.” That may have worked ten years ago. But if tariffs, rising costs, and unpredictable supply chains are hitting your bottom line, you need real-time visib…
Facing Tariff Pressure? Here’s How to Protect Your Margins
How to Cut Costs Without Cutting Corners
Let’s talk reality. Tariffs and trade disruptions aren't just headline news—they hit your bottom line fast. And while I’ve always believed you can’t “cut your way to growth,” there are smart, strategic ways to trim the fat and boost efficiency without putting your operations at risk.
Over the past few months, I’ve worked with multiple clients to protect margins by attacking costs with precision—not panic. What I’ve learned? Most busine…
Smart Vendor Strategy = Smoother Operations + Better Margins
Strengthening Your Supply Chain: Why Vendor & Supplier Management Is Key to Operational Excellence
In today’s unpredictable business environment, operational excellence isn’t just about running lean or hitting internal KPIs—it’s about building resilient systems that can adapt, flex, and scale. One of the most critical (and often underappreciated) areas for achieving this is how you manage your vendors and suppliers.
Whether you’re a manufacturer, distributor, or service provider, your ability …
Categories
- News (5)
- family owned business (69)
- small business (37)
- small business, (7)
- financials (13)
- ebitda (2)
- it solutions (1)
- rpa (8)
- podcast (3)
- succession (16)
- legacy (17)
- debt (4)
- cash flow (7)
- budget (6)
- forecasting (5)
- askthecfo (22)
- succession (4)
- legacy (1)
- legacy (2)
- succession planning (4)
- business value (2)
- 13 week ca (1)
- operations (5)
- inventory (1)
- operations (6)
- supply chain (2)
- manufacturing (1)
- tariffs (6)
- pricing (5)
- customer (1)
- customer concentration (7)
- mexico (1)
- near-shoring (1)
- marketing (1)
- business development (4)
- lean (1)
- leadership (3)
- insurance (1)
- risk (1)
- planning (1)
- real estate (1)
- hr (1)
- loans (1)
- private equity (3)
- selling (3)
- FractionalCFO (2)
- mentorship (1)
- owner dependence (1)
- ai (5)
- referrals (1)