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…

Pricing & Margin Analysis: The Overlooked Lever of Operational Excellence

For many business owners, pricing is more gut instinct than strategy. You charge what the market seems to allow, adjust when competitors shift, and hope for healthy margins in the end. But here's the truth: without intentional pricing and margin analysis, you're leaving money—and stability—on the table.

Operational excellence isn’t just about cutting costs or improving efficiency. It’s also about knowing your value and p…

Inventory Management & Optimization: Finding the Right Balance for Your Business

For many business owners, inventory feels like a moving target. Hold too much, and you tie up cash in product that collects dust. Hold too little, and you risk lost sales, delayed delivery, or missed production deadlines. Getting inventory “just right” isn’t just good operations—it’s a critical part of financial strategy.

As a CFO working with privately held and family-owned businesses, I’ve seen firsthand how inv…

This week’s Ask the CFO session focused on a topic that sits at the heart of operational success—budgeting and forecasting. While it might not be the flashiest topic in business finance, it’s one of the most essential tools for growth, decision-making, and long-term stability.

We kicked off the conversation by unpacking a common misconception: that budgets are restrictive or merely bureaucratic. In reality, a well-crafted budget serves as a roadmap, helping business owners set intentions for th…

When preparing for a business transition—whether passing it to a family member, selling to an external buyer, or stepping back from daily operations—certain risks can significantly impact the process. Two of the biggest challenges business owners face are customer concentration and management team readiness. These factors can affect business valuation, buyer interest, and long-term stability after the transition. Addressing these early can make the difference between a smooth transition and one …

For business owners thinking about selling, transitioning ownership, or simply strengthening their company’s financial position, understanding business valuation is essential. The market doesn’t just look at revenue—it assesses profitability, risk, industry conditions, and future potential. Knowing what factors drive business value can help owners make smarter decisions to increase their company’s worth.

Key Factors That Determine Business Value

1. Financial Performance – Profitability, cash fl…

Succession planning isn’t something that happens overnight. Whether passing the business to a family member, selling to an external buyer, or transitioning to employee ownership, proper preparation takes time—often more than business owners expect. The earlier you start planning, the more control you have over the outcome and the smoother the transition will be.

How Long Does It Take to Prepare for a Transition?

The ideal timeframe for preparing a business transition is 3 to 5 years before the…

Succession Planning: What Every Family Business Needs to Know
Insights from the April Ask the CFO with Lowell Mora

Our most recent Ask the CFO session focused on a topic that affects nearly every family-owned business at some point: succession planning. And based on the engagement and great questions we received, it’s clear that this issue is top of mind for many business owners.

We kicked off the session with a sobering truth: only 1 in 3 family businesses make it to the second generation, and…