INSIGHTS & ARTICLES
Explore some of the most recent articles by our CFOs.
FEATURED ARTICLE
Cost Analysis and Price Analysis
Cost analysis and price analysis are two important procedures that are used by businesses to calculate the true cost of a product or service and determine the best sales price. By understanding and correctly utilizing these processes, businesses can make informed...
RECENT INSIGHTS & ARTICLES
How to Conduct a Market Analysis
Before starting a new business—and periodically thereafter—it is important for company executives to carry out a market analysis, also called a market evaluation. Most entrepreneurs conducted a market analysis (to the best of their abilities) when they were developing...
What is a Fractional CFO?
A fractional CFO is an experienced CFO who provides services for organizations in a part-time, retainer, or contract arrangement. This offers a company the experience and expertise of a high-end CFO without the in-house cost—salary, benefits, and bonuses—of a...
What is GAAP and Why is it Important?
Generally Accepted Accounting Priciples (GAAP) Financial reporting is an important part of business that communicates the financial performance and results of a company. It records and presents information about the company’s financial position, revenues, expenses,...
Easing the Financial Year-End Close
The end of the fiscal year can be highly stressful for financial officers and corporate executives. The year-end closing procedure is time-consuming and sometimes brings unpleasant surprises. Particularly in times of economic downturn and short staffing, year-end...
Does My Business Need a Financial Advisor?
The wise business owner will “know what they don’t know,” and will seek the appropriate experts such as financial advisors to fill those gaps.
3 Reasons you Need a Financial Forecast
If Your Company Doesn't Have a Financial Forecast, You're Wasting Time and Money Every company has goals. Where do you want your organization to be 5 years from now? 10 years? Most even have a general idea of the benchmarks you need to hit to get there—"By increasing...
Determining the Payback Period of a Business Investment
Whether implementing a new software system, adding office space, acquiring another company, or any other substantial investment, companies want to know how long it will take to recoup the money they spend on major purchases. The way to determine this is by calculating...
10 Steps to Prepare for Raising Capital
Finding funding for your business is a process that takes a lot of time and effort, especially during the startup phase. Many entrepreneurs fail in their first attempts at fundraising because they are poorly prepared. Others get themselves into trouble by choosing the...
How Can a Fractional CFO Help You Save Money?
In these days of economic challenges and changes, many companies struggle with uncertainty about the future, seeking tools and resources to best position their businesses for financial success. Often it can be beneficial to bring in a financial advisor who has...
What is a Capitalization (Cap) Table and Why Does it Matter?
What is a Cap Table? Capitalization tables, commonly called “cap tables,” are highly useful spreadsheets maintained by companies that have multiple owners or investors. Cap tables are especially important for private companies at startup and in the early stages of the...
Benefits of Finance & Accounting Staff Augmentation
Many companies experience times when they find their accounting departments short on staff or short on expertise. Sometimes emergencies and financial needs arise that are beyond the capability of their financial personnel to address. This is particularly true in times...
Qualities of an Effective Profit & Loss Report
A Profit and Loss (P&L) Report, also called a Profit and Loss Statement, is a key financial document that details a company’s income and expenses over a specific period of time. This time period is typically a month, a quarter or a year. Depending on company needs...
What Is a Quality of Earnings Report?
When a business sale, acquisition, or major investment is contemplated, one important step in the due diligence process is the generation of a Quality of Earnings report, sometimes abbreviated as QOE. Even though a company may have strong financial statements, those...
Complete Guide to Accrual Accounting
There are two methods of accounting: cash and accrual. In cash accounting, transactions are recorded when payment occurs. In the accrual method, revenues and expenses are matched and recorded at the time the good is delivered or the service is performed, regardless of...
3 Things to Know Before Choosing a Supplier
Choosing the right supplier for your business can be complicated, especially if a large portion of your product comes from a single company. For many companies, supplies are secondary only to labor in their expenses. But choosing the right supplier has even more...
A CFO’s Role in Strategic Decisions
In every company, there are important decisions to be made on a daily basis. Some decisions are mundane and have only short-term consequences. Others are strategic and can affect the company’s performance and profits for years. Too often, these critical decisions are...
CFO Hiring Guide: Analyze Your Needs & Maximize Value
Whether your business is a startup or an established enterprise, you need a strong, agile financial team with a highly competent leader. Some companies think they can get by without a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) until they start preparing to go public. Other...
Financial Expert Roles & Responsibilities
It’s not uncommon to have difficulty differentiating between the main financial professionals. Not only are the names similar, but they are also often unintentionally used interchangeably. However, despite how the titles may be used colloquially, there are distinct...
Choosing the Right Vendors for Your Business
Nearly every business requires supplies and services. To keep your company moving forward smoothly and to ensure optimum profitability, you need to find vendors who are trustworthy, consistent, and correctly priced. An ideal vendor is more than just a supplier; they...
How Much Does a Virtual CFO Cost
A virtual CFO, also called a VCFO or fractional CFO, is a consultant or company that provides CFO services to one or more businesses on a part-time or ad-hoc basis. In the past, a true CFO was usually a highly paid, full-time employee that only large corporations...
What Is Gross Profit and Why Does It Matter?
Gross profit is one of several key profitability metrics that help companies evaluate their financial health. It is necessary to determine gross profit before you can calculate other important figures such as net profit, EBITDA, and the company’s bottom line. Gross...