Notes from the practice,
written the way we talk.
Short pieces on cash, margins, capital, and the calls owners have to make. Plain English, no jargon, written by the person doing the work.
The 30/12/3 Rule: A Story of the Silver Spoon
About 30% of family businesses reach gen two, 12% gen three, 3% gen four. The 30/12/3 rule, the silver spoon problem, and the discipline that breaks it.
Can AI catch fraud in your books?
AI spotted a fraud pattern a founder's own auditors missed. Here's the real story, and the guardrails to put around AI before you try it yourself.
Why do profitable construction companies still run out of cash?
Profit on paper doesn't pay your crew Friday. Here's why construction companies run out of cash even in good years, and what actually fixes it.
Can Direct Primary Care actually cut your company's healthcare costs?
Direct Primary Care can keep a large share of your health spend outside your insurance plan. Here's the CFO-level math to run before you believe it.
What could force you to sell your business before you're ready?
Divorce, disagreements, disruption, disability, death. Exit planners call these the "5 Ds." Here's why disability is the one owners plan for least.
What's the minimum profit margin my business needs to survive?
A CPA-run peer group calls it the "5% survival net." Here's the minimum profit margin a small business needs to survive a real downturn.
Is growth actually killing your bottom line?
Revenue up but profit flat? Growth and scaling aren't the same thing. A CPA's simple margin test for whether your growth is actually paying off.
Why did I get a tax bill on money I never received?
Bought into a business and got hit with a tax bill you never saw cash for? That's phantom income. Here's how it happens and what to check before you sign.
How do I know if my business's numbers are actually healthy?
A P&L alone can't tell you if your margin is healthy. Here's how peer benchmarking works, and how to find a real comparison for your numbers.
Why is my business profitable but has no cash?
Your P&L shows a profit but your bank account says otherwise. A CPA explains why profit isn't cash, and what to look at first.
Is your owner salary secretly lowering your business's value?
Paying yourself less to save on taxes can quietly wreck what your business is worth. Here's how buyers "add back" owner salary, and why it matters.
How should a family business hire its kids the right way?
Done right, putting your kids on the family business payroll is a legitimate tax move and one of the most powerful wealth-building tools you have.
Should you sell your business to private equity?
PE isn't good or bad. It depends on your goals. An honest, balanced look at what selling to private equity actually means for owners.
When does a business actually need a fractional CFO?
Revenue isn't the trigger. Here are the real signs your business needs a fractional CFO, and why waiting until you feel "big enough" costs you money.
Why can't I sell my business, even though it's profitable?
Profitable doesn't mean sellable. If your business can't run without you, it's a job, not a business. Here's why that kills a sale, and what fixes it.
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