One of our construction clients bought two new vehicles at the end of December. The deal was rushed to close before year-end, which meant taking whatever vehicles were available with the terms and financing that were offered. They would have had more options a few weeks earlier. They came to us after the fact, when […]
Author Archives: Cindy Hovig
15
Sep
Sep
When I first started working with business owners, most of the conversations happened after something had already gone wrong. Cash got tight unexpectedly. A tax bill showed up larger than expected. Revenue looked strong, but the business still felt strained. A hiring decision created pressure nobody saw coming. Their reports were technically accurate. The bookkeeping got […]
01
Sep
Sep
There was a question I kept hearing from business owners: “If the business made a profit, where did the money go?” Often they assumed something was wrong. Maybe expenses had gotten too high. Maybe sales slowed down. They even wondered if the reports were inaccurate. Most of the time, the answer was much simpler. The profit […]
Bookkeeping, Goals, Going Beyond, Saving Money
Why Your Bank Balance Won’t Tell You What You Need to Know
18
Aug
Aug
A client bought a truck to reduce their taxes. They didn’t talk to us before the purchase. By the time we learned about it, the deal was done. We ran the numbers and showed them what that payment was actually going to cost the business over the next 60 months, and what it meant for […]
04
Aug
Aug
The bank account is lower than expected. Payroll is coming up, and cash feels tight. A tax bill shows up that nobody planned for. Profit at the end of the quarter doesn’t match how busy the business felt. That’s usually when the reports come out. Not before the decision. After it. Looking Back Versus Looking […]
21
Jul
Jul
Many business owners do not realize how often they look at the numbers too late. The reports come in at the end of the month. Sometimes even later. You finally sit down to look everything over and realize something does not look right. Costs were higher than you thought. The bank account is lower than […]
07
Jul
Jul
A business owner told me recently, “We finally hit our revenue goal, so I think we’re ready to hire.” That was the entire reasoning behind the decision. Not whether the work had become more profitable. Not whether margins had improved. Not whether the increase was consistent or tied to one unusually strong stretch of business. […]
30
Jun
Jun
You look at your reports and see that the business made money. Sales are up. Work is getting done. But at the same time, the bank account feels lower than expected. Bills need to be paid. Payroll is around the corner. You start wondering how both things can be true at once. It usually comes […]
10
Jun
Jun
A lot of business owners look at their financial reports and still think: “I’m not totally sure what I should be looking at.” They are being proactive about looking at the numbers, but still feel unsure. Having access to the numbers and understanding what they are actually saying are two different things. That’s where many […]
Goals, Help, Reporting, Uncategorised
You Don’t Need More Financial Reports -You Need to Understand Them
26
May
May
Most business owners don’t wake up thinking, “I really wish I had more reports.” They want to understand the reports they already have and use them to make better decisions about where the business is going. We worked with a client who brought us messy books. Once we cleaned everything up, they finally had accurate […]