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Archives for Testimonial

Graduation Day

There are milestones in every life and relationship—first meeting, marriage, births, graduation day.  And with each milestone comes a change.  Sometimes they are difficult partings, others joyful.

The same goes for business relationships. As a fractional CFO and controller, I have seen many companies of various sizes and values grow right in front of me.  Some start out with little financial strategy or processes and grow into companies of substance, size and scale.  In the case of the Big Dot of Happiness, the owners decided to sell the business.  Through the acquisition, I worked with their team, assisting with purchase price allocation accounting, processes and implemented accrual accounting practices.

When I first met Big Dot, a year ago, my assignment with them was to help establish financial processes and to act as their fractional controller.  Recently, the time came to “graduate” them to the next level.  They had grown significantly, production was higher, and they needed additional resources to help them grow.

My work here was done.

While it was sad to not be continuing as their day-to-day financial expert, it was gratifying to know that I had an impact on their growth and future.

Some of the things we put in place to make the financial aspect of their business come into focus:

  • Established uniform accounting practices; that is, put an accounting system in place.
  • Created and implemented a system for following accrual accounting.
  • Established a financial reporting package.
  • Assisted with creating a better way to look at inventory system and cost-of-goods sold infrastructure.
  • Attended to daily cash flow management and monthly close procedures.
  • Built balance sheet reconciliations and more.

It was a fun ride and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them.  I got to implement some needed financial strategies and along the way met and worked with some talented, smart and gracious people. This was living proof that sometimes the best thing you can do is help someone to the next phase of their business.  As the Tim McGraw song says, “when you get where you’re going, turn around and help the next one in line…”

Glad I could do my part and help in the transition to their new full-time controller at their Wisconsin headquarters.

Tina

For more on how to transition your business to the next level, call or write to us.  TFO Solutions is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and business owners with their financial strategy from the back office to the boardroom.

*photos courtesy of Unsplash (Good Free Photos) and Tina O’Banion

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Building Trust With Clients

It is the most critical item in any business relationship.  If you don’t have it things will never work between you and your client.  Or your partner. Or anyone around you.

It’s trust.

That’s right, good, old-fashioned trust.  Being believed and being true to your word. As the dictionary defines it: “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.”

When it comes to business, trust is especially important when it comes to financial matters.  Without trust, knowing the truth about your finances is unstable and with that unstableness comes a complete lack of faith in the operation of the company. A withdrawal happens and things fall apart.

We’ve seen that happen when we engage a new client who has lost faith or trust in their previous financial services partner.  Our job not only becomes one of reviewing and repairing the books and systems, it becomes one of earning the trust of the client.  While we weren’t the ones who lost the trust, it is up to us to step into the role and be “trustworthy” in our own right.

We gain and keep trust in a number of ways:

  • Being forthright and honest. The truth is always best.
  • Come to the new client with references from trusted sources of theirs.
  • Being clear. Get to the point.
  • Sharing experiences and ideas.
  • Acting as an advisor and peer rather than a “doer.”

There are variations of this list, of course.  This just happens to be our list.

We are in the business of keeping our clients and partners in business.  If you are looking for a financial strategist to partner with you in growing your business, contact us.

-The TFO Team

 

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It Comes Down to Trust

When you are the people who find and invest in companies, you want to make sure that no detail is lost in the management of those investments. Though you may be experienced in the operations and the management of a company, when it comes to the day-to-day accounting and finance function, it helps to have help you can trust.

That’s what Brien Davis of Altacrest Capital chose to do.  His private equity firm has a portfolio of consumer product companies focused on e-commerce.  Because they sell a variety of consumer goods online through multiple channels, things like inventory and cash management make a difference to Altacrest’s overall bottom line.

“We realized very early on that we needed more than a bookkeeper overseeing the finances of our companies,” Brien said. “We learned really quickly that we needed a partner who looked at these companies with a financial eye and one with a different skillset than ours.”

That company is Tina O’Banion’s TFO Solutions.

“Tina sees a problem, identifies it, and then shares with us how she recommends we solve it,” Brien continued. “We like her opinions on things, her systems and the tools she uses.”

He went on to add that Tina is extremely personable and has a great attitude.

“And she didn’t balk when we gave her a lot of work,” he added.

TFO Solutions LLC is a company based on serving entrepreneurs, established in 2019. We specialize in meeting the needs of your business by helping with accounting, finance and operations from the back office to the board room. Our goal is to help you achieve yours.

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