Jay P., Founder and CEO of a CPA firm, look puzzled when I asked him how he was reducing threats to his company. This was in the context of a LADRSM assessment we’d undertaken. “Threats?” he asked. “We’re doing great. Revenue up year over year, clients happy, latest technology in place. I don’t think there … Continue reading How Are You Reducing Threats to Your Company?
Category: Great Ideas
How Are You Promoting Innovation in Your Services Firm?
You are feeling good! Your firm is making progress: revenue is increasing, profits are growing, customer and client retention is working, you’re getting referrals, and your financials look good. Why rock the boat with innovations? Why redirect resources to innovation when things are going well? I completed a consulting engagement with a firm that’s a … Continue reading How Are You Promoting Innovation in Your Services Firm?
Is Your Professional Services Firm Viable or “Buy-able”?
Ed W. dropped his jaw when his financial advisor told him how much money he’d need to ensure the retirement life he and his wife had imagined for the past twenty years. Then he brightened because he knew his accounting firm was solid. The sale of the firm would contribute the bulk of the money … Continue reading Is Your Professional Services Firm Viable or “Buy-able”?
How Are You Covering the Costs of Hourly Billing?
Corporate training firm founder and owner Elaine felt frustrated that she could never get her firm’s profit to grow faster than around 3% per year. When she and I first looked at her Profit & Loss statements for the past 3 years, nothing jumped out as a red flag. Revenue, Expenses, Profit all marched neatly … Continue reading How Are You Covering the Costs of Hourly Billing?
Is the Idea of a ‘Nest Egg’ Outdated?
I’m going on a bit of a rant this week! I hope you’ll find it helpful. For many years financial advisors, M&A advisors, insurance brokers, bankers, and estate planning attorneys talked about “exit planning” or “liquidity events.” They were dismayed as owners were disappointed by the money they got for the company they’d nurtured for … Continue reading Is the Idea of a ‘Nest Egg’ Outdated?
How Much Could You Gain by Letting Go?
When he turned 10 months old, my Bernese Mountain Dog Gabe became completely impulsive and difficult to control on a leash. He loves dogs and people and he wanted to exuberantly greet everyone who came near. He’s also over 100 pounds and is very strong. My response for 3 years was to work harder and … Continue reading How Much Could You Gain by Letting Go?
Should Owner Choose Between Being CEO and Chief Provider?
When Brian and Janice started their CPA firm 20 years ago, they did everything: business development, tax returns and other services, and managing the back office tasks that keep a company running. As the firm grew, they continued doing client work themselves, as well as BD and the back office. By year 20 their client … Continue reading Should Owner Choose Between Being CEO and Chief Provider?
Are You Trapped by Tenacity?
Is it possible tenacity can trap you? We business owners tend to nod vigorously when we’re exhorted to be tenacious, to persist, to let our grit and resolve carry us through the challenges we face. I do it myself, and I wrote about the evidence that founders and owners have a lot of built-in tenacity … Continue reading Are You Trapped by Tenacity?
I’ll Never Forget the First ‘Yes’
The call came one afternoon just after I had completed training to talk about Value Based Pricing, including responding to objections (Step 4). I declared we were ready to implement Value Based Pricing. We’d done the phase-in work: Commit, Prepare, Establish and Train. Now it was time for implementation. The Senior VP of Business Development … Continue reading I’ll Never Forget the First ‘Yes’
Every Accomplishment Begins with the Decision to Act
Once you’ve committed to implementing Value Based Pricing (see Step 1 COMMIT), it’s time to get started. Successfully implementing Value Based Pricing requires phasing it in. I never recommend trying to flip a switch. Step 2 PREPARE helps you begin the phase-in. No one succeeds without confidence and that only comes from intense preparation. The … Continue reading Every Accomplishment Begins with the Decision to Act
