When business owners call on consultants, they are often excited to jump straight into strategy or tactics for a project or process. After all, time is money and most business owners are motivated, action-oriented people. But the reality is that business owners and their leadership teams are usually going a million miles per hour, which …
Category Archives: Blog
16
Feb
Feb
With 2017 still new and full of possibility, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit some of our most helpful webinars from recent years. Whether you need winning ideas for a big upcoming pitch or want to brush up on your budgeting basics before diving into the year’s financial planning, you’ll find valuable …
07
Feb
Feb
In the Pacific Northwest, craft beers, microbrews and local wines are highly celebrated and sought after. But if you work in the business then you know that local enthusiasm doesn’t make the brewing or winemaking business in Washington state or Oregon easy by any means. This post explores some key trends that are shaping business …
02
Feb
Feb
In our practice, we often talk with companies that are seeking investment and/or debt. Many of these companies have an accounting manager or controller that has been assigned the job of talking with a potential investor or lender. And many of these conversations do not result in success in the endeavor of acquiring the debt …
24
Jan
Jan
These are interesting times for seafood companies and fisheries based in Washington state. A confluence of factors, including changing ocean conditions and intense international competition are introducing uncertainties that complicate business decision making. It all begs the question of what seafood businesses can do to stay strong in the face of rapid environmental changes and …
19
Jan
Jan
As we kick off the new year, we are remembering our most read blogs from 2016. From compliance to strategy to valuation, we covered a variety of finance, HR and recruiting topics and best practices, realized through our own experiences and takeaways from helping clients address their business needs and concerns. 1. Complexity vs. Simplicity: …
I am reminded by the mass of attendees today from all across Texas of how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America. Democracy is much more time consuming than other forms of government, and I am very grateful for the freedom that comes with the work. Thank you Senator Watson for …
03
Jan
Jan
As 2016 came to a close, we are reflecting on an amazing year that marked 20 years in business for vcfo. We celebrated this milestone by engaging our employees, alumni, clients and partners in a year of volunteerism efforts to give back in many ways. We were humbled by the outpouring generosity from our networks …
08
Dec
Dec
For manufacturing firms, managing product lines to maximize gross margins while maintaining quality and safety standards is the key to profitability and success. In this industry, it is critical to have clearly defined profitability measurements and a plan for tracking, analyzing and integrating that data to inform the financial and operational decisions necessary to sustain …
21
Nov
Nov
4 key steps to creating a value-added HR organization As a long-time HR consulting firm, when the vcfo team goes in to help HR departments with a project or issue, what we often find is a team that is stuck in the proverbial HR “weeds.”Team members are often focused on HR for the sake of …