For CEOs and other business leaders who determine it may be necessary or valuable to bring in external consulting expertise to their organization, it’s important to consider the following characteristics to identify the right individual and approach to accomplish a successful engagement. And for consultants providing their counsel and skills, it’s equally important to objectively …
13
Dec
Dec
Three Key Considerations One of the clearest signs that your business is successful and is seen as having definitive upward potential is when you receive an offer from a competitor, holding company, or business in an adjacent market inquiring about your willingness to sell. If divesting yourself of the business is not a primary near-term …
03
Dec
Dec
As Year-end Approaches, Finish Strong and Focus Forward As CEOs and other leaders come to grips with the reality of another year quickly coming to a close, many simultaneously recognize that it is a vital time to take stock of what needs to be done to strengthen one’s business and get it to where we …
11
Nov
Nov
Like most organizational functions, Human Resources entails a variety of deadlines and milestones for initiatives and actions throughout the year. Naturally, the year-end period is no different. But for some leaders, a focus on checking tactical HR items off the list during this time can mean insufficient attention paid to charting the broader strategic direction …
24
Oct
Oct
As consulting CFOs who have led and participated in countless strategic planning sessions over the years, we have experienced first-hand the value that effective strategic planning brings to business. Strategic planning is a vital activity that helps an organization assess the state of its business, market, and resources. It determines priorities, identifies operational gaps, and …
15
Oct
Oct
Year-end recruiting and staffing actions typically involve less of the mandated reporting and administrative activities that are common hallmarks of other functions like finance and accounting. Even so, CEOs and those concerned with attracting, landing, and retaining key talent for an organization should view it with the same level of importance. Below, we dive into …
03
Oct
Oct
Some form of the question, “Do I need a CFO?” surfaces in the course of conversation at a very high percentage of the lunches or professional events our vcfo consultants attend with business leaders. It’s a pivotal and not surprising question for CEOs to struggle with, especially when they have solid controllers and accounting managers …
24
Sep
Sep
The strategic role of Human Resources and the understanding of same is mission critical to a CEO and the Board. Over the years, HR has changed from a “personnel/paper pushing” department to a department that can add value which translates to company savings that can drop to the bottom line. Allowing HR to have a …
06
Sep
Sep
Five HR Pitfalls to Avoid After a Merger or Acquisition In a previous post, we examined the important topic of The Roles HR Can Play During Merger and Acquisition. When effectively leveraged, HR instills confidence and calm in leaders and employees that all bases are covered in this time of transition. But HR’s role doesn’t …
23
Aug
Aug
Are Your Job Descriptions Attracting the Right Talent? In virtually every geography where we work with companies to make them stronger, the story is the same when it comes to finding new employees that fit their organization’s talent needs. In short, it’s becoming tougher and tougher to attract capable candidates. Scanning but a few of …