Sageworks Blog

May11

6 Tips for successful strategic brainstorming for credit unions Sanaa Bhambri [email] Marketing Analyst

May 11, 2013 10:29

Charles Fagan, CEO and President of Credit Union Executives Society (CUES) recently wrote an article discussing six ways credit unions can promote successful brainstorming in a corporate setting. [More]

Jul05

5 Financial metrics every business owner should know Mary Ellen Biery [email] Research Specialist

Jul 05, 2012 14:47

Is your business successful? How do you know? If you’re like most business owners, your days are filled by efforts to make your company successful. Those tasks might be focused on making a great product, generating sales, or building customer relationships. And you might be great at those things. But how great are you at making money? And how well are you managing your resources?
While different people have various definitions of business success, there are five key financial metrics that can help you understand your business’ financial success and how you’re faring against competitors. [More]

Jun 06, 2012 16:59

Believe it or not, we’re nearing the halfway point of 2012. If you’re holding a mid-year partner retreat or starting to update your strategic plans, now’s a good time to step back and evaluate the best way to take a step forward. Below are 12 key things you can do during the back half of 2012 to position your firm for success in 2013 and beyond. [More]

May29

5 Fraud-fighting tips for businesses Mary Ellen Biery [email] Research Specialist

May 29, 2012 14:55

Desperate times call for desperate measures, the saying goes. So it’s not surprising that fraud in the workplace increased during the economic crisis and recession. The median loss tied to occupational fraud is $160,000, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ 2010 report, so the issue is something about which many companies are rightfully concerned. Small businesses are especially vulnerable, the ACFE says. Fraud can pad your selling, general and administrative expenses or inflate your cost of sales. Here are five ways to fight fraud in your business. [More]

May24

What should you cover in a financial checkup? Libby Bierman [email] Analyst

May 24, 2012 15:34

After working with accountants for years, a best practice that we have seen is for accountants to meet with business clients for an annual, 30-minute checkup. This meeting shouldn't require more than half an hour and isn't mean to be exhaustive. Instead it opens the door for more consistent communication and gives your client an executive summary. [More]

May01

Avoid cash flow catastrophes: Part V - 7 tips for better forecasts Mary Ellen Biery [email] Research Specialist

May 01, 2012 11:35

Cash flow forecasts, the vital estimates of how much cash your business will have in order to continuing operating, are notoriously tricky because of the many variables involved. Even so, accountants and other financial experts say there are several steps you can take to improve their accuracy. These include being conservative, being aware of common pitfalls and updating your forecasts frequently. [More]

Apr 05, 2012 10:21

Wai-Yan Sun, CFO of Boston-based technology and marketing firm FreeCause, discusses making trade-offs and the effort tied to cash flow forecasting. [More]

Mar 23, 2012 13:44

Most accountants this time of year are swamped meeting tax-filing deadlines, but once business slows down, do you know how to rev things up? Gale Crosley, founder and principal of Atlanta-based consultant Crosley+Company, offers these tips for growing your practice. [More]

Mar 22, 2012 08:30

L. Heath Sampson, CFO at asset management and recovery company SquareTwo Financial, discusses talent and a top-down approach to cash flow forecasting. [More]

Mar 14, 2012 18:23

Bob Pinkerton, CFO of contact center solutions provider Alpine Access of Denver, discusses streamlining the deal-review process and running sensitivities around working capital for cash flow forecasts. [More]