Tag Archive : Dear CFO

Dear CFO: My business earned a profit for the last two years, but we still can’t pay the bills. How did this happen and what should we do?  Vendors are calling in Chicago You aren’t the first person to ask this question or run into this situation. It’s a common misconception among beginning business owners:…

Dear CFO: I was short of cash and I decided I could use my withheld payroll taxes to pay our company vendors. I did eventually deposit the taxes but I received a notice from the IRS. What should I do? Payroll Tax Deposit Problem – Baffled in Buffalo *Disclaimer: This post is not meant to…

Dear CFO: I know I need to understand my costs, but my accountant tells me my manufacturing overhead is out of line, “SG&A” needs to be controlled, and my prices are too low.  I’m not sure I understand what she is talking about. What is SG&A? How do I lower my manufacturing overhead? Trying to…

  Dear CFO: I’ve heard of stockholders, but now I am trying to understand the term stakeholder. Who’s considered an internal and external stakeholder? What’s the difference and why I should care about them? A Shareholder in Milwaukee Dear Shareholder in Milwaukee, Stakeholders are often brought up in business lingo, but it’s tough to understand…

Dear CFO: My banker tells me I need a budget. But I know how to run my small business. Budgeting sounds like a waste of time to me. What would I gain by budgeting in Portland? This is certainly a common complaint and not just from small business owners, but from employees of large corporations…

Dear CFO: As a small business owner, I know (and my bank advised me) I need a budget. I’m overwhelmed and don’t know how to begin.  What do I need to do to create a successful budget for my business? Confused about budgeting basics in Phoenix. It’s certainly best practice to create and follow a…