Strategic partner agreements and negotiations – Facilitating vendor agreements i.e., equipment and software purchases, standard vendor and client agreements can be one of the most critical activities in your business. Tied very closely to cash flow, these agreements control and will more accurately reflect the ebbs and flows in the cash cycle.
Year-end audit preparation – The year-end presentation of data to the outside CPA firm can be taxing on your financial staff. Closing the books can be a difficult and time consuming process. In addition to the chore of gathering materials for your outside firm, the most useful data can be overlooked. Presenting the data in a logical, clear and concise format can result in a better view of your company in the auditor’s review, giving stakeholders, investors and bankers confidence in the direction of the company.
Managing insurance programs – For most companies, insurance programs, i.e., health insurance and business insurance can rank third behind salary and rent as the biggest expense line item on the P&L. We have extensive experience reviewing packages, making recommendations and negotiating options to deliver a cost/benefit ratio that meets both employee and senior management’s expectations.
Board meeting preparation and presentations – Also audit committee assignments – Just as important as it is to present your plans, achievements and actual results to your bank, presenting the same information to your board of directors also requires clarity. Materials used in the board meeting need to reflect business decisions and direction to a variety of individuals with usually mixed experiences, some of which may not be financial in nature. Financial details need to be presented, not as bland statistics, number after number, but linked together with charts, graphs and a logical narrative, to best tell your story.
Business process analysis – The business process needs to be challenged and restructured on an ongoing basis. Events such as restructuring, acquisitions and mergers cause a natural question: “Do we need to realign our business process?” Additionally, events such as growth expansion and reduction in velocity also require retooling existing business processes to accommodate the change. Frequently this step is set aside for “when we have time.” An objective third party is the best source to restructure these processes when an alternative path will produce better results.
Incentive compensation structures – Does our compensation structure provide the incentives and match the targets established for your employees and business? Beginning with the long range business plan, financial projections, industry/economic outlook and corporate culture, we will work with senior management to identify target milestones that can be quantified into a cohesive plan to not only best meet employee expectations, but attract the optimal talent to fill staff openings.