INSIGHTS & ARTICLES
Explore some of the most recent articles by our CFOs.
FEATURED ARTICLE
What is GAAP and Why is it Important?
What is GAAP and Why is it Important? Financial reporting is an important part of business that communicates the financial performance and results of a company. It records and presents information about the company’s financial position, revenues, expenses, and related...
RECENT INSIGHTS & ARTICLES
Debt vs. Equity Financing: Which to Choose?
Every business needs financing to fund growth. The old adage is true: it takes money to make money. There are two basic types of business financing: debt and equity. Each has its advantages and its drawbacks, and over time most businesses will need both. Finding the...
Strategies for Improving Vendor Contracts
For businesses that are inventory-supported, such as retail, resale, or manufacturing businesses, strategic vendor contracts can greatly enhance your profitability and cash flow. For some companies, vendor contracts are a set-it-and-forget-it portion of the business....
Basics of Business Banking
Every business needs banking services so they can receive funds, pay bills, and finance large purchases. It may be tempting to just use your personal bank for your business needs. However, a business has much greater need to understand and carefully select its banking...
How to Determine Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
What is Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)? Cost of Goods Sold is also known as COGS or Cost of Sales. It is a critical financial metric that indicates the direct cost of creating or acquiring the goods a company sells during a given time period. This figure helps companies...
7 Most Common Financial Mistakes Construction Companies Make
Strategic CFO, Bradford Pack, discusses the 7 most common financial challenges faced by construction companies. With long project times, sizable material orders, and upfront labor costs, the construction industry often faces a variety of financial challenges. Below...
Evaluating Your Company’s Financial Confidence
An axiom in business is that CEOs and founders must “know what they don’t know.” It’s rare that a CEO or founder has expertise in all arms of the business. Instead, they must rely on identifying their weaknesses and make strategic adjustments—usually by hiring someone...
Essential Strategies for Scaling Up Your SaaS Company in 2021
The year 2020 has impacted businesses of all kinds in extraordinary ways, leading some to stunning windfall profits and others to utter ruin. This is especially true in the case of software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies. For instance, Covid-19 restrictions have kept...
PPP December COVID Relief Stimulus Bill
On Sunday, December 20, Congress passed a $900B stimulus package. One week later, on Sunday, December 27, Trump signed the bill into law. While there are many aspects of the bill offering moratoriums on evictions and extending unemployment benefits, the bill also...
Accrual Accounting vs. Cash Basis Accounting
Preferred CFO has worked with hundreds of businesses from startups and small businesses to medium-sized businesses or businesses looking to fundraise. While many of these are companies experiencing high levels of growth, many are not yet in a position to afford or...
How Does a CFO Add Value?
CFOs are high-level, strategic experts who optimize financial resources in a company while using those resources to achieve company goals more efficiently and effectively. Unlike bookkeepers, controllers, and accountants whose primary functions are rear-facing,...
5 Financial Strategy Tips for your Organization in 2021
2020 was This year, resolve to take control of your business finances and use them to help you get what you want out of the new year. Below are five financial strategy tips to help your organization prepare for the new year. Take a Look at Your Financial Forecast If...
The Difference Between the 5 Main Financial Experts
It’s not uncommon to have difficulty differentiating between the main financial professionals. Not only are the names similar, but they are also often unintentionally used interchangeably. However, despite how the titles may be used colloquially, there are distinct...
5 Hiring Tips from a CFO That Will Save You Time & Money
When is the best time to make a new hire? Hiring too late can mean work (and clients) falling through the cracks; hiring too early can mean unnecessarily increasing your expenses. Payroll is one of the largest expenses a company will face, which makes the decision to...
6 Reasons SaaS Companies are Choosing Outsourced CFO Services
It’s becoming increasingly common to see companies turning to an outsourced CFO instead of a traditional in-house CFO. This is especially true for the dynamic, high-growth SaaS industry. SaaS companies are finding that outsourced CFOs specializing in SaaS are often...
10 Benefits of Hiring a Virtual CFO vs. an In-House CFO
When your organization decides it’s time to bring in a new chief financial officer, is it better to hire a virtual CFO or an in-house CFO? When many companies think of CFOs, they default to the expectation of a long-term hire requiring an office, six-figure salary,...
How to Determine How Much Your Business Is Worth
Business Valuation Methods & Determining What Your Business is Worth Whether you're preparing for a sale or acquisition, seeking debt or equity financing, or evaluating other strategic business decisions, it's helpful to have a good pulse on the value of your...
11 Things to Know About the 2020 Payroll Tax Deferral
On August 8, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum to defer the payment of the employee share of social security tax from September 1 through December 31, 2021. But what, exactly, does this Payroll Tax Deferral mean, and should employers take advantage of...
9 Traits of a Great CFO: Evaluating Your Financial Team
As Preferred CFO performs speaking engagements and advisory with CEOs around the country, one of the topics we’re continually asked to address is how to evaluate the quality of a financial team. Among these is answering the question, “What makes a great CFO?” We’ve...
1 Big Budgeting Mistake You’re Probably Making
One Big Budgeting Mistake You’re Probably Making A budget-first mindset not only wastes time and resources but also often results in an unrealistic and/or inaccurate budget. It’s a time-old Q4 tradition—lengthy planning cycles consisting of sitting down to tap out a...
What Is the Difference Between a CPA and CFO? 4 Key Differences
We're often surprised by how many businesses hire a CPA, believing they're receiving not only tax services but CFO strategies as well. The reality is that there are many differences between a CPA and CFO. However, it's no wonder the two are confused, as CPAs will...
What is the Difference Between a Controller and CFO?
What is the difference between a controller and CFO? While there are functions of both a controller and CFO that support each other, both positions make distinctly different contributions to the organization. What is the Difference Between a Controller and a CFO? The...