Building A Stellar Business : a Structured Guide to Financial Success

AcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter 1 --
A Business Check-Up --
Straight Shooting Questions --
Are You Making Money? --
More Questions --
Goals and DetailsChapter 2 --
Know Where Your Money Is --
Why Maintain Good Books? --
Make Us Better Consultants --
Getting Your Act Together --
Set Up Your System --
Giving Access and Letting GoChapter 3 --
Document, Document, Document --
Documenting Systems --
Filing Systems• File System #1• File System #2 --
Filing Notes --
Receipts --
Cash Receipts --
Other Documents to Protect and Maintain --
One Final Word on DocumentationChapter 4 --
A Meaningful Set of FinancialStatements --
Behind the Numbers --
The Meat and Potatoes of a FinancialStatement - Your Profit & Loss Statement• Income• Profit Margin• Expenses - Where does all my money go? --
The Balance Sheet• Assets• Liabilities• Equity --
Other ReportingChapter 5 --
Show Me The Money Billing Your Clients• Billing based on a project• Billing based on monthly service and project completion• Billing based on monthly flat fee• When billing goes awry --
Collecting Those Receivables --
Paying Your Bills• Payroll Employees• Independent Contractors• Inventory• Other Payables --
A Word About AssetsChapter 6 --
Budgeting and Forecasting --
How Do I Make The Money I Want To Make? --
Forecast With No History --
Fine Tune Your Forecast --
Your Assumptions --
Working With The HighlightsChapter 7 --
Human Resources --
All Shapes and Sizes --
Structure of Your Company --
Job Descriptions and Cross-Training --
Human Resource Policies --
Employment Contracts --
Payroll CompaniesChapter 8 --
Building Your Support Team --
It Takes a Village --
Bookkeepers --
Controllers/CFO (Chief Financial Officer) --
CPA or Tax Preparer --
Lawyer• Business Agreement • Contracts with Clients• Collections• Succession Planning• Franchising --
Insurance Agent --
Financial Advisor --
Banker Credit Card Merchants --
IT SupportChapter 9 --
Some People Steal --
Keeping a Watchful Eye --
Bookkeepers and Treasurers --
Your Staff --
Internal Controls --
Who Has Access To What? --
Safeguarding Your Files --
Money Coming In --
Money Going Out --
Separation of Duties --
Safeguarding Your AssetsConclusionGlossaryAbout the Authors