From the numbers to the change
- Your numbers sayA feeling that money is leaking, with no way to say where
- The cause underneathNo monthly numbers, margins unknown, one or two customers carrying the business
- What changesFive numbers a month, a simple cash forecast, one change at a time
- What to expectA business you can see, and decisions you can trust
An illustration of how the thinking runs, not a client result.
Five numbers to look at every month
Cash in the bank
and what is due in the next four weeks.
Gross margin
sales less what it cost to deliver them.
Money owed to you
and how old it is.
Money you owe
and what is overdue.
Break-even
the monthly sales needed to cover fixed costs.
What you can do yourself this week
List everything owed to you
by customer and date. Call the three largest.
Write down your fixed costs
for a month and compute break-even with our calculator.
Work out gross margin
on your top five products or jobs.
Draw a four-week cash forecast
of what comes in and goes out, by week.
Take the readiness score
to see which numbers are loudest.
When to bring in a CFO
When the numbers do not explain the problem, or you cannot get them in the first place. A CFOSurge CFO works with small businesses on a part-time basis, builds the monthly numbers and runs the turnaround with you. See also our CFO for small business page.
Business under pressure? Let a CFO read your numbers.
A senior CFO reads them with you and tells you what is really going on. No cost, no obligation.
Mistakes small owners make
- Doing three fixes at once, so nobody knows which worked.
- Funding the gap from personal savings without a plan.
- Not knowing which customer or job is profitable.
- Waiting for the busy season to fix things.
CFOAvatar complements every turnaround
A human CFO sees your business at the review. Problems do not wait for the meeting. CFOAvatar is connected to your accounting data and checks your numbers every day, so the scoreboard in a turnaround is always current. Ask it what an owner in trouble would ask:
What owners say after the numbers started talking
Working with CFOSurge has truly transformed how we look at our business finances. They helped us set up monthly business plans right down to the bottom line, which has given us so much more clarity and control. Highly recommend them to any business looking to get a real grip on their numbers!
Lavancha Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd was incorporated in Jan 2013. Since incorporation we have been associated with SOATECH SOLUTIONS. It’s been extremely delightful customer service from Mr. Sharad and his staff at SOATECH. Especially for a Start-Up company they have been extremely co-operative and friendly during every interaction.
Soatech is perfect for a company like ours that doesn’t have an in-house Accountant / CFO. They are very professional and do things in a timely matter. They always get right back to you with an answer to your question.
Quoted word for word from our clients. Read more client words →
Questions owners ask us
How do I turn around a small business?
Find out what the numbers say: cash, margin, receivables, payables and break-even. Find the cause, make one change at a time and measure the result.
Can I do it without an accountant?
You can start. A CFO helps most when the numbers are unclear or when the situation needs lender conversations.
How long does a small business turnaround take?
Cash improvements can come in weeks. Margin and structural changes take a few quarters.
What if I cannot get my accounts in order?
That is the first job. Numbers you can trust are the base of everything.