Passionate about helping entrepreneurs improve cash flow and profitability, I’m a performance improvement consultant and cost control expert. With over 35 years of experience in finance and operations, I have a track record of reducing expenditure, turning around ailing manufacturing plants, building long-term organizational infrastructure, debt and credit renegotiation, process engineering, global sales, and systems training for long-term, repeatable success.
Q: Where were you born, where were you raised, and where do you currently live (City, State/Province, Country)?
I was born and raised in Cleveland Heights Ohio, USA and left after High School graduation. Did a bit of wandering but now have spent most of my life in Northwest Ohio. The last 18 years in a suburb of Toledo Ohio USA (Perrysburg).
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes or lines in a song or movie and why does it resonate with you?
For the last few years each month I add a quote to the end of my emails. Truth is these quotes are as much for me to read daily as for others. Ironically a recent one I discovered quickly has become one of my all-time favorites as follows: “Envy is a really stupid sin because it’s the only one you could never possibly have any fun at. There’s a lot of pain and no fun. Why would you want to get on that trolley?” – Charlie Munger
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your business?
My business helps entrepreneurs who are typically great in the sales and/or operations arena but do not have the acumen or interest in finance to be successful. Furthermore, because now I have a partner my primary focus is on business development so this affords me the opportunity day in and day out to meet so many different people and it is a blast.
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
It was an accident. I knew I was WAY too young 5+ years ago to do nothing and I was just searching for something. As an ex-CFO that led me to becoming a fractional CFO. Having tried a fair number of roles in my career the opportunity of doing business development for fractional CFOs seemed like a good challenge and I have never looked back.
Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
My role allows me to help small businesses be successful in the community that I have spent most of my life in.
Q: What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
This sounds like a “plug” but if only I knew to think in a “Go-Giver” way when I was 18. Not that I think I did not realize pieces and parts internally and not that I do not have more to learn and practice; just wish the “Go-Giver” journey had started sooner.
Q: What is one of your favorite places to be or travel to?
By far the easiest question. I cannot go to New Orleans often enough. And to be clear 2 drinks and it is my bedtime. But the food, music, and history, I will never “drink” enough of that.
Q: If you could choose anyone (past or present, fictional or real) with whom to have lunch, who would it be and why?
Doris Kearns Goodwin, as that would allow me to “have my cake and eat it too.” She is a living author writing primarily American History and although I read many different categories, American History is my “go to.” Her being my favorite author on my favorite subject would create the win/win because it would be as if past and present were at lunch!
Q: Who inspires you to be the best version of yourself?
I used to think (and still do) that I am so grateful and blessed I felt an obligation to be the best version of myself. Now at age 69 and although I hope to be healthy and around a LONG time, it does cross my mind that the metrics just might be working against me. So even more reason to focus on being the best version of myself.
Q: How did you first discover “The Go-Giver”?
When anyone joins FocusCFO you are provided with several books to read as part of your training. This includes “The Go-Giver.” During our ongoing training other Bob Burg books were provided. This was culminated when Bob spoke at one of our All Hands Meetings!!
Q: Who would you like to see featured on The Faces Of The Go-Giver Community and why?
Jason “JJ Dynamite” Jang. This gentleman is such a rare combination of energy, intelligence & entertainment all in one package!
Q: Finally, how can we know if someone we come in contact with is a good connection or prospective customer/client for you?
Businesses that are tackling new challenges at a new scale of complexity, frustrated as they realize that the systems that got their organization to this point may not get them to the next level. Worried about how to pay for the present, while also planning for the future and they are lacking a guide who has been there to lead them on the way. We work with businesses of all sizes developing financial strategies to meet their unique needs, goals, and level of complexity.
Please include your website link if you have one!
https://focuscfo.com
