My mission is to help businesses with sound planning, putting in place the basics of good financial management, and paying close attention to company culture and human capital.
My experience has been that companies often neglect fundamental tasks. They do this not because they choose to, but because owners and managers are often busy with other tasks. In fact, owners and entrepreneurs are often dynamic, creative people who may not have a background in finance. They may be smart, inventive marketing whizzes or people with a deep understanding of their products and services, but they are often intimidated by financial tasks, unwilling to pay for "expensive" financial advice, or they neglect basic operations as they focus on the more exciting aspects of running their businesses.
I can help. Very few of us have all the skills to make a business run well. I focus on helping companies and individuals plan their finances, which are fundamental to success. My expertise is in helping to create financially realistic budgets, which includes projecting cash flows and identifying capital needs. With those building blocks in place, the focus becomes monitoring performance, and making improvements based on real and accurate measurements.
These kinds of services are valuable all the time, but the need is most obvious when businesses are starting up, or when existing businesses need capital to survive or grow. My services are particularly beneficial in both of these situations.
In recent years, the rapid pace of change toward a digital world and disruptive shifts in the economy have made it essential for companies to restructure. it is imperative and appropriate to do this, but there are costs as well, particularly as jobs and benefits are shed. It is important to be fiscally prudent, making difficult decisions as humanely as possible, and insuring that the remaining workforce feels supported and encouraged. This is a difficult challenge, and one that I can help with.
My experience, in many management and ownership roles, is that successful businesses genuinely care about their employees, and create great places for them to work. It is smart business practice, and financially rewarding, to foster company cultures where employees can be at their best. Companies that do not nurture and provide well for their people are not likely to keep them, especially over time. Even in hard times, having a highly regarded company culture aligned with financial reality is critical.
Please have a look at the current projects I'm working on, my work history, and things that others have said about my work. There is contact information as well.
Thanks for your interest.
Michael Crystal