Effective Operations And Controls For The Small Privately Held Business

Effective Operations and Controls for the Small Privately Held Business "Rob Reider is the ultimate 'on-target' consultant to the small business. Whether you are just starting out or have been in a small business for years, this book is a must-read. It is concise, clear, organized and addresses the management, financial, and personnel issues that confront and often destroy small business--eighty percent of all the businesses in America." --Tom Torgerson, CPA, President, Torgerson AssociatesManagement and Financial Consultants "Dr. Reider's emphasis on first understanding the small business environment and then identifying and integrating individual business goals addresses a critical entry point for new business owners. His detailed advice around realistic issues emphasizes a solutions-based orientation that provides even the novice with keys to successful business practices." --Linda Lippitt, PhD, Director, Learning Legacies "Rob Reider is an experienced consultant, seminar facilitator, and author who has written an important book for small business owners and managers. The topics included are relevant to privately owned business managers who consider their organizations to be 'small businesses' regardless of their actual sales volume. This is a book that should be on the bookshelf of every businessperson with responsibility for the management of a small privately owned business." --Peter B. Heyler, PBH Executive Services "(This book) is an excellent resource not just for the small business owner, but also for colleges and universities. Any higher education institution that has a business program entrepreneurial component will find this book invaluable." --Steve C. Martinez, PhD, Director, New Mexico Highlands University, Santa Fe and Espanola Centers

Developing Successful Business Strategies presents effective planning of business strategies and related budgeting concepts, and those activities necessary for the successful growth of the organization. The planning process is shown to be an integral function of developing management strategies for future growth and the gaining of competitive advantage in these fast moving times. Budgeting is presented as a logical outgrowth and an essential part of the planning process, rather than an independent internal activity. This book emphasizes the principal factors that should be considered in planning and budgeting for the company, what management and operations personnel must know to better understand effective planning for the business, and what can be done to enhance the overall strategic and financial planning for the organization. Inside, you'll learn of the relationship between effective planning methods (long-term and short-term) and the budgeting and control processes. We will also explore the interaction and interdependence of strategic planning (long and short term), detail planning, budgeting, and monitoring processes, and will demonstrate how planning is an essential first step in the preparation of an effective budget for the organization.

Praise for Internal Control Strategies A Mid to Small Business Guide "Internal Control Strategies is an excellent field guide for the implementation and maintenance of efficient and effective internal control systems. The book provides a practical approach to interpreting guidance from oversight agencies and integrating it with industry practice in a real-world environment. This handbook is an essential tool for managers and professionals going through the day-to-day struggle of managing auditor expectations and permitting business to proceed in the most efficient manner." -Michael Rodriguez, former senior manager of finance, Qualcomm Incorporated "Internal Control Strategies is the clearest path forward for middle-market SEC registrants and their independent registered public accounting firms as they streamline the SOX 404 compliance process in 2008 and beyond." -Stephen G. Austin, MBA, CPA, Managing Firm Partner,Swenson Advisors, LLP, Regional PCAOB Accounting Firm "Clearly written and practical, Internal Control Strategies is a must-read for every chief audit, finance, or compliance executive." -Jeff Miller, Partner-in-Charge, Business Risk Services,Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP "As a CFO of small to mid-sized publicly traded and privately held companies, one is usually faced with the challenge of developing and implementing the right levels of internal controls and compliance within the restrictions of limited financial and human resources. Internal Control Strategies presents the relevant topics in a clear and concise manner, allowing the reader to understand the internal control framework and specific underlying requirements quickly. The author's vast experience with SOX compliance ensures a targeted and pragmatic approach for the successful implementation of internal controls. Her recommendations are 'to the point' and eliminate some of the guesswork we all have experienced while working towards SOX compliance." -Robert S. Stefanovich, Chief Financial Officer, Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The SEC requires all publicly traded companies to attest to theeffectiveness of their internal controls. Is your business ready? Internal Control Strategies: A Mid to Small Business Guide clearly explains the latest PCAOB, SEC, and COSO guidance, providing you with an effective tool and reference guide for successful implementation of sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Extremely knowledgeable and insightful, author Julie Harrer brings practical clarity to this complex topic, leading you step by step in addressing the challenges associated in bringing your business in compliance with SOX.

Striving for excellence in customer service is to gain the competitive advantage. It is the keystone for the business to grow and prosper in the right direction so that it builds through repetitive sales to existing customers and referrals to potential customers. If you were to look at customer service in your organization as a major business component and all customers are treated with excellence prior to the sale, during the sale, and after the sale, customer service will become a profit center that builds sales dollars to the top line and real profits to the bottom line. This book can help you and any organization manager achieve customer service excellence with its basic principle of doing the right thing at the right time for the right customers. It can also assist in building organizations with strong customer bases and sales loyalty. The author smartly gives you real practical “how tos” in providing excellent customer service in all aspects of your operations by doing the right thing despite the counter pressure within your organization. As many businesses are struggling to be competitive, or merely to survive, this book is your primer or “how to” for identifying and maintaining customer service excellence in all operational areas on the path to developing a learning organization. No matter what type of business—this book can be a learning, coaching, and mentoring tool in your quest to make the delivery of customer service the best possible in today’s ever changing business environment.

Everyone is lost in the "tale" he or she has created. To become authentic, these tales must be unraveled.

Sales are to growth as controls are to profitability and success within a business. In Entrepreneurial Controls, author Jack E. Trent guides small-business owners through the complexities of understanding how financial and operational controls protect them from unnecessary risks. Trent shows how controls are the single most important method for preventing fraud within a company. In Entrepreneurial Controls, Trent details the background and definition of controls and the important role they play in driving profitability for a business. The book is a carefully complied collection of thorough research and Trent's personal experiences as an entrepreneur, small-business owner, financial officer, and accountant. In addition to the breadth of knowledge presented, small vignettes called "reality checks" depict real-life applications of the concepts discussed. A no-nonsense, one-stop source for using control systems within a small-business setting, Entrepreneurial Controls covers the basics of: Project, fraud, risk, and cash management Accounting, inventory, and operational controls Internal auditing Customer service Using instructions, lessons, best practices, and guidelines, Entrepreneurial Controls shows entrepreneurs how to effectively and efficiently set up a new business or how to revise a struggling company's operations. With practical applications and easy-to-understand examples, Trent demonstrates how to bridle a small business and rein in financial success.