For owners & CEOs

It’s different when
you own the business.

Employees can go home. Advisors can make recommendations. Managers can explain what happened.

But the owner still has to make the decision.

Your customers depend on you. Your employees depend on you. Your family may depend on you. Your money is invested in the business. And when something goes seriously wrong, the problem ultimately lands on your desk.

You don’t have to carry every decision alone.

Let’s talk for 15 minutes
A business owner talking with two warehouse employees

You built the business.

But has the business become too dependent on you?

In the beginning, owner involvement is often a strength. You know every customer. You approve every major expenditure. Employees come directly to you. You solve the problems. You make the decisions.

Then the company grows. And what once made the business successful can eventually become what prevents it from becoming stronger.

The objective is not to make you work harder.

It is to build a business that works better without needing you in every decision.

What worries you most about your business?

01

“Why aren’t we making more money?”

Sales increased. Payroll increased. Activity increased. Profit didn’t increase enough.

02

“Where is all the cash?”

The income statement shows a profit, but the bank account tells a different story.

03

“Why does everything still come back to me?”

Managers have titles, but too many important decisions still require the owner.

04

“Why can’t we get the important things finished?”

Everyone is busy. Meetings happen. Projects start. Priorities keep changing.

05

“Do I really have the right people?”

Some employees have grown with the company. Others may have reached their limits.

06

“Why is growth making my life harder?”

More customers, employees and revenue have created more complexity rather than more freedom.

The owner cannot do everything.

But three things cannot be delegated completely.

01

Direction

Where are we going? The owner ultimately determines what kind of company is being built.

02

People

Who will help us get there? The owner must ensure that the right people occupy the critical seats.

03

Results

Are we actually getting there? Revenue alone is not enough. Profit, cash, customers, execution and enterprise value ultimately tell the story.

Your job is not to make every decision. Your job is to make sure the right decisions get made.

Sometimes the owner needs another experienced executive in the cockpit.

I don’t make the decision for you. I help you make a better one.

  • What are we missing?
  • What happens if we do nothing?
  • Which problem matters most?
  • What does the cash tell us?
  • Are we solving the cause—or the symptom?
  • Who owns the result?
  • What should we stop doing?
  • What decision needs to be made now?

The right experience at the right time.

Your company may need me one day a week, several days a month, during a transition, for a specific project, or intensively for a limited period.

The engagement should fit the problem. Not the other way around.

What should begin to change?

BeforeWorking togetherObjective
Too many prioritiesIdentify what matters mostClear focus
Cash surprisesImprove visibility and disciplineStronger cash flow
Margin pressureFind where profit is being lostHigher profitability
Decisions bottleneck at ownerStrengthen roles and accountabilityLess owner dependence
Constant firefightingFix recurring operating problemsSmoother operations
Uncertain decisionsChallenge assumptions and alternativesBetter decisions

15 minutes. Owner to operator.

You know your business better than anyone.

You don’t have to know every answer. Something in your company should be working better. Tell me what is happening. You don’t need a diagnosis. You don’t need a presentation. You don’t even need to know what kind of help you need.

Let’s talk for 15 minutes

Erich Stolz, CTP
832-372-5419
CFO@1CFOcenter.com