CFO Techniques: A Hands-On Guide to Keeping Your Business Solvent and Successful

  • 5h 27m
  • Marina Guzik
  • Apress
  • 2011

CFO Techniques: A Hands-on Guide to Keeping Your Business Solvent and Successful is a comprehensive and instructive working manual for multitasking chief financial officers and controllers working in the fast-paced commercial environment. Every senior financial professional with an ever-broadening span of control will benefit from this complete outline of the core activities—with specific descriptions of individual tasks—comprising the daily agenda of a successful CFO or controller. It covers everything from traditional responsibilities like budgeting and financial reporting, to more innovative tasks like performance analytics and business strategy development.

While emphasizing specific guidelines on what it takes to excel as a company’s head of finance, the book refrains from overwhelming dryness by using cultural references, real-life examples, and a casual tone. With its bite-sized, easy-to-read chapters, CFO Techniques serves as both an invaluable desktop reference handbook and a good bedtime read. Whether you need a quick recommendation on treasury procedures, adhering to GAAP, keeping funds safe from embezzlers, or advice on dealing with the CEO, you will find the answers in this book.

  • Guides you through CFO/controller core responsibilities, function by function
  • Serves as a reference manual on financial matters specific to the small and mid-size commercial environment
  • Goes beyond finance and accounting, addressing the administrative and behavioral issues all CFOs occasionally must address

What you’ll learn

You will learn to:

  • Identify best practices for each CFO/controller function
  • Select tasks crucial for survival and growth of the company
  • Formulate processes and procedures
  • Organize daily, weekly, monthly, and annual routines
  • Identify reporting and analytical requirements
  • Establish internal and external working relationships
  • Keep the organization on the right side of the law and regulation at all times

About the Author

Marina Guzik’s career in finance and accounting spans 24 years, with the last 17 years in chief financial officer and controller positions in small and mid-size companies. She has worked in both the public and private sectors, including manufacturing, global supply chain, e-commerce, professional services, asset management, and consulting. Marina’s functional expertise spans a broad range of tasks and duties, from international treasury to mergers & acquisitions and everything in between. She holds several academic degrees, including a master's in business administration in accounting. She believes in the strength of fundamental knowledge and commercial acumen, which can be intelligently applied to any particular business model.

In this Book

  • CFO Techniques—A Hands-On Guide to Keeping Your Business Solvent and Successful
  • Introduction—What It Takes to Succeed as a CFO, or How Long Is Your Hat Rack?
  • What Is Special About Smaller Businesses?
  • Titles vs. Job Descriptions
  • The CFO’s Mission and Aspirations
  • Eight Balls You Must Keep in the Air
  • The Essential Knowledge Prerequisites
  • System of Internal Control and Company Policies
  • Generally Accepted Fiscal Policies
  • Procedures for Quintessential Tasks
  • The Weakest Link
  • Budgeting as a Control Mechanism
  • Controlling Commerce
  • Options for Capital Financing
  • Business Nature vs. Financial Resources
  • Soliciting Investors and Lenders
  • Nurturing Financial Relationships
  • The Gist of the Treasury Function
  • Cash Flow Projections
  • Daily Cash Position
  • Managing Receivables and Payables
  • Treasury Management Services
  • Information Technology Decisions
  • Ode to Excel
  • Executive Reports and Performance Analytics
  • The Importance of Segmental Analysis
  • Ad Hoc Reporting
  • Clean Books and Compliant Statements
  • Accounting Cycles and the Structure of Financial Statements
  • The Most Important Statement—Cash Flow
  • Choose Your Auditors Wisely
  • What Guarantees Fast and Painless Audits
  • Insurable Risks
  • Commercial Risks
  • Tax and Regulations Compliance
  • Principles of Strategic Planning
  • Practical Modeling and Forecasting
  • New Ventures
  • Exit Strategies
  • Acquisition of Human Resources
  • Managing Human Resources
  • The Behavioral Approach
SHOW MORE
FREE ACCESS

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Book Financial Statements: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Reports
Book Understanding Financial Accounting-A Guide for Non-Specialists
Book How to Manage Projects: Essential Project Management Skills to Deliver On-time, On-budget Results, 2nd edition