In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by @Manny Skevofilax, the Owner of @Portal CFO Consulting a consultancy that Manny has been operating for over 20 years with a mission to help business owners make more money by successfully navigating the challenges of growing their businesses profitably.

In this conversation, my first with another fractional CFO, the tables are turned and Manny and I discuss his journey from restaurateur, through to Corporate Banker and now to Fractional CFO.

🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:

✅ Manny’s family background and how his parent’s experiences helped shape Manny’s own professional journey;

✅ How Manny’s first career as a restaurateur helped shape his views on cash and subsequent advice as a Fractional CFO;

✅ The importance and grounding that continuous learning provided Manny – most notably how to think about credit risk and analyse a financial statement;

✅ On the contrary though, how successful billionaire business owners dismissed complex financial calculations and relied on simplicity to keep everyone rowing in the same direction;

✅ How small business owners can be resistant to change but through gentle education and helping clients improve their profits, Manny has been able to work with some clients for upwards of 20 years.

Business Book Bonus: Million Dollar Consulting, Alan Weiss

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Million-Dollar-Consulting-Alan-Weiss/dp/0071622101

In this one I had the pleasure of chatting with Dave Parry, the Managing Director at Wellmeadow Ltd, a consultancy that helps businesses that need non-exec support, process transformation or support with lead generation.

Dave and I had a wide ranging discussion, looking at how small businesses set their vision and strategies, how they live up to those and ensure the entire organisation stays on track.

We looked at some of the specific challenges of hybrid working, with Dave’s experience of chairing thousands of Board Meetings providing interesting insight to the In Office vs. Remote discussion many of us are having.

Dave then shares some excellent rules around hosting an effective meeting as well as a well thought through marketing workflow that they support their clients with at Wellmeadow.

If you are looking for clarity around Operations, Corporate Governance and Marketing, Dave’s clear thinking and straightforward approach to business is refreshing and this episode is a must for you.

Business Book Bonus:
Harvard Business Review - https://hbr.org/
Management Today - https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/
SME Growth Podcast - https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/

In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by @David Adderson, the co-founder of @Youtopia, a premium cloud accounting service that helps simplify your finance department..

In this conversation, David and I explore how we can integrate technology into your client's workflows as an accountant and how to help make their finance operations simpler and more streamlined.

🌟 Some of my favourite parts were:

✅ How David’s holistic early career experience outside of accounts helped his view of using tech efficiently;

✅ How AI is shaping the accounting landscape not currently as Artificial intelligence but more as Automation Intelligence

✅ The shiny toy syndrome and the need to ensure you are fully utilising existing software rather than just bringing in more toys;

✅ How it is mindset management with the Finance Department or Business Owner that is the hardest part of introducing new technologies;

✅ How David trials new tools to ensure that any new tech is rolled out only if it makes life markedly better either on the Client or Youtopia’s workflows.

Business Book Bonus Section:

· Eat That Frog - Brian Tracy - https://amzn.eu/d/aFbR8UF

· The Diary of a CEO Podcast - https://stevenbartlett.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-podcast/

· Lewis Morgan Podcast - https://www.lewismorganpodcast.com/

· The ups and downs of a small business owner Podcast - https://www.youtopia.co.uk/podcast