154. Failing to plan, or planning to fail in FX?

Plan for the worst? There’s no shortage of advice or opinion on currency markets but, the truth is, most of it is unhelpful, unactionable, and usually wrong. Financial executives needn’t be plugged into second-by-second exchange rate movements, rather they should be on top of their company’s ongoing level of risk. Businesses that don’t have a […]

Continue reading

153. Discounting – what the numbers tell you

In our previous 2 articles we looked at: Pricing vs. Charging: What’s the Difference? The 5 Gotchas of Discounting Discounting certainly has its place. But make sure you are clear just why you are doing it. Here are some examples of how discounts can be used to achieve different business goals: Clear inventory If you have […]

Continue reading

152. The 5 Gotchas of Discounting

Discounts can be a powerful tool for businesses, but there are also some perils for the unwary. Here are 5 of them: Discounting … Can erode brand value: If you offer discounts too often, customers may start to see your brand as being less valuable. This can make it more difficult to charge full price […]

Continue reading

151. Pricing vs. Charging: What’s the Difference?

Pricing and charging are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two. Pricing is the process of determining the value of a product or service, while charging is the act of collecting payment for that product or service. Pricing is a strategic decision that should be made […]

Continue reading

150. What is your hourly rate?

It seems that a lot of business owners try and do everything themselves – even the stuff that they are not really that good at. Doing this simple exercise may be the single best way to get you to take some tough decisions which will really benefit your business – and end up outsourcing some […]

Continue reading

148. Your CFO – are they good enough for you to call them the “Chief Fixing Officer”?

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is often seen by the uninitiated as the company’s number-cruncher. True, they are responsible for overseeing the company’s finances, including accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. However, the CFO is much more than just a numbers person. They are also a strategic thinker, a problem-solver, and a leader and a general […]

Continue reading