Academy for Chief Executives Blog Rotating Header Image

Posts under ‘business accounting’

Don’t give it away – by Jo Haigh

Incentivising your key staff doesn’t have to mean diluting your ownership. One of my favourite ways of engaging with your staff on a long term basis is via a phantom share scheme, or as it’s sometimes called an LTI (long term incentive). In order to produce a great and relevant scheme, you need you to […]

Write Answers to Tenders and Quotations

By Peter Sutcliffe Tenders and quotations can be a necessary chore for many businesses and yet, with some care and attention, they can be turned into a useful business acquisition tool. Here are some thoughts on the process and how it can be made effective in the business. When looking at your competitor quotes, it […]

When it comes to mobile device management, are you winning? – by Paul Fegan

What comes to mind when you think of the Houses of Parliament? It’s probably impolite to say but I’m fairly certain it’s not youth, technology and social networking. Well, think again. In January, the House of Lords made changes to its working practices that allowed the use of twitter and hand held devices in the […]

Philip Green’s Efficiency Review: “Is it just the Government failing to leverage both its credit rating and its scale?” – by Paul Fegan

Philip Green’s controversial appointment as adviser on government spending has been headline news for the past few months, even making the pages of Vogue in October. But since the publication of his report the general consensus is that Mr Green and his team have delivered some good advice that will benefit the government and ultimately […]

Sell out and get out – by Jo Haigh

I have just recently done my 309th corporate finance transaction and when I help someone sell their company I always say that, unless there is no other option, an owner manager needs to exit the business with their cheque firmly in their hands as soon as possible. Three of the 309 transactions involved a personal […]

Building a special relationship with your bank by Jo Haigh

The relationship with your bank has always has been a special relationship, but it is even more so now as options are much less than before as brands consolidate and debt becomes increasingly scarce. Historically, we might have viewed this as a partnership, and one where both parties treated the other one with due respect. […]

Knowing your numbers and being realistic about cash by Brian Chernett

In the current economic climate, it is still critically important to manage the basics well. Nothing is more basic than making sure that know your numbers, consider how to improve them if necessary and that you have cash. Cash is always important and in times of uncertainty, its importance increases. It is particularly critical in […]

Cash or Profit – Survive or Excel by Jo Haigh

You know the saying ‘sales are vanity, profit is sanity’ but this little sentence ends with ‘but cash is absolutely essential’. Businesses do not fail because they don’t make profits (at least, not immediately), they fail because they run out of cash. Once it’s gone it’s gone! And now, of course, the cash wells have […]