CPE Catalog & Events
CFO - Advanced Profit Enhancements
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Webinar
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $280
Tactics to Improve Bottom Line: 1st Improve ROI, What do investors want? They actively pursue three key strategies; 1) improve profit (most over used strategy), 2) reduce investment (an under used strategy), and 3) reduce risk (a much-neglected strategy). In this the first of three sessions, see 1) above, we will explore successful strategies to improve pricing, increase volume, and reduce risk. We will discuss proven techniques to help your organization thrive. Topics Discussed Introduction to the three levers - Income, Asset Utilization, and Risk. Cost control, Waste elimination, Lean, Total Quality Management, and Six Sigma, Simplification - A case study in how complexity is an insidious profit killer, Activity based costing, Understanding what drives cost and how to control cost, Accounting practices that are antithetical to good cost control, Getting the message across and generating action, Where are the good ideas buried?, Increasing volume, How effective is your advertising and promotion?, What is your unique selling proposition?, Are you stifling innovation?, Pricing, Pricing for value not cost recovery, Understanding competition, Looking for the `blue ocean' opportunity Tactics to Reduce Investment: 2nd Strategy ROI. What do investors want? They actively pursue three key strategies; 1) improve profit (most over used strategy), 2) reduce investment (an under used strategy), and 3) reduce risk (a much-neglected strategy). In this second of three sessions, see 2) above, we will explore strategies to improve asset utilization and reduce investment. We will discuss proven techniques to help your organization thrive. Cost of capital. What do investors want? What does my capital really cost? How can we approximate the cost? Utilizing the Du Pont Formula in a discounted cash flow world, Increasing asset utilization, What should we do, and what should we allow others to do?, Buying the right equipment at the right price, Increasing throughput, Complexity - the capacity thief, Process choices, Should we automate?, Lease or purchase, Impact of automation on risk and return Tactics to Reduce Risk: 3rd Strategy to Help ROI. What do investors want? They actively pursue three key strategies; 1) improve profit (most over used strategy), 2) reduce investment (an under used strategy), and 3) reduce risk (a much-neglected strategy). In this third of three sessions, see 3) above, we will explore strategies to reduce risk. When risks are exhibited on the income statement - it is too late. Risk is silent and insidious. We must plan, as we have seen what happens when risk becomes real and reduces net income. We will discuss proven techniques to help your organization plan for risk before the next miscalculation. Be prepared! Why is risk relevant?, What do investors want?, How do statisticians look at risk?, How do economists look at risk?, Prospect theory, Your risk profile, Risk appetite, Risk tolerance, How do you monitor risk?, Heat maps, Risk is everyone's job. Managing risk, Avoid, Transfer, Mitigate, or Accept. Bridging the Gap with Marketing Management: The Four Ps. What should we know about marketing and what are the four `P's of marketing? Many financial leaders are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the marketing function, marketing management, and measuring marketing results. When we know more, both functions can work collaboratively to help drive a superior bottom line. We can more accurately measure success, for example, in order to approve a cost-effective strategy to maintain and grow the business organically. We will discuss proven techniques to help your organization grow and thrive. Finance and marketing can and should help each other - we will show you how. What is the function of Marketing?, Creating demand, building reputation, Inform and educate customers and potential customers. Marketing plans, What must be in a top-quality plan, Coordination with strategy and financial ability, 1 - Products and services, Why do customers buy, or not buy, your offerings?, Core products, actual products, augmented products, 2 - Price, Pricing is market driven, not cost driven!, Cost leaders vs differentiators, When to increase price when to reduce price, 3 - Place or channels, Effective and efficient channels, Alternative channels, 4 - Promotion, Promotion alternatives and cost effectiveness, Coordinating the 4Ps to gain maximum results.
CFO - Chief Reviewer
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Webinar
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $280
Aren't We All Auditors? All the Time, Audits involve testing, review, examination, and verification. However, on another level - you and I audit; procedures, reports at work, who fulfilled commitments, systems, other people's driving skills, deliveries, etc. We all audit everything all the time, and that is wonderful. Auditing skills are valuable and necessary for our professional success and personal happiness. Every professional will audit what they encounter, including us. We will illustrate how continuous auditing skills are valuable, all the time. Whether you are an auditor, or not, our role as a business leader IS to audit continuously! Better leaders have these skills. Topics Discussed. The need to think before we react. Look and listen effectively! Evaluate using multiple different criteria. Communicate. Problem solving, not just problem identification. Demonstrate empathy. Think critically, and not be critical. Recommend. Being skeptical without being cynical. Unconventional keys to success. The never-ending need to audit continuously, Audits Begin with The Right Questions: Listen! Technology has boundless memory and can store all the answers, unlike humans. Regardless, technology and AI cannot discern the right questions to ask. Asking the right questions separates successful professionals from mediocre professionals. This session will take a big-picture approach and redefine auditing in a broader perspective which will deepen your skills, perspective, and know-how. The truth is that all professionals are auditors. We will illustrate three types of audits and dive into the most fundamental aspects of our daily work-lives that need constant attention, not seasonal treatments. We will show how to become a better listener and to ask better questions! Topics Discussed. The need to ask the `right' questions. A core principle of audits not taught in the "textbook". A new type of audit that will simplify your life. Four auditing skills to take you from being a good auditor to being an amazing auditor. The most important element of auditing is listening. Action steps to become a great listener, What We Can Do to Minimize Taxes: Without Danger. When stepping into a leadership role you may not have been exposed to all the various tax issues. We will take a thirty-thousand-foot view into corporate income taxes and some other taxes. The focus is to potentially lower taxes. We will explore what and how to communicate with your external accounting firm. What is the value of proper fixed asset schedules and their crucial role? Depreciation, qualified business income, and the employee retention credit will be reviewed. Keep a schedule, be prepared, because at the end of day - you will be held accountable and responsible for missed dates, missed opportunities, and also may be given credit for taxes saved. Be prepared and aware of tax savings alternatives. Topics Discussed. Tax reduction strategies. History of taxation in the USA. Understand your tax environment. Entity and associated forms. Taxes; corporate, state, property, and sales taxes. Tax planning concerns. Depreciation and fixed asset schedules. How to recognize and ward off tax schemes, Successful System Implementations: Planning! System changes are common, so why does seemingly every new system update or installation have multiple, new problems? We will review the causes and effects, including a short-term outlook. We will focus on the best practices of successful organizations, specifically the one key task for success - proper planning. What are the steps to take? Which functions need to be involved? How to reduce risk? These actions can be applied to small system changes, system upgrades, or large ERP systems. Do not make the same mistake over and over - learn from others who have paid the hefty price. Topics Discussed. Consequences of failure to plan. Why do shortcuts cause even more issues? We must learn from our previous mistakes. No two installations are the same! A team effort, with the right people, is required! Tests and testing are mandatory. Why cheap costs more. How should accounting communicate? Managing the organization to enable better system implementations.
CFO - Employees Today and Tomorrow
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Webinar
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $280
Are Employees Assets? Today's New Employment. 2 Business Management and Organization credits. As the managers' role continues to evolve, it is crucial for us to understand the strategic aspects of managing a diverse workforce, beginning with understanding the big trends in employee demographics. We begin with a rhetorical question - asking if employees are assets? GAAP tells us they are not, but does this treatment bias our view of the people in our organization? What do the most successful organizations do, believe, and why? What are the winning organizations doing that work? If you have an opinion as to whether employees are an asset or not, this is a thoughtful, interactive discussion to highlight what works in today's new employment environment. GAAP vs economic value of employees. The changing landscape of work. The need to change management tactics. Different generations and demographics. Understanding the differences. What issues do they present? How do we improve our understanding? Employee engagement/assessment surveys and what they should tell us. Successful tactics for today's workforce, The ROI on Your People? Maximizing Returns. Employees drive the written and unwritten culture at your organization. Understanding the key workplace issues and how to solve them in today's environment can maximize the returns that employees provide for an organization. We take a deep dive into the research behind the larger issues with our workforce and discuss multiple practical solutions that will enhance your leadership and growth. How can we realize the most from our staff? Dealing with people. Dealing with people issues the right way. Conflict management issues. How to truly empower your employees. Organizational culture and how to be a part of positive change. What are some of the `other' employee issues that go unsaid? What does work/life balance mean today? What do employees want and care about now? What are their priorities? Understand and Enhance the Employee Life Cycle. Many organizations have a documented process for their employment life cycle but do not look at it wholistically. Having a longer view of the employee life cycle can provide more value to your company than you think. Join us for an interactive discussion around the entire life cycle of employees with best practices discussed on continuous improvement for your organization. This session will provide an overview of each of the steps in the timeline from multiple perspectives, to provide keen insights on actionable ideas to take back to your workplace and implement today. A key step to winning the war for talent. Understanding the various stages of the employment life cycle. Onboarding and orientation. Best practices and examples. What goes wrong with training, cross-training, and growth priorities? Are performance evaluations necessary? How to unleash your staffs' hidden talents. How to attract and retain talent in today's environment. What works? Re-invigorating Your Career: Planning Your Path 2 Business Management & Organization credits A career is a long time and yet looking back it appears to have been in the blink of an eye. If you have ever engaged in discussions with mentors or peer groups you may have heard the, "I wish I had ___." This course is a review of keeping you individually prepared and ready for all the various changes that will make your career. We start with where you are today and where you want to be. We discuss practical tips for professionals to be more prepared for changes that will come over your career. What are my career possibilities? The goal is that some of these ideas discussed will avoid more of the "I wish I had ____," and will convert them to, "I'm so glad I ____." We all have heard the maxim, "Failure to plan is planning to fail." We are planners by nature, let's plan our career and the career of those who report to us. What is a career as a professional and as a CPA? Changing technology, changes in required skills, and changing industries. What are the possibilities? Personal performance evaluations for your continuous growth What do you want to achieve? How and when? What is your brand, and do you need one? I am living longer; do I want to work longer? Following your career plan.
CFO - The Effective CFO
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Webinar
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $280
Enhancing Sales: Work with Sales to Drive Result. Sales and Accounting are not alike. In many organizations the two functions are at odds with each other, causing wasteful infighting. Many times, sales will undercut the accountants and vice versa. Sometimes this is inadvertent and sometimes not. Both functions should work together to achieve superior financial performance. We must take the lead and develop a better relationship with the sales function and the sales team. Oftentimes the sales incentive plans cause friction and result in counterproductive behaviors. If Accounting and Sales were to work together effectively, then net income, revenue and sales incentives would all increase. Thinking differently about how to work together will dramatically enhance financial performance. Imagine at least a five percent increase in the bottom line? We will discuss how. Working together yields superior results. Topics Discussed. Understanding the sales function and sales team. Differing backgrounds, expectations, and motivations. Developing strong relationships. Credibility and trust. How to ascertain what Sales really needs. Effective incentive plans that are understood by the sales team. Becoming the key support people for sales. Communicating value and profitability. Explaining risk. Understand the large impact that accounting has on sales. Understand how to enable sales to enhance financial results in your organization. This seminar includes two (2) case studies for group discussion. Prerequisite: At least six (6) months of professional financial statement analysis experience and at least six (6) months experience working with sales or business development. Growth Opportunities for CFOs: Value Added CFOs 2 Finance credits Many CFOs place too much emphasis on external financial and statutory compliance reporting for government regulatory agencies and not enough on corporate performance management (CPM) methods including internal management accounting. The former is for valuation (e.g., inventories and COGS). The latter is for "creating wealth value" to support better decisions. This course provides tools and information for how CFOs can transition from bean counters to bean growers. The best CFOs not only keep score, which is necessary, but they enable the organization to score more, which is much more valuable. Ready to be an Effective CFO? Skills to Succeed 2 Business Management and Organization credits With all the buzz about the additional responsibilities of CFOs today, what are the essential skillsets for success? How do you excel when you are spread so thin? Becoming the multi-skilled CFO companies are looking for requires you to balance traditional responsibilities with new demands. How do you utilize your key relationships and your team to fill the gaps and make sure nothing slips through? To be effective requires a shift in the way financial leaders think and approach their day - rather than a never-ending chase after new skillsets. Thinking differently about how to accomplish the broad spectrum of CFO responsibilities is a key lesson in your essential lifelong learning. We will review many tactics to help you become even more effective. Measuring and Reporting - ESG and Sustainability 2 Finance credits ESG broadly covers many of the non-financial issues every organization faces. The use of ESG as a term however conjures images to many of tree-huggers protecting rare species at the expense of jobs and growth, requirements that well-qualified candidates are not hired or passed over for promotion because they do not meet "diversity standards" and that companies are constrained by restrictive laws and regulations from conducting their business. ESG is not about limiting growth or profitability. It is about measuring non-financial information and using that information to make companies more efficient and more profitable. ESG is not a fad that will go away but a method of viewing our organizations so that they can be better and more profitable. Topics Discussed • Defining sustainability • Environmental risks and opportunities: How your organization deals with natural resources • Social risks and opportunities: How your organization deals with people • Governance risks and Opportunities: How your organization deals with laws, regulations, and controls • Defining and measuring environmental, social and governance metrics (ESG) • Reporting on ESG metrics and your organization's efforts
CFO - Management Superpowers
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Webinar
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $280
Five Management Superpowers. "Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could." - Steve Jobs. We will discuss five key management strategies and skills that every successful manager has. We walk through the A-to-Z of effective management from the standpoint of self, team, and individuals. It is not enough to be a `good' manager and excel in our field, we need to be more than the subject matter expert. The five management superpowers will bolster management skills for better leaders and is a proven path for those who desire to ascend the ranks to higher leadership. Leadership is a skill that can be learned, and you can learn how. How feedback becomes effective. How to develop listening skills. Cultivation of self, cultivation of team members as individuals, cultivation of team members as a group. How to create a working environment in which team members feel acknowledged and "heard". Inspirational motivation for team success. Relational communication skills that increase productivity. The `secret sauce' that holds communication and professional relationships together on the individual and team level in the short and long term. Accepting Perfectionists: Understanding & Adapting. You may know people who believe, "Good, is never good enough." They are sharp, driven, push themselves, have lofty standards, and may focus on the negative. They wear themselves out and others as well. Could they be perfectionists? Perhaps we have some of these tendencies? We will discuss perfectionists from several perspectives and how to harness their skills to enhance results. Perfectionism is a mindset, not a disease. We will review actions to take so that perfectionists may learn how to transform their behaviors. Based on research and proven methods, we will discuss tactics that may help. If you know at least one perfectionist, this session will significantly help you and them. Why perfection is not obtainable. The wonderful attributes of perfectionists. The not so wonderful attributes of perfectionists. Why do most attempts to deal with perfectionists fail? What works? Why many perfectionists are procrastinators and masters of self-punishment. Tactics to help the perfectionist become more effective. Is the climb worth the view? Why You Should Be a Learnaholic: Staying Ahead! Successful people do know one secret that keeps them on top? The answer is - they are lifelong learners. It is a mindset and a way of life that they learned to utilize. You did not miss out, those not born with this ability have hope. This course provides quantifiable research to support that learn-a-holics (or lifetime learners) are clearly more successful, as well as practical actions on how you can stop being left behind and start getting ahead by adopting the habits and mindset of a lifelong learner. The crux is to expand your mind and expand your possibilities. This is the recipe for success you don't want to miss! The key mindset difference between extremely successful people and others. Learning styles: What they are, why they matter, and what your unique learning style is. The seven essential elements for lifelong learning success. Two daily habits that can make this lifestyle transition easier. A learning technique that works regardless of your personal learning style. "How-to" guide to starting your new life as a learn-a-holic. Advancing Your Role as a Business Leader. Knowing the numbers is a valued skill, but not nearly enough to make you a real business leader. True leaders put in the work and make sacrifices for others. Leadership is a learned skill, a skill that must be practiced. It may look simple, and it is - only if you know what to do and how to do it. Leadership requires one to develop a greater understanding of intangibles that are difficult to quantify - but are priceless. The best leaders care about others, are trustworthy and are credible. We will discuss proven tactics to enhance those skills. Worthy for those who want to become even more valuable as a business leader. Leadership is earned, not given. Leaders understand: Human nature,. Others and Themselves. You have to care! The need for better relationships, credibility, and trust. Lessons from great leaders. Steps to becoming a better leader.
CFO - Corporate Performance Management
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Webinar
8.00 Credits
Member Price: $280
The 4 Topics Discussed. Corporate Performance Management. Poor strategy execution frustrates many executives as their organizations struggle with performance improvement, making decisions using intuition in the absence of hard data. Corporate performance management (CPM) seamlessly integrates many techniques including strategy maps and a balanced scorecard. Together they align manager and employee behavior, actions, and priorities using key performance indicators (KPIs) with specific targets to enable accountability. Effective Management Accounting. Critics have claimed that traditional managerial accounting is at best useless and at worst dysfunctional and misleading. Most line managers do not trust their management accounting data. 21st Century management accounting develops cost/unit metrics that are useful for budgeting, cost analysis and control. Current methods bring truly accurate fact-based costing visibility, tracing costs and identifying cause-and-effect relationships rather than broadly allocating overhead. This information provides the ability to reveal the true profit margins for products as well as for specific sales channels and customers. Removing the barriers caused by your current management accounting techniques can provide huge rewards. Driver-Based Budgeting. The annual budgeting process is often criticized as a fiscal exercise done by the accountants that is obsolete soon after it is published, prone to gamesmanship, cumbersome, not being volume sensitive, and disconnected from the strategy and needed risk mitigation spending. You can resolve these deficiencies using capacity-sensitive driver-based expense projections. Driver-based budgeting allows for quick scenario planning and far easier analysis of a growing organization whose future may look nothing like today. The budget can be periodically refreshed to create rolling financial forecasts extending beyond the fiscal year end. Learn how managerial accounting can become managerial economics. Business Intelligence and Data Analytics. Volatility and complexity are the new normal. Most organizations are drowning in data but starving for information. The finance and accounting function has the opportunity to leverage Big Data and the continuum of analytics - descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive. All are useful for better decision making. Collecting, validating, and reporting data is not the same thing as analyzing information where we can glean valuable, actionable insights. In some ways the finance function is many years behind other disciplines such as marketing, sales, and supply chain managers, in applying analytics. How can the CFO's function catch up? Understand how Business Intelligence (BI) and Business Analytics (BA) can help you make sense of your organization's data.