My Author Story

My Journey: From Executive to Author - Championing the Power of Business Basics and the Cash Flow First Mindset

After retiring in June 2018, I initially envisioned a life of leisure - spending three months a year at our vacation home in Colorado, two months traveling the US to visit national parks, and dedicating more time to my family spread across the country. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that this wasn't enough. The world of business, which had been my passion for decades, still called to me.

The Birth of a Consulting Practice

In December 2018, I took a leap of faith and formed an LLC, embarking on a journey to establish a consulting practice - an idea I had contemplated throughout my years as an executive. My mission was clear: find a niche where I could truly make a difference.

Throughout my career as an executive, I've witnessed firsthand the critical importance of mastering business fundamentals, with cash flow management at the forefront. This insight wasn't just theoretical - it was forged in the crucible of real-world business challenges and successes. Time and again, I saw how a solid grasp of core business principles, especially a Cash Flow First Mindset, separated thriving companies from those that struggled or failed.

What struck me most was how even seemingly successful businesses could falter due to overlooking these basics, particularly cash flow management. In my various roles, I observed companies posting impressive double-digit growth suddenly find themselves in dire straits, not because their product was poor or their market disappeared, but simply because they lost sight of fundamental financial management principles, especially the critical importance of cash flow.

One of the most crucial lessons I learned was the absolute necessity of effective cash flow management. It's not uncommon to see businesses with strong revenue growth and healthy profits on paper still struggle due to poor cash flow management. The timing mismatch between cash inflows and outflows can create significant challenges, even for otherwise successful companies.

These observations reinforced my belief in the absolute necessity of maintaining a laser focus on business fundamentals, with cash flow at the center. It's not just about understanding these principles in theory - it's about rigorously applying them day in and day out, especially when the siren song of rapid growth tempts business leaders to cut corners.

I came to realize that mastering the basics - truly mastering them - was the key to sustainable success, with a Cash Flow First Mindset as the cornerstone. This isn't about merely staying afloat; it's about building a robust foundation that can weather economic storms, capitalize on opportunities, and drive long-term growth and profitability.

This realization became the cornerstone of my planned consulting approach and, later, the driving force behind my authorship. I was determined to help business owners and leaders not just understand these fundamental principles, but to ingrain them so deeply that applying them becomes second nature, always with a keen eye on cash flow.

Research and Development

To validate my suspicions about the market need, I dove deep into research. I joined Facebook and LinkedIn groups, surveyed a statistical sample of my 16,000 LinkedIn connections (giving me access to over 300,000 business professionals), and became a member of various SMB business associations. After 90 days of intensive research, my hypothesis was confirmed - there was indeed a pressing need for a "back to basics" initiative in the business world, with a particular emphasis on cash flow management.

Over the next nine months, I developed and refined nearly 20 consulting tools designed to provide guidance and insights for driving long-term, sustainable growth in revenue, profits, cash flow, and business valuation. These tools, all underpinned by a Cash Flow First Mindset, formed the backbone of a comprehensive 90-day rollout model that included 100 hours of my consulting time during implementation.

The Pivot to Authorship

As I launched my marketing campaign in January 2020, I was poised to begin my consulting practice. But then, COVID-19 hit, drastically changing the business landscape. Face-to-face interactions became limited, and the business environment evolved rapidly. Before I could land my first client, the pandemic had transformed the way businesses operated.

In this chaos, I saw an opportunity - my "Back to Basics" approach, centered on a Cash Flow First Mindset, could reach and benefit a much broader audience through the written word. The tools and strategies I had developed for consulting could be transformed into books, potentially helping far more business owners than I could reach through one-on-one consulting.

The Leap into Publishing

The decision to write wasn't an easy one. I had doubts about the quality of my manuscripts - after all, consulting and writing are different skills. It took a pivotal conversation with a close friend, who was genuinely impressed by my work, to encourage me to take the plunge.

With newfound determination, I dove headfirst into the publishing landscape, meticulously weighing the pros and cons of traditional versus self-publishing. After extensive research and numerous discussions, I chose the self-publishing route. The allure of creative freedom, direct reader engagement, and potential financial returns was too strong to ignore.

This shift in direction felt both exciting and intimidating. But I realized that by embracing the role of an author, I had the potential to impact far more businesses than I ever could as a consultant. With renewed determination, I was ready to translate my years of experience and carefully developed strategies into books that could guide and inspire business owners across the country, always emphasizing the critical importance of a Cash Flow First Mindset.

Crafting a Portfolio of Knowledge

Committed to delivering genuine value, I refrained from publishing until I had developed a comprehensive portfolio. This dedication resulted in my inaugural two-book series: "The Cash Flow Genome" and "The Cash Flow Catalyst," complemented by ten specialized cash flow analysis booklets. This collection aims to elevate business professionals' mastery of cash flow—a cornerstone of my "Back to Basics" philosophy.

The series and booklets create a logical, practical pathway for readers, guiding them through the entire process of cash flow mastery:

Grasp core principles and drivers
Analyze current financial situations
Make informed future predictions
Create and implement quarterly & annual cash flow plans

Building on this foundation, I have six additional books nearing completion, each focusing on one of the six key categories of my Back to Basics approach, all viewed through the lens of a Cash Flow First Mindset. Originally developed as consulting tools, these upcoming titles reinforce essential business principles across various management aspects, always tying back to the critical importance of cash flow.

The Research Behind the Writing

I'm a firm believer in thorough research. Over the past five years, I've compiled over 25,000 pages of information on approximately 500 business topics, with a significant portion dedicated to cash flow management and its impact across all business areas. This extensive knowledge base serves as the foundation for my books and reinforces my "Back to Basics" approach, always emphasizing the Cash Flow First Mindset.

Each month, I sift through this wealth of information, prioritizing and selecting the most pertinent ideas that align with fundamental business principles, one of the six key categories, and the overarching Cash Flow First Mindset. From there, I define each book's purpose and craft a detailed outline. With a clear structure in place, my daily writing goal of 2000 to 4000 words becomes not just achievable, but enjoyable.

My Mission and Philosophy

My mission is clear: to touch the business lives of 3.5 million SMB professionals by inspiring them to embrace time-tested principles, with the Cash Flow First Mindset at the core. In these uncertain economic times, the "Back to Basics" approach offers a beacon of stability.

My business philosophy is simple yet powerful: Master the basics, starting with cash flow, and the rest will follow. Excellence in fundamentals breeds success in all aspects of business. I believe that by focusing on core principles, with cash flow management as the linchpin, businesses can build resilience, navigate challenges more effectively, and position themselves for growth even in turbulent markets.

Looking Ahead

As I continue this journey, I'm eager to see where it leads and how my contributions can impact the business community. My vision is to become the pre-eminent authority that ignites a nationwide return to basics, enhancing the capabilities, confidence, and success of small and medium-sized businesses, all grounded in a Cash Flow First Mindset.

I invite you to join me on this journey. Through my books, videos, podcasts, blogs, online learning platforms, and membership groups, I'm committed to breaking down complex business concepts into practical, implementable strategies, always emphasizing the critical role of cash flow. Together, let's embrace the power of getting back to basics, with a Cash Flow First Mindset, and unlock the true potential of your business.

Your thoughts and feedback are invaluable to me. Let's work together to build stronger, more resilient businesses, one fundamental at a time, always keeping cash flow at the forefront of our minds.