Advising, Consulting and Mentoring Greater Houston area business since 1986
November 2015
 
   


From The Editor...     

Over my forty plus years in the financial services industry I have been amazed at the number of business owners I have met who have no idea what their financial statements mean or the story that the numbers printed on them are telling. I will admit that not everyone is a numbers person, but there comes a time if your business is going to succeed, you as a business owner have to know where your business stands financially. Yes, a business can hire a numbers person, but unless that numbers person has an actual ownership interest in the company, is that individual as committed as the owner to the company of the on-going viability of the business?
Why are financial statements so important? If your business needs financing of any kind, most individuals or entities (Banks, Credit Unions, the SBA, etc.) will want to see at least three years of historical financial statements before they can make a decision to loan a business money. But more importantly than obtaining financing, business owners need to know how their business is running. Is the business making a profit or losing money? Does the value of the business assets cover the liabilities, or is the business upside down?
Additionally, many business owners are under the false impression that if their business needs money for a piece of new equipment or to expand that a lender will make a loan based on the value of the equipment or the new business an expansion will generate. The value of what a lender takes as collateral is only one factor in the lending decision-making process. Past credit history, the debt to worth of the business, cash flow of the business, and debt coverage ratios all are very important elements in a lender's decision. This data is financial information that a business owner should know and be able to explain.
If you are not now taking a seriously active role in understanding the financial position of your business, maybe you should be. If you need assistance in determining where your business is financially, seek out an experienced business leader or mentor for your Company: contact a Silver Fox Advisor. Remember, having experience on your side always helps.
We encourage you to visit our Website at www.silverfox.org or www.silverfoxadvisors.com to select a Silver Fox Advisor and also to learn more about the Silver Fox Advisors, our Associates and their businesses, as well as our great programs and community outreach endeavors.

Richard T. Hendee, Editor
The Silver Fox Advisor
Who Did You Have Lunch With Today?
By Rich Schissler, a Silver Fox Advisor
Today I had lunch with Tommy Thompson. Tommy currently runs the daily operations of our 1,000+ member church campus. In that job he uses all the skills and experience he has accumulated in 40+ years of working in a variety of jobs in Corporate America. In his career Tommy has held several positions, such as corporate safety manager for a major energy company, which required him to be a top-notch strategist as well as a daily problem solver. His decisions directly impacted the overall business and health of his company. Tommy is and had to be a smart person everyday he was on the job.
Why should you have lunch or associate with them? First, you can learn from them and I am not just talking about where the best place to have lunch is or where the hot vacation spots are. Secondly, smart people tend to be successful and their success tends to rub off on those around them. Finally, smart people also tend to motivate other people to a higher level of success. There are more reasons to have lunch with a smart person, but these are my top three.
When The Rules Don't Fit The Game
Corporate Culture Reflects Business Progress and Growth.
By Hank Moore, Corporate Strategistā„¢
Every business, company or organization goes through cycles in its evolution. At any point, each program or business unit is in a different phase from the others. Every astute organization assesses the status of each branch on its Business Treeā„¢ and orients its management and team members to meet constant changes and fluctuations.
It's not that some organizations "click" and others do not. Multiple factors cause momentum, or the lack thereof. As companies operate, all make honest and predictable mistakes. Those with a willingness to learn from the mistakes and pursue growth will be successful. Others will remain stuck in frames of mind that set themselves up for the next round of defeat or, at best, partial-success.
The saddest fact is that businesses do not always know that they're doing anything wrong. They do not realize that a Big Picture must exist or what it could look like. They have not been taught or challenged on how to craft a Big Picture. Managers, by default, see "band-aid surgery" as the only remedy for problems...but only when problems are so evident as to require action.

 

 

Silver Fox Advisors 

 

Silver Fox Advisors are current and former business owners, entrepreneurs and executives dedicated to assisting business owners to improve their enterprises through mentoring and consulting. Advisors have been sharing their knowledge, experience and skills since 1986.

To work with a Silver Fox Advisor, please visit our website at  www.silverfox.org and select your advisor.

Books by
Silver Fox Advisors
  

Several Silver Fox Advisors have written books sharing their business experiences and expertise. These books contain information that you may find helpful to you and your business. We encourage you to visit our web site and click on the Resources link to find a listing of all books that are available.

 

This Month's Featured Book 

 

 

 
 

Lunch & Learn

Thursday, January 28, 2016
 

Topic: "The Federal Reserve Bank of Houston's Impact on Our Community"

 

Presented By: Lupe Fraga, Former Chairman, The Federal Reserve Bank of Houston

 

   

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Silver Fox Advisors  713.467.5900  executivedirector@silverfox.org