Fall is a fun time of year for me. The weather is still relatively warm by day, but cool at night. I can open the windows more and enjoy that crisp fall scent. The leaves are changing on the trees and crackling on the sidewalk under my feet. The Green Bay Packers are out on the field. It’s also a great time for the 2012 financial planning process to get underway.
Earl Nightingale said “All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.”
Seeing a clear path to get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow is exciting. It provides relief and stress reduction if implemented successfully. It is critical therefore that, once identified, the goals are tracked, measured, and the path is modified as necessary to increase your odds of hitting the plan.
You should be building a plan that takes into account not only the current situation, but also the resources available (time and money) to address the situation. In the words of James Thurber, “I loathe the expression “What makes him tick”. It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together again, and sometimes stops like an electric clock in a thunderstorm.”
Your plan will be unique to your business. It may be simple or complex, time consuming or quick. The right financial strategy for your Company may include intense focus on limited working capital, or it may focus more heavily on time and urgency. Cash flow may be a concern.
Remember when you were a kid and you Mom made you bring a raincoat to school on rainy days? And you complained about the extra weight?
Weren’t you glad to have it when the rain came? Take the time now to consider the year ahead, and plan accordingly.
The Wall Street Journal featured B2B CFO® as experts in cash flow management. 
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