In a world that is increasingly volatile, competitive, and globalized, the importance of having access to information, and using that information, is essential. Financial concerns are important for national governments, large organizations, and business executives; media outlets are blanketed by headlines with financial ramifications. Finance, it appears, is everywhere and impacts virtually every aspect of both commercial life (business), as well as the lives of individuals. With so much information available, almost all of it available for free, there are very few reasons to not use it to improve your personal financial situation. People count calories, track steps, and exercise consistently; financial fitness and health are not much different. Like anything else, however, financial education, financial literacy, and financial health are ongoing processes that require consistent effort and constant tweaking.
Additionally, and arguably more important as an increasing percentage of the population engages in side hustles or other entrepreneurial activities, a foundational understanding of business and business finance is increasingly important. Understanding what finance means for an enterprise, how to leverage financial information, and how to make the best use of organizational information appear to be trends that will represent competitive advantages moving forward. Resources and information available to business include the financial and physical capital that have always been available. Moving forward, however, and reflected in the changing business landscape, it appears to be true that data, information, and making effective use of this information form a resource to be developed and used by entrepreneurs. This in turn, brings us to the core reasons as to why this book exists, and more importantly, what I hope you will be able to get from reading it.
The reason behind this book, and why I wrote it to begin with, is to help people access the volumes of information available to them related to personal finance. As a CPA, advocate for financial literacy, member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) National Commission on Financial Literacy, and someone widely quoted and published about financial literacy, my mission is to help make you better informed decisions. A driving force behind this book, which covers the topics of personal finance, financial literacy, and finance for small to medium size businesses, is to help entrepreneurs and go-getters realize just how important money management is to a business. The unfortunate truth is that many people are dissatisfied with their financial life, and most new businesses fail due to a lack of adequate startup capital or ongoing cash flow issues. What makes the book unique, and will help it add value to you, both as an individual and budding entrepreneur, is that I am focused on practical solutions instead of theoretical conversations. Breaking down complex topics, outlining some best practices, and discussing what I have seen as a CPA provide you with the information and context you need to make better decisions. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Better informed people make better decisions.