Let’s pretend I was going to have a fancy party and give a State of the Business address. I’d dress up in a sequined gown and gold heels, enjoy a glass of champagne and likely overpriced but delicious hors d’oeuvres, and then share:
When I first started this venture in 2015, I began with a tiny inkling of a thought. Maybe there are nonprofits out there who can’t afford or don’t need a full time CFO but seriously need some financial oversight. I have some solid experience and could provide that oversight they need! I culled together my favorite photos from my years of travel, spent a couple hundred bucks to get a website made, and started combing Guidestar for nonprofits I was passionate about that didn’t appear to already have a CFO. I crafted a cold email, took a deep breath, and hit send.
The quick result? Four ongoing clients, two who are changing our community here in Cincinnati, and two doing amazing work in East Africa.
And the long term result? I’ve networked with amazing business owners both locally and online. Praise the power of Skype for giving me face to face chats with other entrepreneurs around the country! I’ve worked with entrepreneur clients who are crossing major revenue thresholds – from five to six figures, six to seven figures, and beyond. Those clients are gaining insight into their businesses through our work together and making big moves to take 2017 to a new level. And as a result, my work has become even more rewarding than I could have imagined.
The first official year of 100 Degrees Consulting has shown me the potential this company has for incredible growth and to make an even bigger impact on the nonprofit and entrepreneur community.
As for the final few weeks of 2016, just having given birth to my first baby, I think about the parallels between building my business and having this child. It’s exhilarating and gratifying and terrifying all at once. You put everything out there and just have faith that you will reap the most amazing rewards.
As of December 9th, my client roster was officially full to the brim for the remainder of 2016 which both surprised and delighted me. Have no fear though, as I am currently taking appointments to get started with me in January, either for a financial health checkup and 2017 prep, or ongoing CFO support, but I’ll only have a couple of spots for each.
I know that 2017 is going to be spectacular. On a personal level, I can’t wait to enjoy life with my beautiful new daughter and spend a family vacation in France and Spain. On the business side, I am so looking forward to working with a couple new nonprofits and entrepreneurs, helping them gain confidence and insight into their numbers to make everyday business operations smoother and strategic decision-making easier.
I thank you for following along this year and wish you all the peace and love in the new year!
