It seems like gratitude is the hot new thing. There are gratitude journals prompting us to write down what we’re grateful for on a daily basis, and psychology even says that the expression of gratitude is associated with increased energy, optimism, and empathy.

While it may be cliche to express my deep and sincere gratitude for everything in my business this month, I’m going to do so anyway!

THANK YOU to the 100 Degrees Consulting client family for trusting us to dig into your numbers, prepare budgets, analyze financial reports, create forecasts, and ultimately help you make more informed decisions for your organization.

Each and every one of the leaders we work with is driven by an important purpose, whether it be providing health education to teenagers around the US, providing coaching to disadvantaged and foster youth, tackling unemployment in East Africa, or providing high-schoolers the opportunity to experience another culture by traveling abroad. There are so many stories of the impact our clients are having in their communities around the globe and we are so grateful to have just a small part in that.

Whenever I get off the phone with a client, I’m inspired to serve them at the highest level so that they can serve their communities the same way. I’m motivated to learn more and improve our processes so they get the most out of our relationship. One of our core values is passion and I hope our clients know how much we genuinely care about their work.

THANK YOU to the Master Your Nonprofit Numbers students. We had an amazing group of beta users and our first official round of students who’ve experienced each module, used our actionable templates, and provided feedback to help make the experience even better for our next round of students. If you haven’t taken the course, send me a quick message and I’ll give you an exclusive discount to register today!

THANK YOU to my mentors and business buddies I’ve met along the way. Not everyone understands the entrepreneurial journey, the ups and downs and major growing pains that we experience along the way, but I’ve found a tribe of people who do and I’m incredibly grateful for that. I’ve had SO many out-of-my-comfort-zone experiences this year (many of which I hope to never repeat!) and I think my business may have folded multiple times without the support of these people. (Do you have your own tribe of support people? I am pulling together a group of high-impact leaders and I’d love for you to join us. Send me a note and let’s talk!)

THANK YOU to the 100 Degrees Consulting team. Without this lovely tribe of women across the US, we wouldn’t be able to serve as many clients as we do or make any of the back end of the business work (like posting this blog, for example!).

With that, I am looking forward to another year of building 100 Degrees Consulting to serve our purpose-driven leaders at the highest level we can, pushing each client towards our vision of not needing us anymore! Just like nonprofits often tout that their ultimate goal is to go out of business (because that would inherently mean we’ve eliminated extreme poverty, for example), our goal is for our clients outgrow the need for a part-time CFO.

This coming year we will continue to work together to set up your systems and infrastructure for growth, strategically analyze your finances to ensure sustainability, and you will be scalable. With a solid foundation that we create together, I sincerely hope that each of our clients will be financially sustainable and I’m grateful for the opportunity to make that happen.

What are you grateful for this month?

Over the past few months, I have been updating Facebook and Instagram most frequently with what’s going on in the business but slightly neglecting this blog. Specifically, there are a couple exciting things I’m launching that I want you to know about and be a part of.

First. Master Your Nonprofit Numbers is an online course I’ve been building, beta testing, and refining over the last six months. It’s designed to be a comprehensive primer on all things nonprofit financial management for nonprofit leaders and boards. This is the perfect course for anyone in your organization who needs to deepen their knowledge of nonprofit financial management and will help bring clarity and confidence around your numbers. It’s also perfect if you need support but aren’t ready to work with our team one on one yet.

I’m excited about this because it’s a compilation of everything I’ve learned over the last decade, plus it gives me a way to support even more organizations than we do now. It was a lot of hard work, and frankly I’m proud of this course. From a business standpoint, while it’s quite a modest investment for nonprofits out there, it represents an additional revenue stream for my business which always strengthens the finances!

If you’re interested, check out the course here…

Second. I have written several times about the power of a mastermind, a group of people who come together for a period of time to solve business problems, learn from one another, and create opportunities to grow personally and professionally. I’ve been a part of a couple and they’ve literally changed my life.

But it keeps coming back to me that the nonprofit community is underserved in this area. There are very few opportunities for nonprofit leaders to share challenges, develop solutions, and grow in a way that is affordable and sustainable. Nonprofit leaders, especially newer CEOs and EDs, can’t talk to their teams, can’t talk to their boards, and often their friends or peers are busy or in other industries and don’t understand the challenges of working for a nonprofit.

So I have developed a two day intensive workshop for nonprofit leaders, where we will cover helpful strategies related to finance, HR, and operations, plus give each leader an opportunity for a hot seat session to share a challenge and gain clarity and answers from the group wisdom. Prior to the workshop, we will do a one on one call to help leaders zero in on their greatest challenge and start figuring it out, as well as a group call so everyone can get to know each other prior to our time in person.

We will likely have a guest speaker or two with plenty of actionable takeaways for after we leave the workshop.

I am so, so, so excited about this for a few reasons. First, I am thrilled about the opportunity to bring together leaders from around the globe to get to know each other and learn. I’m excited to create a safe space where nonprofit leaders feel understood. And finally, I’m excited to expand my own network and get to know more fabulous people.

The workshop will be in Q1 2019 in New York City, so stay tuned for more detailed information coming soon.

What if you’re thinking, but I’m not a nonprofit! What about me?

I have got you COVERED, my friend. I am finishing up a BRAND NEW online course for entrepreneurs, specifically designed for purpose-driven businesses who are in the first couple years of their business. It is designed to be a short course, done in a day, that will give you the foundation you need to be your own CFO, hit your goals, and maximize your bottom line, immediately.

I’ll share more info soon, but know that this is going to be a game-changer for early stage small businesses!

How do we do it all, you ask? Fueled by green tea, chocolate chip cookies, and the amazing team at 100 Degrees Consulting.

If you know someone looking for inspiration, challenge, and most importantly IMPACT in their career, listen up. We have way more work than we can handle and in order to serve all of our amazing clients, we need another CFO. The clients are visionary world-changers, the work is flexible, and the days are more fulfilling than I’d ever imagined. Check out the job description below and send me a note if you’re interested at stephanie@100degreesconsulting.com.

About us:

100 Degrees Consulting provides CFO services to visionary leaders. We help nonprofit organizations and entrepreneurs globally on all things finance; accounting, bookkeeping, audit, board reporting, financial analysis, budgeting, cash flow, 990s, and compliance. We give leaders clarity and confidence in their numbers so they can make a bigger impact on the world.

We are adding another high performing CFO to the team to deliver a high level of service to our clients because we’re growing by leaps and bounds. The CFO Consultant will lead client engagements and support business development as the company grows.

Our core values are knowledge & expertise, passion for mission, dependability, and approachability. We have high standards, high expectations, and we move quickly. We have extraordinary capacity and expect the same from everyone on the team. Most importantly, we absolutely love what we do and who we serve.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Financial Analysis & Reporting – Support monthly financial reporting for clients, perform ad hoc analyses, present findings to clients
• Project Management – Serve as lead project manager for client onboarding and various accounting projects. Use tools like Trello and Slack to manage organization tasks, timelines, and budgets
• Bookkeeping – Support client monthly close process in various accounting systems, including bank reconciliations, A/P and A/R reconciliations, and journal entries
• Client Service & Communications – Liaise and communicate with current and potential clients, as well as partners and vendors, via email and phone
• Business Development – Research and participate in writing and speaking opportunities, contribute to organization’s blog and newsletter as needed

About you:

• Thrive in a fast-paced environment and can stay organized and detail-oriented under pressure
• Hardworking, highly self-motivated, and a quick learner
• Love numbers and are an Excel whiz – think pivot tables and v-lookups
• Know multiple accounting systems (i.e. Quickbooks, Netsuite) or can get up to speed quickly if you don’t
• Embrace technology and systems like Slack, Trello, Salesforce, Harvest, etc
• Have a passion for nonprofits and experience with nonprofit accounting and administration
• Willing to roll up your sleeves and embrace the grunt work when needed
• Are a skilled writer and communicator
• Have a great sense of humor, high-energy, and enthusiasm for working on a small, but growing team

Requirements:

• Uses own computer, headset and necessary online accounts for work tasks
• Maintains a workspace free of unnecessary distraction where client and internal calls may be taken in a professional manner
• Is able to be on video chat for scheduled meetings
• Maintains own mobile phone and internet access

Education and/or experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field preferred
• CPA would be great but not necessary
• Nonprofit leadership experience is preferable

Logistics:

• This is a contractor (1099) position
• Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience
• .25 FTE right now (about 40 hours/month), but we expect that to grow and are looking for a CFO with the potential to move into full-time
• Flexible remote work environment

To Apply:

Send a cover letter explaining why you think we’re a good fit and your resume to stephanie@100degreesconsulting.com. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Please include “CFO” in the subject line.

I am a solopreneur by day and an introvert by nature, so I am quite content spending a lot of time alone. My dog makes excellent company while I work, but he’s not really helping me learn and grow. Although sometimes it’s uncomfortable for me to get outside of my yoga pants and comfort zone, I know that to build my knowledge base, network, and business, I must!

The Social Velocity blog just posted a great article called: Nonprofit Leaders, Get Outside Your Walls, and the gist of it is that organizations must understand the market in which they work. This goes for fundraising, program activities, and organizational strategy alike; “…research can help you understand how your clients and potential clients think, what your funders want now and in the future, what your competitors and collaborators are doing and where they might be going, and how the very problems you exist to solve might be changing over time.”

I know many organizations don’t prioritize hanging out with and learning from others in the field because they’re too busy and mostly because what they’re doing works. But not taking advantage of your broader network and the learning opportunities there will absolutely limit you. You don’t know everything!

The internet is wonderful for finding places where people who know more or different things than you hang out. I want to share my list of inspirational and informational resources in the hopes that you will find a place to hang out and learn too.

Podcasts

• Being Boss
• Profit. Power. Pursuit.
• The Side Hustle Show

Blogs

• Classy.org
• Melyssa Griffin
• Social Velocity
• Yellow Co.

Facebook Groups

• Being Boss
• Savvy Business Owners
• Nonprofit Happy Hour

Our client roster is growing literally by the day. Solopreneurs, nonprofits of all sizes, growing businesses. They’re coming to us for help in managing their finances, interpreting the numbers, and helping them make better strategic decisions.

As 100 Degrees Consulting is growing rapidly, we need another numbers guru in the form of an Accounting & Operations Assistant to add to the pack.

About you:

• Love numbers.
• A whiz at Excel’s advanced functions (think: macros, pivot tables, vlookups, statistical functions)
• Know Quickbooks inside and out, plus other accounting software tools (Xero, Freshbooks, Netsuite, Sage, Wave, Salesforce, etc)
• Know your debits from your credits and have great attention to detail when it comes to bookkeeping
• Enjoy using technology and creating tools to help make processes more efficient
• Are proactive, organized, highly efficient, and an adept communicator
• Have an entrepreneurial attitude and are motivated by the idea of growing an organization
• Are flexible to take on non-finance tasks as needed. Bonus points if you love Facebook, blogging, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, B2B marketing, SEO

What you’ll be doing:

• Complete account reconciliations
• Assist with preparing financial statements
• Create Excel tools (import files, macro-enabled sheets, etc)
• Perform data entry in accounting software

Logistical info:

This is a contract position with 10-20 hours/month. Pay is commensurate with experience. Job can be done from anywhere but bonus points if you’re within driving distance of Cincinnati because meeting over coffee or cocktails is more fun.

How to apply:

Send me an email at stephanie@100degreesconsulting.com telling me why you’re perfect for the job and what your favorite place in the world is and why. Oh, and don’t forget to send your resume or website!

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!