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A quick check-in and an EXCITING announcement!

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Hello friends! It’s been far too long since I’ve updated this blog! Spring has long since sprung and we’re full throttle into summer – longer days, time by the pool, year-end close for my June 30th buddies, and audit season. I’ve been fortunate to spend my spring working with four wonderful clients, who are changing the world through community and economic development, education, and micro-finance in both here in Cincinnati and much further afield in East Africa. We’ve developed strategic budget reports, prepared for audits, created finance manuals, and developed processes to streamline operations.

Not only have we made big strides for my clients, but I am feeling more personally fulfilled and passionate about this work than ever before. So much so, that I am thrilled to announce that: I have a spot for a new client to join my roster! As I tell all prospective clients, I work with a limited number of organizations at a time and am selective about the fit (as you, the clients, should be too!). This is a wonderful opportunity for an organization who’s been struggling with their financial analyses, or understanding their cash flow, or trying to figure out how in the world to create an accurate budget.

What do you think? Could you use an extra set of eyes and hands on your numbers? We work with many different types of clients, but specialize in $500k-$5M organizations who don’t yet need a full-time CFO but are growing and could use some additional expertise.

Sound like you? Reach out and let’s schedule a complimentary call to chat about what’s going on!

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A Monday morning chuckle

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…because who wants to dive into their email right away on a Monday?!

I subscribe to a lot of blogs – home design, fashion, healthy living, running, cooking, business, finance, nonprofit – because my interests clearly run the gamut. Of course, this means my Feedly is out of control on a daily basis but having that arsenal of reading material is perfect for waiting rooms. One of my favorite blogs is Nonprofit with Balls – this guy has a hilarious take on our work in the nonprofit world.

Anyway, he wrote a hilarious post about common nonprofit terms and what they really mean (which totally apply to any industry). Here are some of my favorites:

Board meeting package: Something we spend 12 hours preparing, that 0 to 2 board members will read

Engaged board: The board will micromanage all of the things that don’t matter, like which shade of grey the supply room should be painted, but will disappear when something important, like fundraising, needs to be done.

Logic Model: Our work distilled into a one-page chart using 3-point font for Type-A individuals

Best practice: We read an article once

Strategic planning: We’re gonna make some stuff up about how the next 5-10 years are going to shakedown. Then, we’re going to do something totally different within 6 months of the plan.

Conference call: 1 person speaking, everyone else on mute doing other work/checking Facebook

So-and-so is a visionary leader: So-and-so sucks at details and drops the ball a lot

Flexible work schedule: You may work whatever hours you like, as long as they add up to 60 hours per week

Leadership opportunity: A challenging project we are going to talk you into doing (without you realizing it) that is in addition to and mostly unrelated to your actual job responsibilities

Collaborative working environment: We have meetings every minute of every day

Grassroots organization: Place filled with people who care so darn much about making a difference that they knowingly take this job – with joy – understanding full well that all the above comments are true.

Hope this gave you a good chuckle. Check out the full list here!

Do any of these ring true for you? Do you need someone who doesn’t suck at details? I’m here for you!

 

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2015: The Obligatory Wrap-up Post

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I didn’t mean for almost the entire month of December to pass me by without stopping back here at 100 Degrees, but here it is the 22nd already! I’m ready for the holidays – my halls are decked, my presents are wrapped, my cookies are baked and I’ve got a 10 pound prime rib in my fridge waiting to be roasted on Christmas Day. Life truly is beautiful at this time of year.

Yesterday, I found the wonderful Storytelling Nonprofit‘s guided reflection and spent the afternoon journaling my thoughts on 2015 (and if you have time, I would encourage you to do the same!).

2015 has been a year of settling in for me. I dug deeper into my relationships, both business and personal, here in Cincinnati and continued to make this place my home. I learned greater patience and spent time thinking about designing my life – family, career, health, home. I worked hard to continue to build this business and I’m giddy with excitement about 2016.

As I wrap up my last work day of 2015, I’ll leave you with a sneak peak of what’s to come.

  • On the technical side, I’m working on a guide to Temporarily Restricted Net Assets (TRNA), the bane of any nonprofit CFOs existence!
  • I’m speaking at a leadership conference for undergrads in February. The title of my session is: Now What? Changing Your Mind and Finding Your Passion. I can’t wait to share more as it develops!
  • From Vanessa’s guided reflection, the words I want to live by in 2016 are: Peace. Patience. Positivity. Possibility. What are yours?

Have a beautiful holiday season and Happy New Year!

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My vision for 100 Degrees

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Sometimes the best thoughts come while stuck in traffic. I recently spent time thinking about my vision for 100 Degrees and how that weaves in with the vision of my clients.

 

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), my goal is for my clients not to need me anymore! But Stephanie, won’t that put you out of business? Don’t you need to pay your mortgage and, you know, eat? Yes! My true hope is that my nonprofit clients will outgrow the need for a part-time CFO. We will 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, you will eventually scale up your fundraising, accomplishing your mission in a bigger way and be ready and large enough to hire a full-time CFO.

What do you think? Is this a crazy vision? Was I simply hopped up on exhaust fumes from I-75 or does this make sense?

 

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Livin’ the dream as a nonprofit CFO

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When I was a child I played Office. I had an old monitor, a keyboard, a rotary desk phone and reams upon reams of paper. I could hole myself up in my room for hours, typing away, jotting notes on paper and creating complex alphabetized filing systems. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up but I knew I wanted to work in an office.

Well? I’m living the dream! Whenever there’s a particularly stressful day or my Excel budget template is giving me a hard time, I jokingly say to my husband, Yup, just livin’ the dream but in many ways, I do have my dream job as a nonprofit CFO. Mission connection. I get to care deeply about my organization. I’m not slaving away, crunching numbers in a back office so Joe CEO can sell more products and enjoy his four mansions; I’m slaving away, crunching numbers so that girls can go to school in Nepal. Big difference.That little spot in the middle of a Venn diagram. I enjoy numbers (I create spreadsheets for fun – I’m serious) and I’m good at it. Financial analysis comes natural to me and I find nothing more satisfying than solving a financial puzzle. My program staff and right-brained friends are confused and cringing right now, but I truly have a purpose-driven career.

Freedom & creativity. Many nonprofits operate with a start-up mentality which can mean that not all systems are in place yet and you have the freedom and flexibility to create your own. You often escape that awful repressive mentality that we do it this way because that’s how we’ve always done it and instead are constantly seeking efficiencies to better utilize our resources. If your Strengths Finder strengths are Focus and Maximizer like me, you will love developing structure, systems and efficiencies. Commonalities with coworkers. I know we’ve all said it before: we’re not here for the money. We’re thrown together because we all love serving children or homeless or the environment, and it is incredibly energizing to be in a room full of people as excited about that as you. Sure, not every single person will be pumped about the new dashboard report you just created, but our core purpose is similar.

Constant learning opportunities. No, we might not have an endless professional development budget (or have one at all!) but if you don’t know how to do something, most likely you’ll have to learn how to do it yourself. In previous roles, I had relied upon the auditors to complete the 990 but one day I found myself leading an organization who always prepared it internally. I didn’t have the option to hand it off so I dove in and learned that form inside and out. Was it challenging? Yes, for sure. Am I glad I know how to prepare it myself? Definitely!

What’s your dream job? Do you have a purpose-driven career or are you still trying to figure out what that is?

 

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Welcome to my (online) home!

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Come on in – can I get you something to drink? Make yourself at home!

I’m so excited to continue my journey along the nonprofit financial consulting path. Nonprofit financial consulting? Not exactly glamorous sounding but exactly what I do and love.

In better words, I am pumped to work with world-changers, people with radical ideas, ambitious goals and gritty spirits to help them maximize their resources and potential, serve more people and make the biggest difference possible. Talk about rewarding!

Finance isn’t everyone’s thing. And it doesn’t have to be. But it IS my thing. I help CEOs and EDs “see around the corner” and keep my eyes on the numbers so you can focus on program execution. I’m your on demand CFO who provides best-in-class financial leadership at a fraction of the price but all the reliability of a full-time CFO.

I’ve happily spent nearly a decade in the nonprofit world, leading organizations through radical growth, ensuring their limited resources were used to the maximum potential, helping provide access to education and changing lives around the world. I got my Master’s in Public Administration from New York University to back up my hands-on, real world experience and now I’m sharing this with as many nonprofits as possible.

I’ve had the incredible pleasure of spending time in Afghanistan, Malawi, Nepal, Haiti, Mali, Senegal, Nicaragua and others and hope to share some of my experiences and pictures with you on this blog. I also hope to share advice, lessons and random thoughts as I continue along the journey of consulting.

I hope you’ll join me for the ride!

I’d love to get to know you! Who are you? How’d you get here? Are you a world-changer with a gritty spirit?