“Zero-trust” sounds like something dreamed up by an IT team that drinks too much cold brew. In reality, it’s a finance concept wearing a tech hoodie.
At its core, zero-trust simply means this: no one gets access to money, data, or systems unless they continuously prove they should have it. Not once. Every time.
If that sounds familiar, it should. CFOs have been doing this for decades.
Download: CFO Zero-Trust Checklist & Scorecard
A bank package is not a document dump. It’s a curated, lender-ready narrative backed by numbers that survive scrutiny. Tight packages move through credit faster, earn cleaner covenants, and avoid the "please resend page 42" purgatory.
At Sharp CFO™, we build packages that speak banker. Mike, our founder, simultaneously ran a CPA firm, served as a CFO, and operated as a California real estate broker originating and underwriting mortgages. Translation: we’ve worked both sides of the table—corporate credit and the personal "global cash flow" lens lenders actually use.
Most businesses run on hope and yesterday’s P&L… Cute!
The companies that don’t panic on Thursdays run a 13-week cash flow. It’s simple, relentless, and unfairly effective at keeping you solvent while everyone else is guessing.
When an S-corp nets $150,000 to $250,000 before owner salary, the reflex is to crank up wages “to be safe.” That’s not always necessary. Our firm applies an effort vs. capitalization framework that pegs wages to the owner’s actual labor and credits a fair return to capital and systems.
Used correctly, this approach can support a $50,000 W-2 wage for the owner while keeping the rest available for distributions, cash reserves, and growth.
An S-corporation must pay shareholder-employees a reasonable salary for the services they perform before distributing remaining profits. This isn’t folklore; it comes from how the Internal Revenue Code treats compensation and payroll tax:
Let’s be honest: we toss around “SWOT” a lot. CFOs love it, consultants swear by it, and half the time it’s a slide that gets skimmed between coffee refills. But do you actually know why it matters, or how to use it so it changes decisions and dollars, not just meeting minutes? Let’s review, simply and practically.
Not every business can afford a full-time CFO—but every business deserves CFO-level insight. Here are five simple tips that our clients use to get control of their numbers and strengthen their bottom line.
California has expanded its retirement mandate to the smallest employers. If you have even one W-2 employee (other than the owner or owner’s spouse) and do not sponsor a qualified plan, you must either (a) adopt a private plan (e.g., 401(k), SIMPLE IRA) or (b) register for CalSavers by December 31, 2025.
Most entrepreneurs start with passion and grit. What they usually don’t start with is a seasoned CFO in their corner. That’s where the cracks begin to show: cash flow headaches, tense bank conversations, stalled growth, or even a looming sale that could leave money on the table.
A boutique CFO firm like ours exists to fix that gap. We bring executive-level financial leadership to smaller businesses that otherwise couldn’t justify—or afford—a full-time CFO. The result? Owners get the same forward-looking financial discipline that large corporations rely on, without the cost of hiring in-house.
As the year winds down, savvy agri-business owners have a critical opportunity to make strategic decisions that can have a significant impact on their taxes, future growth, and asset protection. Whether you’re looking to maximize deductions with Section 179, monitor your eligibility for USDA programs, plan your land sales to minimize capital gains, or structure your estate to preserve wealth across generations, this guide breaks down actionable steps for every area of your business.
Keep reading to learn how you can leverage tax strategies, financing tips, and asset management techniques to not only save money today but also secure the long-term success of your operation.