INSIGHTS & ARTICLES
Insights and Articles
Thinking on finance and strategy for owner-operated businesses, and a few notes on life beyond the spreadsheet.
Financial Strategy
Business, CFO, and accounting articles to help you run on facts.
Budget vs Actual: The Monthly Variance Review That Runs Your Business
A budget vs actual review that owner-operators can run in 30 minutes. Materiality thresholds, rate and volume splits, and the QuickBooks click path.
Budget vs Actual Variance Analysis: The Monthly Review That Changes Decisions
Budget vs actual variance analysis, done right: materiality thresholds, price vs volume splits, and a 5-day close routine owners can run monthly.
Gross Margin by Client: Which Clients Are Actually Profitable?
Your P&L hides the truth. Learn how to build gross margin by client, rank every account, and find the work that quietly loses you money.
DSO Benchmark by Industry: Targets for $1M to $20M Firms
Revenue is up. Margin looks fine. Then payroll week arrives, and you are deciding which vendor waits. A DSO benchmark by industry is the median days a sector takes to turn an invoice into cash. For owner-operated firms between $1M and $20M, your DSO should land within...
When to Hire a Fractional CFO: 7 Numbers That Say It Is Time
You have a bookkeeper, so you have never really asked when to hire a fractional CFO. The books close, eventually. Yet three questions still stump you: how many weeks of payroll can you cover, which clients actually make money, and what next quarter looks like.You know...
13 Week Cash Flow Forecast From Your QuickBooks Export
You closed a good month. Revenue was up and margin held. Then payroll hit, and you were refreshing the bank app on a Thursday morning. A 13 week cash flow forecast is a weekly, direct-method schedule of the cash you expect to collect and pay over the next 91 days. It...
Life Beyond the Books
Travel and lifestyle, from Medellin to Albania to Athens.
The Ultimate Guide to the Best Places to Visit in Albania
Welcome to the breathtaking, rugged Land of the Eagles. Here, crisp mountain winds fiercely meet warm Adriatic sea breezes. You can hear ancient limestone crunching loudly under your boots. Furthermore, the aroma of strong roasted coffee constantly fills the air. If...
Six Years in Medellin: What Living in Colombia Taught Me About Life, Money, and Freedom
In 2018, I made the decision to start living in Medellin, Colombia full-time. I stayed for six years. That decision changed everything about how I think about money, lifestyle, and what it actually means to build a life on your own terms. If you have ever thought...
Athens Travel Experience
A visual journey through ancient ruins, timeless wisdom, and personal reflection.Step into Athens - a city where myth, marble, and modern energy collide. This travel journal unfolds my Athens experience through ancient wonders, charming neighborhoods, and cultural...
My London Travel Experience
London isn’t just a city - it’s a vibrant journey through time, architecture, food, and culture. My latest adventure immersed me in the charm of cobbled streets, iconic landmarks, and afternoon teas. This post shares my personal London travel experience, offering...
Welcome to My Journey — Charles Michael Gonzalez
Join me as I share insights from my experiences in entrepreneurship, investing, and living a life of purpose.Welcome to the official blog of Charles Michael Gonzalez - entrepreneur, investor, and global explorer. This space was built to share the lessons, insights,...
Stay Informed with Charles
Practical notes on turning your books into better decisions, with the occasional story from life beyond the spreadsheet. Infrequent, and easy to unsubscribe from.