This ONE Page Report Saved My Marriage.
When we started in business together, money was tight. Really tight. And the debt piled up like dirty laundry in a large family. When I would say to my husband, Hotrod, “We don’t have enough money!” he would hear, “You’re not good enough. You’re not working hard enough.” So we fought. About the money and, ultimately, everything else. Sigh. We were in financial trouble, and our marriage was collapsing.
Thankfully, I found great mentors who helped me figure out my assets from my elbow. (Special shout outs to Frank Blau and Jack Stack!) As I started to clean up the mess I’d made of the accounting, I would march into Hotrod’s office – interrupting whatever he was working on – and share my latest AHA! I’d bury his desk in confusing reports, and then be upset that he wasn’t sharing my enthusiasm.
Then, he said something that changed everything. “If you would put the few numbers you’re talking about on one page, that would help me understand the numbers.” That’s when the Financial Quick Check was born! Since then, we argue less, we communicate better, we know where the money is and where it goes…and we are still married. Financial stress wasn’t our only challenge, but it certainly amplified everything else. The FQC helped us focus on facts, not emotions, and that provided just the space we needed to solve problems together.
Here’s how to use The Financial Quick Check.
- Schedule a weekly meeting. Who should attend? Owners, bookkeeper and managers.
- Carve it into your calendars. Schedule an hour, though over time, as you get intimately familiar with the financials, you may need less than that. Any time of the week is fine, just hold to it. If you miss a week, don’t miss the next week.
- Follow the Financial Quick Check Meeting agenda.
- Have fun with the numbers! The FQC is the score. The score changes when you change…operations, marketing, sales systems. Remember Dream – Act – Test. The FQC helps you test your decisions and actions and see if you are heading towards your dreams!
