pen in the real baseball world. But it certainly happens in the small business world.

Accounting is nothing more than keeping score. It is a virtual certainty that the failure to measure results in a timely manner will result business owners discovering what has happened after it’s too late to do anything about it.

Keep in mind that measuring res

Many small business owners do not regularly measure the results of their business. I have heard many small business owners say that they wait until their accountant comes in to tell them how their doing. Or perhaps they look at revenue and payroll each month then place the report in the drawer. As long as there is money in the checking account or available credit on their credit line, they are content to continue doing business in the same way they always have. While there are many lucrative businesses that enjoy the luxury of not having to worry about making more money, most of us want to obtain the maximum financial benefit possible from our hard work.

Imagine you are at a baseball game and the scoreboard is not working. Imagine further that neither of the managers is keeping track of balls and strikes, or outs, or runs. How would the manager decide when to bunt, swing away or steal? How would the players know which base to throw to? Further, if no records are kept, how would they know who their best hitters are? How does each hitter do against right or left handed pitching? I don’t think either of the managers of these teams would be in a position to devise an effective strategy for winning the game. If the talent of each team is roughly equal, strategy will determine the outcome of the game. In fact, the weaker the talent of any team is, the more important strategy becomes.

Of course, this does not happen in the real baseball world. But it certainly happens in the small business world.

Accounting is nothing more than keeping score. It is a virtual certainty that the failure to measure results in a timely manner will result business owners discovering what has happened after it’s too late to do anything about it.

Keep in mind that measuring resu

redit on their credit line, they are content to continue doing business in the same way they always have. While there are many lucrative businesses that enjoy the luxury of not having to worry about making more money, most of us want to obtain the maximum financial benefit possible from our hard work.

Imagine you are at a baseball game and the scoreboard is not working. Imagine further that neither of the managers is keeping track of balls and strikes, or outs, or runs. How would the manager decide when to bunt, swing away or steal? How would the players know which base to throw to? Further, if no records are kept, how would they know who their best hitters are? How does each hitter do against right or left handed pitching? I don’t think either of the managers of these teams would be in a position to devise an effective strategy for winning the game. If the talent of each team is roughly equal, strategy will determine the outcome of the game. In fact, the weaker the talent of any team is, the more important strategy becomes.

Of course, this does not happen in the real baseball world. But it certainly happens in the small business world.

Accounting is nothing more than keeping score. It is a virtual certainty that the failure to measure results in a timely manner will result business owners discovering what has happened after it’s too late to do anything about it.

Keep in mind that measuring res

rd is not working. Imagine further that neither of the managers is keeping track of balls and strikes, or outs, or runs. How would the manager decide when to bunt, swing away or steal? How would the players know which base to throw to? Further, if no records are kept, how would they know who their best hitters are? How does each hitter do against right or left handed pitching? I don’t think either of the managers of these teams would be in a position to devise an effective strategy for winning the game. If the talent of each team is roughly equal, strategy will determine the outcome of the game. In fact, the weaker the talent of any team is, the more important strategy becomes.

Of course, this does not happen in the real baseball world. But it certainly happens in the small business world.

Accounting is nothing more than keeping score. It is a virtual certainty that the failure to measure results in a timely manner will result business owners discovering what has happened after it’s too late to do anything about it.

Keep in mind that measuring res

t handed pitching? I don’t think either of the managers of these teams would be in a position to devise an effective strategy for winning the game. If the talent of each team is roughly equal, strategy will determine the outcome of the game. In fact, the weaker the talent of any team is, the more important strategy becomes.

Of course, this does not happen in the real baseball world. But it certainly happens in the small business world.

Accounting is nothing more than keeping score. It is a virtual certainty that the failure to measure results in a timely manner will result business owners discovering what has happened after it’s too late to do anything about it.

Keep in mind that measuring res

pen in the real baseball world. But it certainly happens in the small business world.

Accounting is nothing more than keeping score. It is a virtual certainty that the failure to measure results in a timely manner will result business owners discovering what has happened after it’s too late to do anything about it.

Keep in mind that measuring results goes well beyond basic accounting activities. For instance your company may be quite profitable and successful and the owner may enjoy a flexible entrepreneurial work schedule. The company spends a significant amount of money on advertising but there is no method in place to measure the amount of business derived from each type of advertisement. As long as the company keeps making money no one is concerned. However, there may be money being wasted on advertisements that are ineffective or do not generate enough business to justify the cost. If, at some future date, it becomes necessary to reduce advertising expenditures, how will the owner know which campaigns to eliminate? It’s too late to obtain the information necessary to evaluate the alternatives.

There are many easy to use software products available that require no accounting knowledge. They will allow you to know what has happened in the past, what is happening now and, if used effectively, will allow you to know what will happen next.

Start keeping score today. If you are too busy, get someone else to do it. Discipline yourself to spend time each month looking at results. Compare activity to last year. Do a budget for your business and compare results to budget. I am certain you will find things that are not working the way you want. Change them! Fix them! Learn to maximize your company’s potential. Don’t be one of those business owners that k