Martin Garza

His name is going on that door after all. A different bank saw the dream his own bank had missed. If a no has stalled your plan, this is the one to read. realcfo.net/blog

Here is what I have learned sitting across from owners. A no from the bank is often not about you. Sometimes you are just standing at the wrong desk. The full story is on the blog this week. realcfo.net/blog

He did everything right. Built the business. Made the plan. Then the bank he had trusted for years said no at the last minute. For a moment the whole dream stopped. This week on the blog: what a no from your bank really means, and what to do next. realcfo.net/blog

An owner I worked with had drifted from 58% gross margin to 42% over four years. Same rates. Rising costs. He'd never noticed because he watched revenue, not margin. We sat down, pulled the trend, raised his rate 8% on new clients. He lost zero. Margin went back. The cash followed. The lever wasn't sales. It was price.

An owner I worked with had a record Q2 and watched Q3 come in 28% lower. Same clients. Same team. Same offer. What changed? He'd stopped his two networking lunches a week to keep up with delivery. The hopper went empty without him noticing. We rebuilt the weekly log — two touches a week, one follow-up. By Q4 the hopper was full again. Activity is a leading indicator. Watch it before revenue.

Three minutes to test if you're running off the numbers or off the bank balance: Open your books. Find your gross margin %. Find your A/R over 30 days. Find your operating expense total. If any of those took more than 90 seconds to locate, your system needs work. The numbers should live in one place — same sources, same cadence, into your model. That's what runs the business. realcfo.net

Most owners run their business off one number. It's the wrong number. The bank balance tells you what already happened. It can't tell you what's coming. What number do you read first on Monday morning? realcfo.net

A business owner came to me. Bank balance: healthy. About to make a $60K hire. I asked his AR days. He didn't know. We pulled it: $100,000 sitting uncollected. Held the hire. Collected the cash. Made the offer 30 days later, on the right number. realcfo.net

Hey business owners! Ever feel like your financial statements are written in ancient hieroglyphs? What's the ONE thing you just DON'T GET about your P&L, balance sheet, or cash flow statement? (e.g., "Why does profit ≠ cash??") Drop your Qs below – I'll break 'em down! Let's turn confusion into clarity.

Heads up, founders: Working capital is your biz's daily hustle fund: Current assets: Cash + Inventory - Unpaid invoices = Working Capital It's grease keeping operations smooth without squeaking to a halt. Sloppy WC? Instant cash famine. Nail it by: Chasing AR like it's Black Friday deals, stretching AP without burning bridges, and trimming inventory (no hoarding like a squirrel on steroids). Dad joke alert: Why'd the working capital go to therapy? Too many current emotional liabilities!

I work with tons of small businesses, and the #1 reason they reach out? They're in a straight-up cash crunch. Heads up, folks: 9 times out of 10, it's from sloppy working capital management (Payables, Receivables, Inventory). Nail your systems and actually understand your numbers—it'll save you a world of heartburn. Who loves reviewing Working Capital? I bet none of you!

Dad joke finale: Why did the price break up with the discount? It needed more margin for error! (You're welcome for the eye-roll) Not taking pricing seriously = leaving money on the table. Who’s finally building a real strategy this weekend?

Myth: Match competitors' prices to compete. Truth: You're not them—your story, speed, and smarts set you apart. If you are not testing what the market is willing to pay, you are missing an opportunity to engage in conversation with your customers. What is your ‘Me-too’ pricing message sending to the market? I am not special! What sets you apart from your competitors? #PricingStrategy #BootstrapLife