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10 Questions To Ask Your CFO

10 Questions To Ask Your CFO

by Ian Smith | Nov 4, 2012 | Business Questions & Answers, Management

The Questions What are the key drivers to drive the profitability of our business? What products are the most profitable? What are the main reasons for quarterly Gross Margin & Net Margin movements over the last 12 months? What are out most successful distribution...
10 Questions To Ask Your CFO

23 Business Questions Worth Answering

by Ian Smith | May 3, 2012 | Business Questions & Answers

The beauty of blogging every week for many years is that you build quite a nice body of work. In the past 12 months I’ve asked myself the following 23 questions and tried to answer them in 400 to 500 words. I hope they help you and your management team build a...

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  • The Deal Is Being Negotiated Long Before You Discuss Price

    The Deal Is Being Negotiated Long Before You Discuss Price

    November 13, 2026
    Lessons from decades around the negotiating table. Imagine sitting across the table from someone who has spent 30 years building …Read More »
  • Are You Buying Growth — or Buying Complexity?

    Are You Buying Growth — or Buying Complexity?

    November 6, 2026
    Why acquisitions fail—and why the operating model matters more than the deal model. An acquisition can make your business bigger …Read More »
  • Doing More Deals Doesn’t Make You a Better Acquirer

    Doing More Deals Doesn’t Make You a Better Acquirer

    October 30, 2026
    Why the post-mortem may be the most undervalued stage of the acquisition process. The company has completed its tenth acquisition. …Read More »

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