No one likes surprises. Anyone who has gone through an audit can attest to this, from the auditors themselves to the CFOs prepping their company for their first-ever or umpteenth audit.
We were fortunate to hear from both sides of the audit process during a RoseRyan-hosted webinar, “Zen and the Art of Audit Readiness“, featuring the perspectives of a CFO, an audit committee member, and an auditor.
The speakers shared their top tips and observations from the many audits they’ve experienced over their careers. Here are just some of the most interesting takeaways from this event.
1. A fast-growing private company’s first audit is usually the toughest – but public companies struggle too.
No matter why you’re getting an audit – because it’s a regulatory requirement or a request by investors, acquirers, or some other party – the whole effort will hinge on how ready you are for the auditor’s scrutiny.
If you’ve recently taken on a new system or a new accounting pronouncement; undergone a major transaction; or your finance team had major turnover in the past year; the decisions you made along the way may not mesh with the auditor’s expectations.
Even a public company with tight, streamlined operations may get tripped up by a complicated accounting issue one year.
“I’ve seen some pretty messy public companies, and I’ve seen some pretty messy private companies,” said Benjamin Shappell, partner in audit services at RSM US LLP. “On the flipside, I’ve seen very well managed private companies where the audit is smooth and crisp.”
2. The audit process can make your books and records more functional.
Is the information you’re tracking and recording reliable? The audit may reveal problematic processes and systems that are preventing management from truly understanding the business: you may have been making decisions based on flawed financial information.
But by the time the auditors weigh in, you may have lost out on valuable time.
“You should really address the operational issues as soon as possible because your management team will get more use out of the financial statements while you’re in the process of getting ready for your audit,” said Mike Ownby, CFO at Infoworks.io (and a RoseRyan alum).
3. The strengths and weaknesses of the team should be evaluated before the auditors arrive.
“It’s become ever more difficult to find the talent to make sure you can do the work,” said Dan Fairfax, a former CFO at Brocade Communications who is on the audit committees of Super Micro Computer and Energous Corp., and the board of Saama Technologies.
He suggested taking inventory of both technical accounting and operational accounting expertise you have in-house. Understand the gaps so you can take action for filling them in advance. This can be a formal, ongoing endeavor, involving a skills matrix and a process for keeping skills up-to-date through training and job rotations.
Very likely, in the short term, outside expertise may be needed to get the books in order and properly prepare for the audit.
In fact, leaning on a third party to achieve “audit readiness” can save the company in terms of audit costs and time, according to Shappell. Otherwise – for problems that don’t get addressed – the company can get bogged down by the audit (problematic audits can last several months, even a year).
A lease issue or account reconciliation issue “can steal time from CFOs, from accounting teams, from sales teams, from development teams – all of the individuals across the business that can’t focus on what they do day-to-day because they’re focused on an issue that could have been resolved had it been prepared as part of the audit readiness process,” Shappell said.
4. Internal controls must be stable.
Ownby noted this is a particular challenge for rapidly growing private companies in Silicon Valley, but it’s a must for every company to understand the key processes and people they rely upon for producing financial results – and to know what areas need improvement, and to have proper documentation around all of it.
Even public companies may need to take another look at how they balance workloads to ensure they have proper segregation of duties and can show they do through proper documentation.
Fairfax brought up the example of a public company in the pre-revenue, development stage, with a small finance team, that had to be particularly cognizant of this issue.
5. Communication and collaboration throughout the process will minimize the risk of surprises.
As early as you can, get a plan going with the audit firm, so you understand what they need and they can get to know your business. You may even learn a few things along the way.
“My view is they can make me smarter because I only see what’s directly in front of me in terms of the company I’m working on,” Fairfax said. “I can get blinders on as I’m working on my business. So, I want them to broaden me, to make me aware of new things coming down the road.”
Some surprises are bound to creep up, whether you’re about to undergo your first-ever audit as a private company, or an audit after a challenging year as a public company.
Every time, being as ready as possible for the auditors can ease the entire experience.
Would you be ready if an audit happened today? Listen to the replay of “Zen and the Art of Audit Readiness” for more practical tips and best practices for preparing your company.
And download RoseRyan’s white paper, “A Better Audit Experience: Setting Up for a Smoother Process” to learn the three most common culprits to time-consuming audits and how to over come them.
To see how we’ve helped some of our clients make it through the year end close and audit prep process successfully, take a look at our case studies ‘Blueprint For Success’ and ‘Pulling Together To The Finish Line’.
Pat Voll is a Vice President at RoseRyan, where she provides strategic guidance into several practice areas, including corporate governance, strategic projects and operational accounting. She also manages multiple client relationships, develops new solutions for the firm and oversees strategic and corporate culture programs. Pat previously held senior finance level positions at public companies and worked as an auditor with a Big 4 firm.
You can read Pat’s original blog article here.
GETTING THROUGH THE AUDIT STORM: Five Ways To Prepare For Your Next Audit
No one likes surprises. Anyone who has gone through an audit can attest to this, from the auditors themselves to the CFOs prepping their company for their first-ever or umpteenth audit.
We were fortunate to hear from both sides of the audit process during a RoseRyan-hosted webinar, “Zen and the Art of Audit Readiness“, featuring the perspectives of a CFO, an audit committee member, and an auditor.
The speakers shared their top tips and observations from the many audits they’ve experienced over their careers. Here are just some of the most interesting takeaways from this event.
1. A fast-growing private company’s first audit is usually the toughest – but public companies struggle too.
No matter why you’re getting an audit – because it’s a regulatory requirement or a request by investors, acquirers, or some other party – the whole effort will hinge on how ready you are for the auditor’s scrutiny.
If you’ve recently taken on a new system or a new accounting pronouncement; undergone a major transaction; or your finance team had major turnover in the past year; the decisions you made along the way may not mesh with the auditor’s expectations.
Even a public company with tight, streamlined operations may get tripped up by a complicated accounting issue one year.
2. The audit process can make your books and records more functional.
Is the information you’re tracking and recording reliable? The audit may reveal problematic processes and systems that are preventing management from truly understanding the business: you may have been making decisions based on flawed financial information.
But by the time the auditors weigh in, you may have lost out on valuable time.
3. The strengths and weaknesses of the team should be evaluated before the auditors arrive.
He suggested taking inventory of both technical accounting and operational accounting expertise you have in-house. Understand the gaps so you can take action for filling them in advance. This can be a formal, ongoing endeavor, involving a skills matrix and a process for keeping skills up-to-date through training and job rotations.
Very likely, in the short term, outside expertise may be needed to get the books in order and properly prepare for the audit.
In fact, leaning on a third party to achieve “audit readiness” can save the company in terms of audit costs and time, according to Shappell. Otherwise – for problems that don’t get addressed – the company can get bogged down by the audit (problematic audits can last several months, even a year).
4. Internal controls must be stable.
Ownby noted this is a particular challenge for rapidly growing private companies in Silicon Valley, but it’s a must for every company to understand the key processes and people they rely upon for producing financial results – and to know what areas need improvement, and to have proper documentation around all of it.
Even public companies may need to take another look at how they balance workloads to ensure they have proper segregation of duties and can show they do through proper documentation.
Fairfax brought up the example of a public company in the pre-revenue, development stage, with a small finance team, that had to be particularly cognizant of this issue.
5. Communication and collaboration throughout the process will minimize the risk of surprises.
As early as you can, get a plan going with the audit firm, so you understand what they need and they can get to know your business. You may even learn a few things along the way.
Some surprises are bound to creep up, whether you’re about to undergo your first-ever audit as a private company, or an audit after a challenging year as a public company.
Every time, being as ready as possible for the auditors can ease the entire experience.
Would you be ready if an audit happened today? Listen to the replay of “Zen and the Art of Audit Readiness” for more practical tips and best practices for preparing your company.
And download RoseRyan’s white paper, “A Better Audit Experience: Setting Up for a Smoother Process” to learn the three most common culprits to time-consuming audits and how to over come them.
To see how we’ve helped some of our clients make it through the year end close and audit prep process successfully, take a look at our case studies ‘Blueprint For Success’ and ‘Pulling Together To The Finish Line’.
Pat Voll is a Vice President at RoseRyan, where she provides strategic guidance into several practice areas, including corporate governance, strategic projects and operational accounting. She also manages multiple client relationships, develops new solutions for the firm and oversees strategic and corporate culture programs. Pat previously held senior finance level positions at public companies and worked as an auditor with a Big 4 firm.
You can read Pat’s original blog article here.
Too Much on Your Plate This Busy Season? Get Ahead Of The Game Now (With Our Help)!
Is this the season of joy or stress? Once November hits, the pressure begins: We all get bombarded with messages about the shrinking number of shopping days left, questions about who’s hosting dinner this year, and early debates about where to spend New Year’s.
The constant pressure can turn a time of family, connection, peace, and love into a season centered on anxiety and crankiness. Sometimes, what’s needed is a pause. Take a moment to remember what’s important right now, and you can find the joy—the purpose—in the season again. You’ll gain back some calm.
The same tactic can help you get through another stress bomb looming large right now—the year-end close. As coworkers mark their days off and December 31 keeps getting closer, accountants start losing sleep. Who has time to think about holidays when you are awake all hours of the night with visions of audit schedules, board meetings and management reports dancing in your head?
To be sure, not planning early for year-end is a losing strategy. Figuring out how to approach it with some expert help will set you up for a smoother process (we do mean smoother—something always does seem to go awry even with the best plans in place).
We won’t be able to reduce your shopping load or your guest list (could you disinvite the auntie who enjoys the eggnog a bit too much this year?), but we can definitely ease the stress levels and the workload.
Like good little elves, we have our version of Santa’s listto get you through the year-end close. We’ve checked it twice, and we’ve included a sackful of toys, er, tools, to get your team as ready as possible.
So, to make this year-end close as stress-free as possible, take a moment to consider how it can go much better than the last time. Start with our year-end close resource page,and reach out if you’d like to learn how our elves can help you.
We wish you a happy holiday season!
Want To Know The Secret To Health, Happiness & Success? Adopt An Attitude Of Gratitude!
Need a mood booster? Then take a moment to think about three things for which you’re grateful.
Humans are hardwired for gratitude*. Research into the nature and origins of gratitude shows that we share this appreciative tendency with several other prosocial animals, and that we demonstrate an understanding of gratitude from an early age.
The benefits of consciously practicing gratefulness can include improved mood and physical health, and better life satisfaction. It also promotes positive social interactions, including in the workplace. Gratitude serves as a kind of magic panacea and ‘social glue’, and studies prove that it’s a state of mind and pattern of behavior that can be cultivated.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to express gratitude in both personal and professional settings. In the business world, demonstrating appreciation can strengthen relationships, build trust, and foster a positive workplace culture.
Here are some meaningful ways to show gratitude professionally as well as personally as Thanksgiving approaches:
By showing gratitude in your personal and professional life in the lead up to Thanksgiving—and throughout the year,—you create a culture of appreciation and build stronger relationships with others. The world could certainly do with more of the many positive things that gratitude brings.
Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving, and thank you for joining us on the journey to greatness!
*The Science of Gratitude
Are you ready for the SEC’s new Cybersecurity Disclosure Requirements?
Cybersecurity may seem like a modern phenomenon, but it’s been around for quite a while*—almost 200 years, in fact: the first cyberattack was actually carried out in 1834 when two canny French thieves hacked into France’s telegraph system to steal financial market information.
Today the risks are of course far more common as criminals constantly look for ways to get around defenses to obtain data for financial gain and other nefarious purposes. Corporate entities must therefore always be on top of this issue, but even more so now that the SEC has put in place new cybersecurity incident reporting and disclosure regulations that come into effect very soon.
Internal Audit Checks and Balances
By the end of 2023, public companies will be subject to the new SEC disclosure requirements related to how they manage their cybersecurity risk and strategy, which only give them a short window within which to disclose any material cybersecurity incidents that strike.
Internal Audit can play a key role in supporting management’s implementation of these new SEC cybersecurity disclosure requirements. Some things Internal Audit can help an organization to do to mitigate risks include:
To find out more details about the new regulations, read our RoseRyan Insights blog ‘Dealing With The SEC’s Tight Timeframe For Complying With The New Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules’. And if you need help with doing an Internal Audit, reach out to us today.
*Cybersecurity History: Hacking & Data Breaches
Governance Tips: Planning Out a Roadmap to a Startup’s Board of Directors
Setting up a board of directors with independent directors takes a startup to another level—a level that will assure prospective investors of your young company’s commitment to its future, backed by accountability and oversight. The board can also provide financial discipline, strategic guidance, and fill in skills and expertise gaps to take the company further than it’s been able to so far on its own. While making the decision to form a board may come easy to your startup, what the board should look like can take time to sort out. To begin the process, here are some key questions your startup should be asking.
Who Should Serve on My Startup’s Board?
A startup’s board becomes a critical part of its foundation, which future and existing investors are probably looking for (and may even want a board seat for themselves). Initially, you may have a few people in mind for your board, such as the CEO and a top investor. You’ll also want people who have had board experience and perhaps a successful entrepreneur who knows the industry, or at least what you’re going through. At the same time, you may want to seek out people who do not have much if any board experience, so that you can cast a wide net as you seek to develop a diverse board.
How Should the Board Be Organized?
Early-stage companies have more flexibility here than publicly traded companies (whose boards must be mostly made up of independent directors and include an audit committee, compensation committee, and nominating and governance committee). What you decide now will certainly change over time as the company’s needs change. A few considerations:
Looking at the composition of the board, consider how they will be empowered and possess the collective capability to provide strategic direction and oversight to the company. The board will need guidelines to work by to ensure this happens.
What Roles and Committees Should My Board Have?
The roles and expectations of board members should be set when they join the board. This includes their committee assignments, their understanding of your company, their overall mission, and how often they will be meeting together remotely and in person. They’ll be busy as they set the wheels of the company in motion, from setting stock and compensation plans, guiding the company, helping to hire senior leadership, and influencing strategic changes.
How Do I Evaluate My Board?
The board chair should drive the annual board evaluation process, which can be conducted by the nominating and governance committee if you have one. This should be done annually and could be effectively done if the board starts with its own self-evaluation. The findings shared by the board could bring up issues not everyone has considered.
What Else Should I Be Thinking About?
This is a question a smart CEO/founder asks early and often—because you don’t know what you don’t know. This is also why a diverse group of board members can be an invaluable resource as they, like you, want the best for your company and its future.
Conclusion: How Should I Start the Process of Establishing My Startup’s Board?
A great board of directors will help senior leadership avoid mistakes and gain best practices, while filling in knowledge and experience gaps and ensuring proper governance. They’ll help the company work through major decisions that can have a long-lasting effect on where the company goes next.
The questions we’ve listed here are just a starting point. The roadmap your startup needs will be tailored to your specific company, industry, and leadership makeup. At RoseRyan, we have helped hundreds of startups scale and grow, and an active, insightful board of directors is essential for making that happen. We can help your startup by helping you think through the board composition, the roles and committees necessary at this time, along with issues you may be overlooking or are not aware of yet. Reach out to our team today to start the process for your startup.
Remote Work Stressing You Out? Try These 5 Hacks Today To Get The Balance Right!
If you were a typical work commuter in the United States pre-Covid, you lost around four days of your life per year on average sitting in traffic to earn your paycheck*. To the joy of many corporate employees, the Pandemic shook things up a bit on the professional front, and it seems some changes are here to stay. But it’s not all fun and games…
In the ever-evolving work landscape, remote employment has emerged as a game-changer. The allure of flexibility, the freedom to choose your workspace, and the elimination of long commutes have drawn both employees and employers into the away-from-office work revolution. However, this transformation presents the challenge of achieving a good work-life equilibrium, a ‘Balancing Act’.
Here’s some essential advice for finding a suitable level and ensuring remote success while maintaining professionalism.
1. Set the Stage for Success
Your physical workspace can significantly impact your productivity and overall well-being.
Designate a quiet, organized, and ergonomic home office space. Keep it free from distractions, and invest in quality office furniture to create a professional environment. Adequate lighting and a comfortable chair are key to maintaining focus and motivation throughout your workday.
2. Time Management and Routine
Establishing a daily routine is crucial for striking the right balance.
Create a schedule that mirrors a traditional office day, with set working hours, breaks, and a clear end to the workday. This structure provides a framework for your day, helping you manage your workload more efficiently and maintain personal time. Be sure to communicate your work hours with family members or roommates to reduce interruptions.
3. Efficient Communication
Clear and effective communication is the lifeline of remote work.
Regularly update your supervisor and colleagues on your progress, challenges, and accomplishments. Tools like video conferences, chat apps, and project management software can help bridge the communication gap. By staying connected and accessible, you ensure professionalism while working remotely.
4. Time Off is a Must
It’s easy to blur the lines between work and personal life when you’re working from home.
Take advantage of paid time off, holidays, and weekends to recharge and rejuvenate. Creating this separation allows you to return to work with renewed energy and creativity. Remember, maintaining a work-life balance is vital for long-term success when working remotely.
5. Continuous Learning and Adaptation
The remote work landscape is dynamic and ever-changing: stay ahead of the curve by continuously updating your skills and staying informed about industry trends.
Embrace change and adapt to new technologies and work methodologies. The ability to learn and evolve professionally will not only make you a valuable asset to your employer, but also provide a sense of accomplishment in your remote career.
Key to successfully working away from the office—and the pathway to a fulfilling long-term remote career—is getting the balance right, so you can stay professional while enjoying the benefits of occupational flexibility.
If you or your organization need some assistance finding your balance, our gurus are ready to step in with our tailored ‘As and When’ solutions. Reach out today to find out how we can help.
*Traffic congestion got much worse in 2022 but is still below pre-pandemic levels
Dealing with the SEC’s Tight Timeframe for Complying With the New Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules
Publicly traded companies will soon be subject to new disclosure requirements around how they manage their cybersecurity risk and strategy, and they’ll have a short window of time to disclose any material cybersecurity incidents that strike. Companies need to figure out now how they will comply with the new Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure requirements, which will appear in their next annual reports, and come up with a process for responding quickly when a cyber incident occurs—after all, that’s when companies go into crisis mode and there won’t be time then to debate what to do. Here’s what to know about the new SEC rules and how to come up with a process that you can follow under a time crunch.
What Are the New SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules?
A general overview: The final rules adopted by the SEC on July 26, 2023, require public companies to disclose any material cybersecurity incidents within four days. They also need to disclose their cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance in their 10-Ks (starting with their annual report for the fiscal year ending on or after December 15, 2023). The rules apply to all types of periodic filers including domestic registrants, foreign private issuers, smaller reporting companies and emerging growth companies.
A Closer Look at the New SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Requirements
Let’s look more closely at the “Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure” rules:
8-K filings when a material cybersecurity incident occurs. This filing must be made within four business days of determining that an incident is material. Registrants must determine the incident’s materiality “without unreasonable delay” after they’ve discovered it.
The materiality evaluation should include all relevant facts and circumstances, which may involve consideration of both quantitative and qualitative factors. Included in the filing will be the material aspects of the incident’s nature, scope, and timing, and the impact or “reasonably likely” impact.
Compliance with the new 8-K disclosures depends on company size: Registrants other than smaller reporting companies need to follow this rule starting December 18, 2023, while smaller reporting companies get an extra six months to comply.
10-K disclosures. For their next annual reports, registrants will need to describe their processes for assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats. They also should describe whether risks from cybersecurity threats have materially affected the company.
Another significant change is the need to describe the board of directors’ oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats along with which management positions are responsible for assessing and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats.
Preparing for the 8-K Cybersecurity Disclosures
You need to put a process in place now so you will be prepared to meet the SEC reporting requirements when a material cybersecurity incident happens. This process should address who will be alerted when something happens and who is involved in determining materiality. When are key stakeholders brought into the loop (i.e., how is the finance organization and legal informed)? How will materiality be determined and by who?
The determination should not be solely based on what damage has occurred so far but also what the potential damage could be. While you’ll know now that you may need to offer credit monitoring service to users, for example, along with the immediate costs associated with the breach, what are the long-term effects that the incident could have on your customers? Will they become mistrustful and switch companies, potentially costing a significant loss in revenue for your business?
Start gathering pertinent information now, to think through these issues, and have a process for reporting an incident if it rises to that level. What steps need to happen before your company submits the 8-K, and how can this process be as efficient as possible to ensure it happens within the four-day window?
To begin, think through the following questions:
Preparing for the New 10-K Disclosures
There’s a lot of new information to share here—while you will want to be transparent to satisfy the new rules, you also do not want to build a roadmap that hackers could follow. Input across the organization is critical to get this process going, and time is limited.
Risk management and strategy disclosures. You are required to describe your process for assessing, identifying, and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats, as well as
whether any risks from cybersecurity threats—including those that arose from any previous cybersecurity incidents—have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect
your company. You should start drafting the disclosure and address any potential gaps in the process now. The process disclosed needs to reflect reality so that you will be able to demonstrate you followed this process in case of an incident.
Cybersecurity governance. Disclosures should mention whether management of cybersecurity risk is integrated within the company’s overall risk management program. What is your process for keeping the board or board committee informed about cybersecurity risks, and what is the company’s strategy to mitigate those risks? Do you have appropriate expertise (either in-house or through third parties) to effectively monitor and manage cybersecurity risk? Does your board and executive leadership feel prepared to make decisions related to cybersecurity risks?
SEC Cybersecurity Disclosures: Time to Comply Begins Now
Asking the questions above and thinking through the issues raised in the SEC’s rules could make your company’s reaction time when a material cybersecurity incident occurs more efficient while also ensuring that it’s prepared to meet SEC compliance requirements. Outside experts who understand the nuances involved with these requirements and best practices for following them can provide fresh perspective as your company looks to make any improvements or develop new processes.
As a RoseRyan consultant, Pankaj Jalan is an IT and SOX controls specialist. Previously he was Security and Controls Director at PepsiCo, and he worked at Deloitte for over a decade.
Feeling frazzled? Avoid burn-out: use these 4 hacks now & get your dazzle back!
Professional burn-out is at an all-time high: 42% of workers surveyed by Future Forum* at the end of 2022 reported feeling burnt out, an occupational phenomenon identified by the World Health Organization** as cause for concern.
In the relentless pursuit of excellence, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily hustle, bustle and grind. But there are ways to attain excellence while having a blast. Buckle up and let’s explore four things you can do to reach the summit of success with a grin on your face and your well-being intact.
1. Embrace Mindful Productivity with a Dash of Playfulness
Excellence doesn’t have to be a rigid, all-work-no-play endeavor. Be mindfully productive while infusing some fun into the mix to turbocharge your performance while keeping your spirits high and burn-out at bay:
Work intently for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break filled with quirky activities like spontaneous dance-offs, quick brain teasers, or even a game of digital ping pong.
2. Prioritize Self-Care Like a Pro
Prioritizing self-care isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity on your journey to greatness. Revitalizing rituals will recharge your mental batteries, and also serve as a delightful escape from the daily grind:
Explore a new hobby; dive into mindfulness practices such as meditation or yoga; or indulge in the sheer joy of devouring your favorite novels or binge-watching movies.
3. Set Goals with a Dose of Realism
Reach for the stars, but keep your feet planted firmly on the ground. Don’t overload your plate with unattainable goals—break them down into bite-sized, achievable chunks, and celebrate your manageable wins with gusto:
Excellence is about relishing the journey as much as the destination—consistently achieving small victories will keep you hungry for more and grinning from ear to ear.
4. Collaborate, Delegate and Spice Things Up
Excellence isn’t a solo mission—it’s a team sport. Spice up your path to success by collaborating with brilliant minds and delegating tasks when necessary. Working together boosts creativity and innovation, and adds more excitement to your professional journey:
Assemble your own league of ‘superheroes’ who can each contribute their unique talents to the Grand Mission.
Achieving excellence should be an exhilarating adventure, not a wearisome ordeal: the journey to excellence can be as fun as it is fulfilling. So go ahead, chase your dreams, but remember to add a bit of balance and a dash of joy to the pursuit of your goals!
RoseRyan has guided some of the world’s most successful businesses and brands in the worldto greatness. How can we help you along your path to success?
*Future Forum Pulse: 2022-2023 Employee Experience Snapshot
**World Health Organization Definition of Burn-out
“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
Don’t let restrictions limit your goals. Get organized for success now!
What does ‘success’ mean to you? Your definition of accomplishment is likely a bit different from that of the 41 people who currently hold the Guinness world record* – set at the Toyota Center Krasnoyarsk Zapad in Russia on May 16, 2015 – for fitting the most people in a car, a Toyota Rav 4. (Granted, the category was for a ‘large car’.)
But what you – and your organization – may have in common with these enthusiastic record seekers is the desire to achieve challenging goals in the most efficient, effective and well-prepared way possible.
Seeking accelerated growth? Pursuing improved engagement and alignment? Looking to materialize those synergies mentioned before the acquisition? It’s the Fourth Quarter – time to solidify the impact for this year and align for achievements in the new year.
With frequent internal and external limitations often threatening to restrict and derail our aims, many of us are looking to realize ambitions more efficiently and effectively than ever before. Alignment and organizing for success is key to achieving company goals near term and long term.
We at RoseRyan, a ZRG Company, have 30 years of experience in providing tailored ‘as and when’ solutions in the Accounting and Finance space. Now, using our collective intelligence and Silicon Valley savvy in collaboration with another ZRG firm, Brimstone, we’re offering no cost Organizing for Success Rapid Assessments.
Take the first step towards receiving your customized solution report: reach out today and let’s get started.
*https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/378468-most-people-crammed-in-a-large-car
Data overload? Take these 6 steps to sort through the noise
“We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.” ~ E. O. Wilson
According to the most recently projected (ca. 2020) Statista estimates*, the world will see 328.77 million terabytes — or 120 zettabytes — of data being generated every day in 2023: the equivalent of almost 248 trillion (24812) 3.5-inch 1.44 MB floppy disks’ worth of data… 24-7, 365. And this figure is set to increase by over 50% to 181 ZB by 2025!
What does this exponential surge in the rate of bytes bouncing around organizations and global cloud networks mean for your business? How do you sift through all the input to make good decisions? Here are six steps you can take to address this data tsunami:
Here is a great visualization to convey these steps:
If you need expert guidance sorting signal from noise, RoseRyan’s outsourced gurus can help you gather, organize, analyze and develop insights about your business.
Connect with us to arrange a complimentary consultation.
*How Much Data is Created Every Day (2023)