Numbers Don't Lie

I'm originally from Hartford, Connecticut. I'm an accountant turned fractional CFO, with two decades in the industry. I help business owners clean up their books and get financial reports they can trust, so they make decisions based on real data, not guesswork. When you have the numbers to back you up, you trust your decisions and you can grow the right way.

I've always loved numbers and organizing information. To me, accounting is like solving a puzzle. You're looking for the needle in the haystack.

When I was consulting in New York, we looked at an automated smoothie machine that made a drink in 50 seconds. On paper, that's fast. But once you add people reading the menu, deciding what they want, and paying, it was really doing 10 to 12 drinks an hour. Good accounting answers those questions. It cuts through assumptions and shows you how profitable you really are.

I love working for myself because I get to choose my clients and do my best work. When a founder finally sees how to make more profit, what they're really worth, and that their assets outweigh their debts, you can see it on their face. That's what drives me.

If you want to grow, you have to know your numbers. Your customer targets, your closing ratio, how much payroll you can carry. Without clear reports, you're just second-guessing yourself.

That's actually why I stopped giving free advice. When people get advice for free, they usually don't act on it, and it's a waste of everyone's time. My rate starts at $500 an hour. Because they're paying, my clients are committed and they follow through.

We get on the same page in a first consultation before anything is signed, and I only take projects where I know I can deliver. At 25, working in reinsurance, I helped complete a $530 million merger that made our firm the fourth largest in the world.

Ethics and respect. Treating people fairly and giving everyone a shot based on character and drive. I've worked with nonprofits that serve seniors, and recently with re-entry programs. A lot of the people coming out of those programs are hungry, and they think about money the right way. They could be the next wave of business owners. In business you have to be direct and make decisions, because time is money.

Pick something you love doing every day. Real success doesn't happen in 12 months. It takes years. I've been building my online presence for over eight years, learning how to get clients, network, and work with people. The best shortcut is a good mentor who can help you skip the expensive mistakes.

I wish people led with real connection and purpose. That's rare today. The divorce rate in this country is high, and one of my personal missions is helping relationships last. When you surround yourself with positive people who are doing good work, everything in your life gets better.

I'm organizing a five-day event called the Billionaire 10X Conference here in Las Vegas. The goal is to teach business owners how to grow internationally, into markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. With a strong US dollar, expanding overseas makes a lot of sense.

I'm finalizing resort venues and sponsors now. General admission will be $5,000, and VIP will be $15,000, which includes direct access to investors and a live pitch competition with a $25,000 prize.