Links Advisory

CONSULTING SERVICES

Be prepared for change with a realistic strategy for digital financial operations.

Sales, Profitability, and Cash Analysis  

Dashboard analytics reflecting sales, profitability, and cash balances is within reach. We can set up it up and back off, or we can provide ongoing support as a trusted partner. Links Advisory clients love being able to easily update their own models and scenarios as well as leveraging advisory services throughout the year.

Sales Analysis

Combine your sales data from all sources into one place for global analysis.  For example, you can combine sales data from popular channels such as Shopfiy, Square, and Magento with marketing data from Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, and Hubspot, as well as other tracked data that may be on an internal database (like, number of users, employees, or accounts).  We use leading cloud tools to connect data sources, warehouses, and intelligence platforms, and we are delighted to enable our clients to analyze their sales in a new light.  This service is designed for small to mid-size direct to consumer brands using NetSuite, QuickBooks, or Xero accounting ledgers.

Profitability Analysis

How much margin do you generate per SKU?  Is the company profitable or operating at a loss?  At a minimum, all your financial transactions should be in your accounting ledger, which can be married with sales data and other management assumptions for analysis.  We work with companies using NetSuite, QuickBooks Online, and Xero as their accounting ledgers, and we can aggregate data from multiple databases, payment processors, help desks, eCommerce platforms, and marketing tools to unlock insights with data.

Cash Analysis

Can you hire a new employee this quarter?  Do you have enough cash on hand to fund your operations after your next inventory PO is paid?  As you expand your service offerings, at what point will you need a line of credit to balance out your cashflow?  For our clients who are managing their finances on the QuickBooks and Xero platforms, we create truly powerful, custom dashboard interfaces for our clients to access 24/7.

Improve Workflow with Software

Here's a short list of specific areas we can help with. Please remember we are not a CPA firm, and we are not a substitute for an accountant who can answer your questions regarding taxes of all types.  

 
SYNC ECOMMERCE STORE WITH OPERATIONS
Sell products online through a store set up on something like Shopify, Magento, or Squarespace? Let us help you make sure there's a seamless set up between your apps and your accounting ledger.
SYNC WITH ADD ONS
The ultimate way to work smarter is to connect your accounting ledger such as NetSuite, QuickBooks, or Xero to other cloud tools. But, you've got to set it up right. We can work with you to determine which add on tools (if any) may work well for you now or later.
ESTABLISHING CHART OF ACCOUNTS
The basic framework for a set of financial records is the chart of accounts. You'll want this to be well organized, meaningful, and not redundant.
CLASSIFYING BANK FEED TRANSACTIONS
We can help you figure out where to post expenses and how to make sure deposits are matched with their corresponding invoices or customer payments.
BANK RECONCILIATIONS
How do you know if you did everything right? The first place to start is with a bank reconciliation for your checking, savings, and credit card accounts.
TRACKING PROFITABILITY BY CUSTOMER OR PROJECT
Tracking profitability by project allows for greater insight for drafting better proposals next time.
ACCEPTING CREDIT CARDS

Accepting credit cards for payments of goods or services is surprisingly easy, and there are many choices.  We can help you decide which method may be right for you.  Common merchant processors our clients use include Stripe, Authorize.net, Paypal, and Square. 

PAYING BILLS

You don't have to spend hours paying bills or shuffling blank checks around town between offices.  Some people want to print and sign checks in the office, while others want to eliminate paper and create a better audit trail of bill payments.  We can help you determine the right balance of time and money in this important aspect of your business.

PAYING EMPLOYEES & CONTRACTORS
Payroll and contractor payments can be simple and inexpensive. We can help.
REIMBURSING EMPLOYEES
Employees can now submit expense reports electronically, which can be automatically imported into your accounting ledger.
TRACKING & INVOICING TIME
Convert timesheets into invoices and mark them as paid as payments come through.
 
 

FOR ADVISORS

Looking to add analysis and integration services to your practice? We offer training products that your firm can leverage to expand advisory services to your client base.

 

CASE STUDIES

Here are a few examples of recent client projects.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER. 

We offer valuable services to executives, advisors, and entrepreneurs. We are looking forward to getting to know you.

POPULAR MEETING DISCUSSION TOPICS

Some things are easier in person. Book an appointment today.

 DIGITAL OFFICE KICKOFF 

In a half day session, one member of the Links Advisory staff works one-on-one with the business leader to select and set up a set of software tools, such as an accounting ledger, an invoicing and timekeeping system, and a bill payment system. We ensure the tools are properly synced and set to meet the operational needs of the business owner. This is a practical, hands-on meeting in which business owners are trained on how to use their new software; we also offer workflow recommendations and best practices.

CASH ANALYSIS

Know where you stand from a cash perspective to achieve your goals. We can prepare a one-time or ongoing “snapshot” summarizing cash available, current receivables, current payables, and other known upcoming sources/uses of cash in one easy-to-read page.

DASHBOARD REPORTING

Yes, you can have an online, real-time reporting dashboard that can be used for ongoing management reporting, investor pitch decks, or annual budgeting. Layer in KPIs meaningful for your business, such as sales by segment, sales by day, cash burn, turnover, and more.

DIRECT TO CONSUMER BRANDS

Links Advisory has worked with many types of companies throughout the years, but our specialty has become direct to consumer brands. 

 

Do your reports show...

Sales by SKU

Gross Margin by SKU

Sales by Rep

Sales by Channel

Sales by Customer

Do you have enough inventory to meet your sales goals? 

As they say, timing is everything.  Having enough cash to order inventory, pay staff, and deliver quality products on-time to customers is key to success.  We can help you set up a best, worst, and most likely scenarios to plan inventory purchases alongside your merchandising staff. 

Is cashflow sufficient or do you need a line of credit?

Don't wait until it's too late to find out. 

Should you outsource fulfillment? 

If you have a third party handle fulfillment and/or returns, will you be able to issue bonuses?   By putting in the work to create the scenarios in a cloud tool that connects the front office with the back office, management can confidently answer these types of questions.

 
 

One time projects and ongoing support.

There's no one size fits all here.  We're happy to help your company connect the front office to the back office with one time projects or recurring support.  This is often dependent on the resources and experiences of our clients, and we're always pleased to offer honest recommendations about how Links Advisory may (or may not) be a good partner for your growing business.

 
Special note for advertising agencies supporting UX UI eComm development:

Agencies who have clients needing to connect their eCommerce channel with their finances: check out how you can help your client

 

PROJECTS 

As experts in finance operations, we help clients develop solid strategies in the midst of digital change. We always seek to add value to an organization, and we respect our client's budget. Here's how consulting projects are generally structured at Links Advisory.

Talent Gap

Digital finance strategy is a specialized skillset that many full-time internal accounting and finance staffers do not possess. Hiring a firm like Links Advisory to fill this gap is an effective use of resources.

Specific Deliverable

Digital projects require significant investment, and we believe investment should be quantified. All Links Advisory consulting projects have defined deliverables so our clients can receive measurable results.

Defined Timeline

Projects without timelines and budgets are generally dysfunctional, which is why we always specify time frames for project accomplishments up front. We strive for excellence in communication and managing expectations.

 

Ready for the next step?

 

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