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Introduction 
“Take the mountain!,” the CEO advisor said to me during a recent business trip to Colorado. She didn’t mean Pike’s Peak. She was using “the mountain” as a metaphor for setting, pursuing, and achieving challenging goals for the final quarter of 2009 as a means to gain back confidence and build momentum going into 2010.
2009 has been a difficult year. I have heard many people say that they can’t wait for the year to end. However, the CEO advisor’s counsel seems quite appropriate. Whether it’s for your company, your department, your family, or yourself, setting challenging goals for the remainder of 2009 is more important than ever. You and your team will enjoy a sense of progress and purpose from the graphical depiction of your mutual goals for Q4.
Can you see the mountain you need to take during the 4th quarter of 2009? Can your team? Establishing clearly defined and well-articulated goals will align your team to help ensure everyone is headed in the right direction. Clarifying the importance of achieving these goals will help create a sense of purpose. Communicating 4th quarter goals in clear terms and monitoring progress throughout the quarter will foster commitment while demanding accountability. Achieving your Q4 goals and celebrating the resulting success will result in a sense of accomplishment in “taking the mountain.”
Choose now to take charge and set your course rather than just getting through to the end of the year. We would welcome the opportunity to work with you to assess your opportunities for the balance of the year as well as positioning for 2010.
 Regards,
Corey Blahuta
Managing Director, Austin
(512) 450-6565
cblahuta@vcfo.com
From the Field: Sarbanes-Oxley Deadline Extended
Small public companies with a public float of less than $75M were given an extension on October 2 to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requirements.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 relates to the audit of internal controls over financial reporting. The extension will expire with annual reports having a fiscal year ending on or after June 15, 2010.
Small public companies must still comply with the requirement for Management's Assessment of their internal control environment. Every registered public accounting firm that prepares or issues an audit report on a company's annual financial statements must attest to, and report on the assessment made by management.
Read More >>
In the News: People and Money
As we approach the end of the calendar year, many executives are feeling the stress of compressed profit margins and employee expectations of year-end reviews and raises.
We are all hopeful that we have seen the worst of this down economy, and many key economic indicators are pointing toward a gradual recovery. Nevertheless, employers are finding it necessary to take a closer look at their current operational state and identify opportunities to motivate employees while managing their fixed costs and profit margin.
Read the Full Article >>
In the News: Best Places to Launch a Small Business
Fortune Small Business Magazine released its "50 Best Places to Launch" list on October 12. The list is based on the findings of a study showing which small, medium and large U.S. cities scored the highest based on per capita income, hourly wages, workforce quality, crime rates, taxes and foreclosures.
Topping the list are Oklahoma City, OK, as the no. 1 large city; Huntsville, AL, as the no. 1 medium city; and Billings, MT as the no. 1 small city. Houston and Austin ranked among the top 10 for large U.S. cities.
View the Complete List >>
Client Success: Keste and Penco
Keste leverages outsourcing model and grows from partnership with vcfo
Keste, a certified Oracle provider, grew from a dozen employees to more than seventy in four years and attributes a large part of their success story to vcfo.
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Case Study: Making HR a Key Differentiator
Penco CEO, Bob Renneker, shares how vhr helped save his company over $125k in benefits alone.
Read the Full Case Study >>
Year-End Preparation: Closing out 2009
As you wrap up 2009 and prepare for 2010 please call us for any help your team needs with year-end accounting and reporting, recruiting, or HR needs. We've called out a few areas below.
Forecasting for 2010
Let us bring our version of the 2010 crystal ball to the table to help your team develop a flexible, efficient financial plan for operations in 2010.
SEC Reporting Requirements
Our team has deep expertise in SEC reporting requirements, including complex financial statement preparation and footnote disclosures.
Year-End Preparation
This is the time to pay special attention to Accounts Receivable Collections, Human Resources and Employee Benefits Renewals, Regulatory and Tax Compliance matters and Account Reconciliations. Take advantage of vcfo's proprietary checklists and best practices to draft your plan through year-end.
Sarbanes-Oxley 404 Assessments
We perform all areas of SOX compliance, from documentation and testing, to analysis of results, to recommendations for internal control improvements.
Audit Preparation
vcfo leads the audit negotiations as well as the detailed preparation for many of our clients who are being audited by both regional and Big Four firms. Take advantage of both our technical expertise and the breadth of our experience with multiple providers in multiple markets to negotiate and execute on your best audit to date.
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