Years ago, car salesmen kept the current month’s yellow NADA book in their desk drawer, at the ready when the value of your trade-in needed to be established. The buyer didn’t have much to go on and that lack of knowledge led to significant profits on used cars, with sizable drops in value the moment you […]

It's a question we hear frequently. As hard as they’ve tried, new student numbers steadily decline while tuition discounting eclipses price increases. Budgeting is an annual ritual of optimistic projections in the spring followed by reactive cost cuts the following fall. Student to faculty ratios decline. Maintenance is deferred. There is a pall over the campus. I […]

In business we talked about being “first to market” or “second champion.” This is based on the old adage, “The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.” In either case, the idea of establishing oneself as a market leader at the very front or nearly front of the line requires innovative […]

“It doesn’t mean a thing, but even so, after twenty-five years; it’s nice to know.” The words from the song, “Do you Love Me?” are sung by Tevye and his dear wife Golda in “Fiddler on the Roof” as they grapple with yet another generation of would-be husbands and wives, each testing tradition in uncomfortable […]

CFO Colleague, LLC has been selected by Trevecca Nazarene University (TN) as an adviser for its merger exploration process with Eastern Nazarene College (MA). The boards of trustees for the two institutions recently announced their desire to consider combining operations, stating that both Trevecca’s President and its Chief Financial Officer will fulfill respective roles at […]

Every year, the Department of Education reveals it's list of those institutions who either failed their financial responsibility ratio or are in danger of doing so if their performance doesn't change. Those who score a 0.9 or below fail. Others who score between 1.0 and 1.4 are OK for the first two years but three […]

The new calendar year is upon us and, while it is not usually the fiscal year end for most colleges and universities, it is a good time to consider resolutions nonetheless. This is the time in our cycle of activities when budgeting is in full force. A prediction is made of this year’s grads and of […]

For the 1975 model year, AMC succeeded in offering what are considered three of the ugliest cars ever offered in America. The Gremlin looked like they started with a Hornet but ran out of money at the rear window. The Pacer seemed as wide as it was long and its meager air conditioning treated occupants […]

We know it as a horizontal piece of wood or metal at the base of a doorway, allowing for a seal to be created at that juncture. American homes typically have thresholds for exterior doors while in Europe, nearly every door, inside and out, has one – and my toes can confess that they are […]

Your Ohio factory makes a cast iron base for exterior light poles. Because of how heavy the product is and the expense of shipping overseas, your entire market is in North America where you offer free shipping to retailers. The factory is profitable, but the second shift has room for more orders. A European distributor approaches you […]