The first time I went skiing as a teenager I watched my classmate beautifully ski down the hill and, in slow motion, turn gently to the left and ski into a barn.

The barn wasn't anywhere near the bottom of the run. It was way far away and posed no danger to anyone. But as the instructor shouted "Stay away from the barn!" her turn became sharper until she was pointed directly at the big, red barn!

I suspect that her problem was that she focused on "not hitting the barn" instead of going straight.

That's a lot like when in business we are focused on preventing a result instead of focusing on the result we do want. We often end up "hitting the barn" instead of getting the result.

When I ski and I'm moving fast, I always need to focus on where I need to go and I consciously block thinking about obstacles that could cause danger. I know the danger is there, but I focus on where I want to go.

The same in business. Focus on where you want to go.

I'd love to hear any comments you've had, or...

I love seeing the wide variety of businesses around the world. It’s one of the reasons that I enjoy working with small to medium sized businesses – there is so much variety and so many ways that people have figured out how to make money. They are so innovative, and it seems like it would be so fun to be part of the team!

These companies generally have:

• Innovative products and services
• Great demand-generating marketing
• A good sales team
• Operational excellence that is generally close to the skill of the founder

After that the business often has weak spots. They generally lack systems and operations that will allow them to scale, especially when it comes to accounting, finance, and cash management.

Between my experience and the conversations that I’ve had with various accountants, bookkeepers, and business consultants, I’m convinced that 90% or more of small and medium sized businesses don’t have good financial management. This includes basic...