Here are major strategies from a pro.
Ruth is a business woman, author and consultant.
These are in her “The Courage to be Profitable.”
This book can make you a better business owner.
You trust your employees, don’t you?
Sure you do, You hired and trained them. Right?
They’re like family. Loyal and honest.
99% of them are. Don’t bet on the other 1%.
They can succumb to temptation.
They have problems they think your money can fix.
Are you going to give them a chance to steal?
That may be more temptation than they can stand.
A friend of ours disappeared recently.
He was a respected community leader.
It took the police a week to find his body.
He had left a suicide note blaming himself.
His bookkeeper had embezzled thousands of dollars.
He finally caught it and blamed himself.
She ruined her life and drove him to suicide.
He could have taken three simple steps.
As a business owner, you should take them, too.
Are you alone authorized to sign checks?
Take care who’s on your bank signature card.
You should guard this like the key to your lock box.
It’s better if only your signature is on the card.
Only you can sign payroll and other checks.
Do you have partners?
They will want to be on there, too.
Be careful about who you partner with.
How about your spouse? Trustworthy, right?
Spouses have cleaned out bank accounts.
Are your bank statements mailed to your home?
Why not? Then fewer people can tamper with them.
Go over them carefully. Look for:
• Late fees and payments and bounced checks.
• Excessive payments to your vendors.
• Anything that looks suspicious.
But your sealed bank statements come to the office.
That’s where they can be steamed open.
A dishonest bookkeeper could alter the statements.
Ruth has filled her book with other safeguards.
It’s in print and Kindle editions at Amazon.com
Next: Is your bookkeeper often late?
Got a burning business question?
Contact me at JerryBellune@yahoo.com
