FFM Newsletter Language of Business Series: Finance (Business Scoreboards)

In this edition:

• Thursday Thoughts – Don’t Ask for Permission. Start Today.
• Weekly Top 5 – Your Social Security Benefits, Cute Calculator, Business Scorecard, M&As Explained, & JPMorgan’s Summer Reading List
• Reading Recommendations – What the CEO Wants You to Know, The Personal MBA, & The CEO Only Does Three Things

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

PSA: You don’t need anyone’s permission, a formal program, or a new title to start building your business acumen. 

Start from where you’re at and go (and grow!) from there. In addition to reading this newsletter series, here are a few suggestions: 

• Study internal docs. Read board decks, OKRs, quarterly updates, company newsletters, and more. Highlight what you don’t understand and dive deeper into the topic with podcasts, books, ChatGPT, or one-to-one conversations.
   
• Ask questions. Curiosity is one of your most powerful tools. Don’t be afraid to say, “Help me understand how this connects to our broader goals.”
   
• Listen closely. Meetings, town halls, and 1:1s are full of business insight if you’re paying attention. Listen for context, challenges that keep coming up, and concerns or worries from team members – this is where there will be opportunities for you to learn and add value.
   
• Stay informed. The business and economy is a constantly changing landscape. Subscribe to newsletters and podcasts that will help you stay up to date on industry trends and economic impacts.
   
• Schedule time. Growth doesn’t happen by accident. You have to intentionally set aside time to read, learn, and meet with key stakeholders to continue increasing your knowledge.
   
• Practice and gain experience. Perhaps most important is setting aside time to put your knowledge into action. Seek opportunities to take on new projects or volunteer for responsibilities that push you outside your comfort zone. Practice using tools like SWOT analysis, financial models, KPI or OKR software, or decision-making frameworks to think through current company challenges.

By embracing a growth mindset and committing time and energy into building your business acumen, you’ll be leveling up in no time!

WEEKLY TOP 5

1. Changes are coming to Social Security. Most notably that the Social Security trust fund is expected to run dry in late 2032. Click here to learn more about the problem and what the current options are to address this issue. I bring this to your attention for a few reasons. Have you ever checked your Social Security benefits? I recommend you do this every year. First of all, you want to make sure it accurately reflects what you have contributed (in the event that the funds will be available to collect!). Secondly, if this was an amount of money you were relying on for retirement, it may behoove you to start contributing to your retirement in an additional and more aggressive way via other financial investments. When it comes to finances, knowledge is power. Make sure you have a clear picture of your own financial future (and check SSA.gov for your Exec too!). And then start planning accordingly. 
    
2. If you have to crunch some numbers… Why not have a little fun while you do it? These calculators add a touch of whimsy to your work space at a very affordable price! I’m partial to Pastel Harmony or Creamy Citrus, but there are plenty of color ways to choose from. Happy calculating! 
    
3. Every successful business has a scoreboard. The question is: are you paying attention to yours? This article breaks down why leaders and Force Multipliers need visibility into the right metrics, how numbers create clarity, and why understanding the story behind the data is one of the fastest ways to improve decision-making and results. 
    
4. Need a quick explanation of mergers and acquisitions? Check out this video (under 10 minutes!) from Financial Edge Training as they explain the different types of M&A deals, why companies engage with mergers and acquisitions, the M&A process, and more. 
    
5. Okay, you probably don’t need any more book recommendations from me, but I had to share what was on JPMorgan’s summer reading list. If this is the list that the wealthy choose from for their summer reading, then let’s take a page out of their book (see what I did there? 😉). Mattering was already on my list, but I think I’ll add The Coming Storm, as well. Share this list or individual book recommendations with your leaders and colleagues – it’s a strong move and a signal of your ability to lead up!

READING RECOMMENDATIONS

1. What the CEO Wants You to Know: How Your Company Really Works by Ram Charan | If you’ve ever felt intimidated by business jargon or financial terminology, What the CEO Wants You to Know is a great place to start. Ram Charan strips away the complexity and explains the fundamental drivers of every business in clear, practical language. Covering everything from cash flow and profitability to customers, operations, and growth, this book helps readers understand how businesses really work and how their daily decisions contribute to the bigger picture. 
    
2. The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman | The Personal MBA is a comprehensive guide to the most important concepts in business, without the time or expense of a traditional MBA program. Josh Kaufman breaks down topics like entrepreneurship, marketing, sales, operations, finance, and productivity into practical mental models that can be applied immediately. It’s an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand how businesses work, make better decisions, and think more strategically, regardless of their role or industry. 
    
3. The CEO Only Does Three Things: Finding Your Focus in the C-Suite by Trey Taylor | Leaders do not need to be involved in everything (and shouldn’t be!). This book argues that a CEO’s primary responsibility is to focus on three areas: culture, people, and numbers. Which is important for Force Multipliers to clock, because these are the areas you, too, will need to be focused on. Practical and straightforward, this book helps leaders stop getting lost in the day-to-day details so they can spend more time building strong teams, shaping the right culture, and driving business performance. 
   

“When people ask me how I succeed, my basic answer is always the same: I see a unique opportunity, and I go for it with everything I have. And I never give up.“

Stephen Schwarzman

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Enjoying this series? Subscribe to The Founder & The Force Multiplier Newsletter here.

Understanding the language of business is essential for the Force Multipliers of the future–whether you’re committed to a career as a right-hand partner or plan to move from employee to self-employed.

When someone understands the language of business, they can connect their work to: revenue, profitability, growth, efficiency, risk, priorities, customer experience, organizational goals, and strategic tradeoffs. We aren’t talking about memorizing corporate jargon here! But we are talking about understanding how businesses function, what leaders care about, how decisions get made, and how work impacts the bigger picture.

For the rest of the year, each newsletter issue will focus on one key area of business fluency: financial literacy, customers & sales, marketing & brand, strategy & decision making, operations, people & organizational dynamics, and leadership. 

From articles and podcasts, to book recommendations, courses and conferences, and insights and advice, we’ll dive into one key topic each month. 

Business fluency changes the way you see your role, your leadership potential, and the opportunities available to you. And who doesn’t want that!? Subscribe today!