We have clients in Hawaiʻi, and I live part of the year in Kailua-Kona. The longer I work there, the more I see that aloha is not just a greeting. Hawaiʻi’s Aloha Spirit statute, section 5-7.5 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, describes it as a way of treating people: akahai (kindness), lōkahi (unity), ʻoluʻolu (agreeableness), haʻahaʻa (humility) and ahonui (patience).
My team and I try to bring those qualities to every client, from a Central Valley grower to a Texas food brand.
With the finance team
A fractional CFO often arrives when a company is under stress: a lender is unhappy, the close is late, or the controller is overwhelmed. It is tempting to come in and assign blame. We don’t. Most finance teams are doing their best with too little time and too few tools. Kindness and patience get a team through a turnaround faster than criticism does.
With owners and families
Many of our clients are family businesses, some in their third or fourth generation. Financial conversations there are also family conversations. Humility matters: the family knows the business and its history, and our job is to bring clarity, not to take over.
With lenders, investors and partners
Agreeableness isn’t the same as agreeing. It means being easy to work with: responsive, clear and respectful, including with a bank that is asking hard questions. That earns the benefit of the doubt when you need it.
Aloha includes hard truths
Caring about a business sometimes means telling the owner that a product line loses money, that a co-packer contract is underwater or that cash will run short in the off-season. We deliver that news early, clearly and with respect, along with a plan.
If that is the kind of financial leadership you are looking for, book a 30-minute call.
Read about all seven values on our values page.
Looking for a finance partner who works this way?
My team and I serve clients in California, Texas and Hawaiʻi, remotely and on site. Start with a 30-minute call.
Schedule an introductory call