The Alinement Brief
Know which week cash gets tight, who owns each priority, and whether last week's decision worked.
One idea a week for the owner who runs the business. Every Tuesday: a situation you'll recognize, one distinction worth keeping, and a question to put to your own numbers the same week. Written by a CPA who's been in the numbers since 1985.
- Run a business? Start with the Brief, above.
- Advise owner-led companies as a fractional CFO or COO, or through an accounting firm? Start at For advisors.
Start here: a free one-page tool
The 13-Week Cash Forecast
Six rows, thirteen columns, no formula harder than addition. Know the week your cash gets tight while you still have decisions left. One page, print-and-use. Subscribers get each new tool as it ships.
Latest from the Brief
- How to Read Your P&L Like an Owner, Not an Accountant · Issue #21 · October 13, 2026
- Run Q4 Like It's the Whole Year · Issue #20 · October 7, 2026
- Why You're Losing Deals to New Competitors · Issue #19 · September 29, 2026
Who writes this
Terry Smith is a CPA and CITP, in the numbers since 1985, a fractional CFO (a part-time finance chief), and a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Raised in southern Indiana, based in Upstate South Carolina. The Brief is where he writes down what he tells owners across the table.
Alinement Group also builds software and courses for owner-led businesses. The Brief is the place to start.