11.22.22
Business Leaders Explore and Reach Full Growth Potential through John Minnich, LLC
John Minnich, LLC, dba, Strategic Executive Advisory, serves as a business partner to CEOs, business owners, and executive teams. He focuses on the complete business model. His years of expertise in accounting, finance, technology, H.R. oversight as CFO, operations, and business administration uniquely qualify him to serve his clients with a broad view.
He offers facilitative sessions to help businesses gauge where they are now. Through a proprietary interactive approach, he provides insights that enable them to see—and achieve—what’s possible.
NIIC: What problem was your company formed to solve?
Unlike business consulting, which typically focuses on short-term services designed to help clients address a specific issue, advisory looks at the business as a whole and addresses strategic business initiatives. While consulting opportunities can and do stem from advising, I focus on the bigger picture. My clients and I explore key issues and highlight areas of opportunity for future success.
Most businesses already have accounting teams in place. I’m focused more on the bigger picture, assessing where companies are and where they can do more. Many businesses don’t have the internal resources for that kind of advisory capability.
These kinds of advisory, value-added services can help businesses navigate complex issues. It includes everything from business performance, forecasting, top-line growth, innovation, and operations to branding and culture. In that sense, Strategic Executive Advisory is a true business partner to executive teams and business owners.
NIIC: What triggered launching your business?
My career path has given me a vast and diverse perspective. I have a great deal of experience driving organizational excellence. In addition to serving as business faculty at five different universities, including MBA, I have also enjoyed a successful career in public accounting (providing audit and assurance services) and I.T. consulting for 10 years with two regional firms.
I also served as a CFO, with oversight of financials and a focus on budgeting and forecasting, risk management, admissions, enrollment and retention, facilities, financial aid, human resources, and information technology. So, in that sense, I have a firm grasp of a wide range of internal operations and processes.
In 2014, I returned to providing client and business advisory services. A lot of businesses need that kind of help. In the past few years, industry needs have increased tremendously. Everyone faces new challenges in the current business landscape, including labor and talent shortages. They don’t always have the capacity to navigate those challenges from a strategic perspective.
Throughout my career, I’ve learned all the internal business operations. As I met with colleagues and began strategically thinking about what I could do to add value to the community, I continued to hear comments like, “You’re different from most CPAs.” And “You understand the complete business model.” And “You have a strategic mindset.”
I decided to launch my business to make that experience and mindset available to those seeking that kind of advice.
NIIC: How does it work?
Through facilitative sessions, I help my clients determine where they are and what they want to achieve. We also identify key success drivers and options for them to grow and improve their business. It’s typically a group conversation in an open format. From there, I lead strategic planning sessions annually, in addition to monthly or quarterly meetings to assess metrics.
Leveraging my roles over the years working with businesses, I have developed a proprietary process that allows me to offer custom solutions to each client. In many ways, my website, johnjminnich.com, serves as a resource for clients. Investing time in building and designing my website (including all the coding, design, and functionality) allowed me to focus on my business plan while simultaneously creating a resource (i.e., business insights) for my clients and the broader business community.
I am also a Forum Leader with Renaissance Executive Forums (REF) Indiana (executiveforums.com). REF is an international company dedicated to helping top executives in their personal and professional evolution, including pursuing excellence.
NIIC: How has your company engaged with NIIC?
I opened my office at the NIIC in March 2022. The professional office environment, including conference rooms, provides my business with the resources I need for continued growth, including large-group trainings and one-on-one coaching sessions.
I have facilitated professional development sessions for CPAs on business and client advisory, CFO, and leadership/management topics for the Indiana CPA Society, Virginia Society of CPAs, Connecticut Society of CPAs, and Wisconsin Institute of CPAs. I will leverage this experience to provide upcoming facilitative sessions for the client base at NIIC.
NIIC: What’s on the horizon for your company?
On the immediate horizon, I plan to focus on continued growth. When most people see the CPA designation, they think of audits or taxes. I want to expand that lens with businesses, professional associations, and groups across the U.S., helping them understand the benefits of business and client advisory services. Accounting is the language of business. My company is in a unique position to provide full-service strategic business advising.
NIIC: What’s one thing people should know about John Minnich, LLC right now?
The business advisory will continue to change the client services landscape. More than ever, businesses want and need forward-thinking resources. Prioritized and actionable steps to help them better manage their business and improve the bottom line. They want a true business partner and advisor that can help measure and drive performance. I developed Strategic Executive Advisory to help businesses in my hometown with the ability to serve clients across the U.S.
