Small Business Owners – The Path to Knowing Your Numbers
Financial literacy can be “defined as the ability to understand, evaluate, and communicate information about money and financial services,” (Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Personal Literacy). In declaring April 2026 as Financial Literacy month, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said: “Financial literacy for small businesses is the ability to understand, analyze and apply financial concepts, statements and tools – such as budgeting, cash flow management and borrowing – to make informed decisions, manage risks and ensure sustainability.”
To Deanie Schwannecke, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and business development coach for Venture North Funding and Development, financial literacy is “knowing your numbers and having systems in place to ensure financial information is current and understood and used to its maximum advantage.”
They’re all correct.
With over 15 years of experience with one of Michigan’s foremost accounting firms and, now, as a no-cost financial advisor to small businesses through Venture North, Deanie says “many small business owners don’t look at their numbers and don’t use accurate numbers to make proactive decisions.”
Without an understanding of business financials, business owners, as Deanie puts it: “are intimidated and often mess up in making decisions.”
“There is no need for a small business owner to feel inadequate,” Deanie says, “We want to help you understand the nuts and bolts of the financial information for your business and put systems in place that you are trained to use as an important guidepost to business prosperity. Small business entrepreneurs often excel in knowing their products. We want to help all Venture North clients develop the same expertise about the numbers behind their business.”
“A good case can be made for Venture North to include a financial capability analysis as part of their efforts to provide low-cost loans or no-cost technical assistance to their clients,” Deanie says. “That will help us help you to understand things like your cost of goods sold, your expenses, your receivables and payables and cash flow or more. Within a short amount of time we can help you eliminate the mysteries and take full control of your business.”
For more information about Venture North’s business finance education and training through Deanie Schwannecke, contact her directly at deanie@venturenorthfunding.org.
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