Who We Serve
Small Businesses
As a small business owner, you’re navigating the complexities of wealth both inside and outside your business. That’s where Chicory comes in. We’ll work together to create a coordinated strategy across all areas of the business – strategic growth, liquidity, tax efficiency, risk, governance – so that your life outside of work feels equally supported.
Focus Areas:
What are we building, and why?
- Owner objectives (growth, lifestyle, impact, exit, legacy)
- Alignment between personal and business finances
How will the business be sustained over time?
- Cash flow forecasting (13-week, annual, multi-year)
- Cash reserves and liquidity policies
Where is value really being created?
- Margin analysis by product, client, or service line
- Fixed vs. variable cost structure
- Break-even analysis
- Pricing strategy and fee sustainability
- Operating leverage assessment
How much of this can we keep (legally)?
- Entity structure review (LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, etc.)
- Compensation strategy (salary vs. distributions)
- Timing of income and expenses
- State and local tax exposure
- Coordination with owner’s personal tax plan
What could break the business?
- Business insurance review (key person, liability, cyber, E&O)
- Concentration risk (clients, vendors, people)
- Contract and counterparty risks
- Business continuity and disaster planning
How do you get paid, now and later?
- Salary, bonus, and distribution planning
- Retirement plans (401(k), profit sharing, cash balance)
- Fringe benefits and executive perks
- Alignment with long-term wealth goals
What happens if you leave, planned or unplanned?
- Internal succession vs. external sale
- Valuation and value-driver analysis
- Buy-sell agreements
- Timeline and exit readiness
- Tax-efficient exit strategies
Can the business scale safely?
- Financial reporting and KPI dashboards
- Budgeting and forecasting processes
- Internal controls and oversight
- Board or advisory structure design
- Decision-rights clarity
Does the business serve the owner’s life?
- Personal balance sheet exposure to the business
- Concentrated wealth risk
- Estate and legacy considerations
- Philanthropic or impact goals
- Transition from “operator income” to “capital income”