When Karla Trotman took over her family business, Electro Soft Inc., in 2020, she was stepping into a legacy nearly four decades in the making. As a second-generation owner, she brought a strong educational background in business logistics and an MBA. Yet, despite her formal training, she quickly realized that running a business required a different set of financial skills—ones that business school hadn’t equipped her with.
“I have a business logistics degree and an MBA, but business school teaches corporate finance, not how to run a business. The type of education I needed, I didn’t have,” Karla explains. “I couldn’t afford a CFO at the time, but in my CEO group, Veronica’s name kept coming up. After one meeting, I was sold.”
Finding the Right Financial Partner
Like many business owners, Karla initially relied on a CPA, who, while essential, didn’t provide the tactical and strategic financial guidance she needed. Her financials were lagging indicators—numbers that told her where the company had been, not where it was going. What she needed was a partner who could help her create a financial roadmap, using leading indicators to forecast the company’s direction.
“The insight is what sold me. The ability to plan is what sold me. Your P&L and balance sheet are trailing indicators, but you need leading indicators. You need to create a budget and forecast the direction, and she does that.”
Strategic Changes with Measurable Impact
One of the first transformative strategies Veronica implemented was salary cap budgeting—a game changer for Electro Soft Inc.
“We used to hire blindly based on how busy production said they were. Now, we accurately forecast how many people we will need at the right time,” Karla shares. “Having a salary cap changed everything. If you have $100 in an envelope, you can choose to spend it however you want—whether that’s four employees at $25 an hour or one at $100 an hour.”
Veronica also helped Karla transition from accrual accounting to cost accounting, ensuring expenses were better aligned with revenue. This adjustment provided a more accurate financial picture and allowed the company to make more informed decisions.
Beyond financial reporting and forecasting, Veronica has played a crucial role in preparing Karla for advisory board meetings, equipping her with the tools and insights needed to lead confidently.
Making Smarter Business Decisions
Working with Veronica didn’t just improve Electro Soft’s finances—Karla says it made her a smarter business owner. With monthly financial meetings and a structured reporting system, she no longer had to wait until the end of the year to determine if the company had been profitable. Instead, she had real-time data and insights that allowed her to course-correct proactively.
“She really helps you understand the consequences of your business decisions from a financial perspective,” Karla explains. “She doesn’t just educate you; she also educates your number two, so you’re not the only one aware of your company’s financial health.”
One of the most valuable lessons Karla learned was how to implement performance-based incentives effectively. In the past, bonuses were given out as participation trophies, regardless of whether the company met its KPIs. But after aligning bonuses with actual performance metrics, she saw a remarkable shift in employee accountability.
“I made the decision last year not to give my team bonuses because they didn’t hit the KPIs we had outlined. At first, it was tough, but in January, they made a complete 180. They have been absolutely killing it. It taught me that when you reward people based on performance, they step up.”
