Fulling Management & Accounting

10/29/2026

What does it really mean to live and lead with purpose?

In our recent staff meetings, we explored how to find meaning in our work, be more present in a world full of distractions, and lead in a way that helps others find purpose, too.

A few reminders we're taking with us: Be present. Be content. And never lose sight of your why.

Read more about what we learned and how we're putting it into practice! 👇

In recent staff meetings, our team had the opportunity to learn from Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness by Arthur C. Brooks through the Global Leadership Network. Together, we discussed how to find greater meaning in our lives and work, what true happiness looks like, and how we can help the

10/28/2026

One of the best times to solve a cash flow crisis is before you have one.

I was talking with a business coach recently about a her client facing a cash flow crunch.

The problem? Customers owed the company a significant amount of money, but the cash wasn’t coming in fast enough.

It got me thinking about how often we see this in business.

Sometimes, the warning signs have been there for months. Invoices aren’t going out on time. Customers are slow to pay. Accounts receivable keeps growing.

But everyone is busy running the business, so nobody stops to ask why.

Then one day, payroll is coming due, bills need to be paid, and the cash isn’t there.

What if we could see the crisis coming before it became a crisis?

That’s where KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) come in.

A few numbers can tell us a lot:

How long does it take us to collect our money?
Are sales tracking with our budget?
Do we have enough assets to cover our liabilities?

The key isn’t just knowing the numbers. It’s looking at them regularly and being willing to act when something doesn’t look right.

After all, you can be profitable on paper and still run out of cash.

At Fulling Management & Accounting, we want business owners to do more than look in the rearview mirror at what happened last month. We want them looking through the windshield at what’s coming next.

Because the goal isn’t just to survive the next crisis. It’s to recognize the warning signs early enough to do something about them.

10/27/2026

Sometimes, a few handwritten words can make a lasting impact.

A client recently sent me this note, along with a pair of sunglasses.

While the message was about my ability to see things from a different perspective and look ahead, what meant the most to me was something much simpler.

They took the time to tell me that I had made a difference in their life.

I dont know if they realize how much those words meant to me. It reminded me of one of our core values at Fulling Management & Accounting: Eternal Impact.

We often think making an impact requires something big. A major accomplishment. A significant investment. A life-changing decision.

Sometimes, it’s just a handwritten note. A thoughtful text. A word of encouragement when someone needs it most.

You may never know how much a small gesture means to someone else.

-Rusty Fulling

10/23/2026

The cheapest tool today could become the most expensive mistake tomorrow.

I recently talked with Jabez Roberts about something many small business owners overlook: the systems they use to manage their business.

When you're starting out, it's tempting to choose the cheapest software or build your own spreadsheets. I understand. Every dollar matters.

But here's the bigger question: Are your tools preparing you for where you want to go, or just helping you get through today?

As we discussed, businesses need reliable systems to organize their numbers and support growth. You don't need something elaborate on day one, but you do need a foundation that can grow with you.

And what if you eventually want to sell your business?

Will someone else be able to step in and run it, or will they have to untangle spreadsheets and workarounds that only you understand?

As business owners, we should be building more than a successful business. We should be building one that can thrive beyond us.

10/23/2026

The cheapest tool today could become the most expensive mistake tomorrow.

I recently talked with Jabez Roberts about something many small business owners overlook: the systems they use to manage their business.

When youre starting out, its tempting to choose the cheapest software or build your own spreadsheets. I understand. Every dollar matters.

But heres the bigger question: Are your tools preparing you for where you want to go, or just helping you get through today?

As we discussed, businesses need reliable systems to organize their numbers and support growth. You dont need something elaborate on day one, but you do need a foundation that can grow with you.

And what if you eventually want to sell your business?

Will someone else be able to step in and run it, or will they have to untangle spreadsheets and workarounds that only you understand?

As business owners, we should be building more than a successful business. We should be building one that can thrive beyond us.

10/21/2026

What happens when a business owner stops trying to figure it out alone?

I love stories like this one.

Jay Blankenship has spent 40 years at Columbus Cabinet. In 2008 the crash hit at the same moment as the worst project they'd ever had financially. Jay called it a "double whammy." It took a long time to dig out.

Jay was doing what so many owners do. He was working hard, carrying the weight, and trying to make sense of it all by himself.

That's where our relationship began. Jay and I met in a small group, and he reached out for someone to walk beside him.

Our role has never been just bookkeeping or producing reports. It's about helping a leader understand how the numbers fit together, so they know what to do next and not only what happened last month.

Together we got clear on where sales were coming from and where costs needed attention. And for the first time, Jay set goals for the business. In his words, "Setting up goals was something we had never done before."

Then came the part I admire most. Jay is honest that he tends to want to do it all himself. Learning to trust capable people and let go of things he didn't want to release was, in his words, "a huge step."

Today: gross profit margin is up "quite a bit," there's cash in the bank, and Jay has what matters most to me: peace of mind.

What stayed with me is something he shared: "Someone I can talk to who understands the situation. For small businesses, we just don't get that."

I'm grateful for Jay's trust and honored to be part of the Columbus Cabinet story.

At Fulling Management & Accounting, our mission is simple: help business owners Get Clarity, Grow Profits, and Gain Peace of Mind.

The best measure of our work isn't the reports. It's the difference those insights make in a business owner's life.

Thank you, Jay, for letting us be part of your journey! - Rusty Fulling

10/20/2026

The person you think is slowing you down may be the one helping you go farther.

This weekend, I ran my first half marathon since three knee surgeries.

11,000 runners braved 34-degree weather for the Kansas City Marathon, and I was among them, running 13.1 miles to raise money for clean water through Team World Vision.

My Ethiopian friend Solomon promised to run alongside me at an easy pace. I was grateful for the company and looking forward to catching up.

I just didn't realize how easy he had in mind! 😂

Less than a mile in, he stopped to retie his shoe. A few miles later, he wanted to stop for a photo. Then, near the WWI museum, he received a call from our friend Kaleab in Ethiopia.

"Let's FaceTime him!"

Seriously? We were finally making progress!

By mile 9, Solomon needed a restroom break. I was beginning to wonder if I was running with a 3-year-old! 😊

There went my hoped-for finish time.

Then around mile 10, my surgically repaired knee started talking back. The final miles became increasingly difficult, and I hit the proverbial wall.

That's when I began to appreciate what Solomon had been doing all along.

He could have run ahead and finished faster. Instead, he adjusted his pace to mine, walked alongside me, and encouraged me when I needed it most.

He wasn't focused on how fast he could finish. He was committed to helping us finish together.

That got me thinking about business leadership.

How often do we become frustrated when someone on our team doesn't move as fast as we'd like?

We get impatient when people ask questions, need more training, or take a different path than the one we envisioned. We focus on the deadline, the numbers, and how quickly we can get to the finish line.

But what if our job as leaders isn't always to move faster?

What if it's to help the people around us develop the capacity, clarity, and confidence to go farther?

Sometimes that means slowing down to coach someone rather than simply doing it ourselves. Sometimes it means adjusting our expectations, offering encouragement, or investing time today to build a stronger team for tomorrow.

The goal isn't to lower our standards. It's to recognize that sustainable success is about more than how fast we get there. It's about who grows along the way and what we're able to accomplish together.

As an African proverb reminds us: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Thank you, Solomon, for reminding me of that lesson one step at a time.

And the best part? Our Team World Vision team raised $78,500 to help provide clean water for 1,570 people!

Now that's a good day! – Rusty

10/16/2026

Happy National Leader’s Day!

We asked our team to share a few words that describe Rusty as a leader, and this is what they had to say.

We’re grateful for the leadership, encouragement, and vision he brings to Fulling every day!

Thank you, Rusty Fulling, for leading with purpose and investing in the people around you.

We’re thankful to be part of a team led by you!

10/13/2026

Everyone Likes to Have a Choice

One of my favorite things about being Papa is getting one-on-one time with my granddaughters. ❤️

When Bristol’s older sister got to go to Worlds of Fun, a local amusement park, I decided it was the perfect opportunity for a special Papa date with my five-year-old granddaughter. Since we weren’t going to the theme park, we created our own adventure: Donuts of Fun!

We started at a local donut shop that Bristol got to choose. Not only did she pick her donut, but she also got to select mine. Fortunately, she chose a delicious bear claw. I suspect the intriguing donut name had something to do with it!

Next, we headed to a thrift store. Her mission? Pick out a dress for herself and a shirt for me.

I’ll admit, I was a little nervous. What exactly would I be wearing when we left the store? 😂

Bristol found the perfect dress, complete with lots of tulle for dress-up. Then we headed to the men’s section to find my shirt.

At first, she was eyeing some 3XL shirts. I wasn’t sure whether she thought I needed a tent or was trying to tell me something! But as we worked our way toward more appropriate sizes, she spotted a dark blue dri-fit T-shirt that I probably would have picked myself.

I stepped out of the dressing room, and she looked at me with a big smile.
“YES!”

Apparently, I had passed her inspection!

We didn’t ride roller coasters or eat cotton candy, but we had a fun time. What I loved most was seeing Bristol’s excitement and pride as she made the decisions. She wasn’t just along for the ride. She was leading the adventure!

And it got me thinking about leadership.

How often do we, as business leaders, unintentionally take away opportunities for others to lead because we think we know the best answer?

It’s tempting to make the decision ourselves. It’s often faster, easier, and probably closer to how we would do it.

But when we always have the answers, we may be preventing others from developing the confidence to find their own.

Whether it’s a five-year-old choosing a donut, an employee leading a project, or a future leader making a tough decision, we equip people for success by giving them opportunities to make decisions—not just instructions to follow.

Our job isn’t simply to get the work done. It’s to help people grow into what they’re capable of becoming.

Sometimes the best leadership move is to step back, offer guidance, and let someone else lead.

And if you’re lucky, you might even get a bear claw out of the deal! 😁 — Rusty

10/09/2026

Ostrich Management

Ostrich Management is something we see pretty often with business owners.

The numbers feel overwhelming, so they stop looking at them. Financial statements go unopened, questions get pushed to next quarter, and suddenly the bank balance becomes the entire financial strategy.

“Hey, there’s money in the account. We must be doing okay!”

Except… maybe not.

Putting your head in the sand doesn't make the numbers go away. It usually just makes the eventual surprise a lot more expensive.

The funny thing is, it's rarely because the business owner is lazy. They're busy. They're overwhelmed. Sometimes they're afraid of what the numbers might say.

But here's the thing: You don't have to be a numbers person to be a good financial leader. You just have to be willing to look.

Your financial statements are telling you the story of your business. The question is whether you're reading the story—or hiding from it.

Jabez and I had a fun conversation about this in the attached clip.

At Fulling Management & Accounting, we provide fractional CFO services to help business owners get out of Ostrich Management mode and start using their numbers to make better decisions.

Because your financial statements shouldn't be something you dread opening.

They should help you sleep better at night.