OUR LATEST INSIGHTS

Up to date, high-level business information that is relevant to our clients and contacts, helping keep up to date on the ver-changing business world of today.

[email protected] / February 27, 2026

Check Out T&T Power Group

Ready to elevate your operations with a trusted leader in power solutions? Check out T&T Power Group! It stands at the forefront of the industry, providing trust and reliability. Choose it to experience superior service and the confidence that your power infrastructure is in expert hands.

[email protected] / February 27, 2026

Featured Client Cedar Bear Naturales

Located in Roosevelt, Utah, Cedar Bear Naturales is a company specializing in the manufacture of natural health products. It creates and distributes alcohol‑free liquid herbal extracts and supplements, offering solutions for various health concerns such as cardiovascular support, immune system support, digestive wellness, and pet health.

[email protected] / February 27, 2026

Featured Client Huck’s Farm Market

Located in Marietta, Ohio, Huck’s Farm Market is a family‑owned market offering a wide range of grocery and food‑service options. It supplies fresh farm‑grown produce, deli meats and cheeses, baked goods, and custom‑made sandwiches and salads. It also provides specialty items such as Amish cheeses and jams, plus custom meat, fruit, or sandwich trays for events and gatherings.

[email protected] / February 27, 2026

Recommendation for Wagner Machine

To whom it may concern,

I am pleased to recommend Wagner Machine, a respected custom machining and fabrication shop located in Norton, Ohio. With over 65 years in business, it has built a strong reputation for delivering reliable, high-quality solutions that serve the needs of a wide variety of industries.

Wagner Machine offers comprehensive machining and fabrication services designed to provide precision and durability. Its long-standing experience and modern capabilities ensure that clients receive products that meet exact specifications while maintaining consistent quality.

The team at Wagner Machine is one of its most defining strengths. Skilled, dedicated, and highly experienced, the staff take pride in their craftsmanship and approach every project with a commitment to excellence. Their collaborative nature and problem-solving mindset have allowed the shop to maintain lasting relationships with its clients over the decades.

I highly recommend Wagner Machine for any organization in need of dependable machining and fabrication services. Its proven track record, exceptional team, and unwavering commitment to quality make it a trusted partner.

Sincerely,

Fred Carter
Strategic-Partner
Schooley Mitchell

Visit the website
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Terri Braun / February 27, 2026

Featured Contact Core Design + Build

Located in Fullarton, Ontario, Core Design + Build is a construction and design company owned by Dalen Toews, who brings 15 years of industry experience. It offers a range of services, including custom agricultural structures, along with extensive expertise in residential building, renovations, and design.

Terri Braun / February 27, 2026

Featured Client The Keg & Cork

Located in Cambridge, Ontario, The Keg & Cork specializes in handcrafted beverages including beer, wine, cider, and other specialty brews. It offers home brewing kits and equipment rentals that enable customers to brew their own drinks at home or on-site.

Cal Wilson / February 27, 2026

What are variable expenses and how can they impact your business’ bottom line?

When creating a budget for your business, it is helpful to separate and account for fixed versus variable expenses. Mistaking the latter for the former can cost you, and the better you understand all your expenses, the better chance you have of optimizing them.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, the best way to describe the difference is that fixed expenses are costs that stay the same from month to month, whereas variable expenses are ever-changing and harder to predict.

Fixed expenses.

Fixed expenses often represent the largest part of your budget. For a business, your fixed expenses are going be costs such as rent payments, insurance premiums, property taxes, and so on. While these are not easy to optimize, they are easy to work into your budget, as they are unchanging and paid at a consistent frequency.

If you can lower these expenses – say, by finding a different insurance plan that works for your needs – you automatically save more money each month or pay period.

In business budgeting, it is important to remember that all your fixed costs must be paid, regardless of your sales that pay cycle. If you’re starting a business, making sure you can cover these expenses for a period before you start bringing in revenue is crucial to staying afloat.

Variable expenses.

Your variable expenses are going to represent the costs incurred by how a given month or pay period goes for your business. How many credit cards you swipe, how much electricity you use, or how much waste you generate; all of these are going to incur a bill that varies every cycle.

Some of these expenses can be harder to reduce than others. How much heating you use to keep your office warm, for example, may be more difficult to lower than the amount of waste your organization is generating. However, in many cases, these expenses are in areas that you can strategize or work with professionals to identify savings, creating a more predictable monthly bill.

Employees can represent either kind of expense.

Depending on how you staff your business, your employees can be either a fixed or variable expense. Anyone hired on full time, who is guaranteed a forty-hour work week, will be a fixed expense, whereas a seasonal or part-time employee will likely be a variable expense, as their hours are subject to change month to month.

Budget with these expenses in mind.

When you’re budgeting, it’s important to separate your fixed costs and your variable costs. If you’re able to determine what you absolutely will be spending in your fixed costs, then it is easier to identify and strategize areas to save with your variable costs.

Month to month, keep track of your variable expenses. Maybe one month you allotted too little to certain expenditures and went over budget. If you keep a closer eye on each cost category, you can do a better job budgeting and planning for the future going forward.

Don’t settle on expenses.

The lower you can keep your costs, fixed or variable, the better the results for your bottom line. If you don’t have experience negotiating rates or deciding what expenses are fair in comparison with the rest of the market, don’t settle. Explore your options, bring in consultants, and work with professionals who can guide you in the right direction.

Especially for the fixed expenses you will be locked into for some time, this could be a make-or-break decision for your business. Why pay more than you have to?

This article was originally published in November, 2021