Fulling Management & Accounting

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.

10/08/2026

What if the question you’re asking yourself is the problem?

In our latest staff meeting, we explored David Ashcraft’s Shift Your Question and the impact comparison and self-doubt can have on leadership.

The reminder? You don’t have to lead like someone else. You’re called to play the part God has given you.

Read the full blog to explore what that can look like in leadership, work, and everyday life.

In a recent staff meeting, our team had the opportunity to learn from David Ashcraft’s “Shift Your Question” through the Global Leadership Network . One of the biggest challenges leaders face isn’t always a lack of ability or experience—it’s self-doubt . It’s easy to look around at the...

10/07/2026

Ten years ago, Jen Warchol and her husband took a leap of faith and bought a small industrial wastewater treatment company. Today, that company — Watermen Inc. — is a testament to what happens when hardworking owners partner with the right people.

Jen puts it simply: "We're a very small company... but there's a lot of day-to-day putting out fires, and it's been very challenging to manage it all and also run a business."

That's the reality for so many entrepreneurs. You're brilliant at the work you do — engineering, manufacturing, serving customers — but the financial side can feel like a language you never learned.

Jen said it best: "I didn't speak accounting language at all. I'm a business major, I know accounting stuff, but I could not understand what the answers were to my questions."

That's exactly why we exist.

When Jen brought Fulling Management & Accounting on board, she described it as "an easy yes... like having a full-time employee that I didn't have to manage." Someone she could always call, always email, and always count on for a quick, clear response.

But what stuck with us most was this: "They really genuinely care about making it successful for us. They know about my family. They know about the business... they're like an extension of our company."

That's the whole point. Numbers matter — but people matter more.

And her advice to other business owners? "You need to take the leap of faith... invest in your company by doing this. It's someone extra that you can count on, and it's definitely worth it."

To Jen — thank you for your partnership, trust, and hard work. We don't take for granted. We're deeply grateful for leaders like you: high-integrity, all-in on your team, and humble enough to bring in a trusted partner to handle the financial operations so you can focus on what you do best.

This is exactly who we love working with — business owners who want to Get Clarity, Grow Profits, and Gain Peace of Mind, so they can spend their energy building the business, not buried in the books.

If that's you, let's talk.

Connect with Fulling Management & Accounting. 🔗 www.fullingmgmt.com

10/06/2026

“We’ve always done it that way!”

Last week was one of those weeks that reminded me why I love what we do.

Our Fulling Management & Accounting team spent three days together—talking, laughing, dreaming, challenging each other, and getting really clear about where we want to go over the next three years.

As I sat and listened to our team talk about our clients, our future, and what’s possible, I found myself getting excited about what’s ahead.

We talked a lot about vision and turned that vision into SMART Goals. But I also left the week thinking about something else:

How do we make sure the way we’ve always done things doesn’t keep us from becoming what we’re capable of becoming?

One of the dangers of being in business over 26 years is getting stuck in the tried and true instead of investigating the innovative and new. The art of consistency can easily turn into complacency if we are not careful.

Experience is valuable. Consistency is valuable. But sometimes we become so familiar with how we do something that we stop asking whether it’s still the best way.

That’s why I want us to become “What If?” leaders.

Instead of only asking, “How can we improve this process?” ask:
“If we were starting from scratch today, would we even do it this way?"

What if we eliminated it?
What if we automated it?
What if we simplified it?
What if we looked at it through our client’s eyes?
What if there was a better way to bring clarity?

Sometimes the answer will be, “Yes. This is still the best way.” Great. Now we know we’re doing it because it’s the best way—not simply because it’s the way we’ve always done it.

Our three-year vision gives us a destination. Our SMART Goals give us a path.

But being willing to ask “What if?” may help us find a better way to get there.

We don’t need to change everything. But we should be willing to question anything.

And I think that’s the kind of culture we need for the next 26 years.

So I’m curious:
What’s something in your business you haven’t questioned in a long time?

Maybe it’s time to ask:
“What if?”