Core Insights - Middle-market finance executives reported strong performance in 2025, with significant improvements in cash flow, productivity, profitability, and customer acquisition compared to previous years [2][3] Financial Performance - 92% of financial decision-makers rated last year's cash flow as "good" or "very good," a 13 percentage point increase from the previous year [2] - Productivity increased by 10 percentage points to 95%, profitability rose by 10 percentage points to 89%, and customer acquisition improved by 6 percentage points to 85% [3] - Employee retention and customer retention also saw increases of 5 and 4 percentage points, reaching 84% and 89% respectively [3] Challenges and Risks - 31% of respondents identified inflation and interest rates as significant challenges in achieving performance goals, followed by 30% citing difficulties in finding good employees and 21% regarding the cost or availability of materials [4] - The report highlighted execution gaps, noting that while 49% rated profit margin management as "very important," only 36% felt effective in managing margins [6] Operational Insights - Strong performance raises the stakes for operational efficiency, with companies needing to tighten execution to navigate rising costs and talent shortages [5] - Inefficient processes can lead to manual workarounds that hinder productivity and increase operational risk, blurring visibility when quick and informed decisions are necessary [7]

Have you ever asked someone to do something and they just didn't? It happens to us almost every day. At work, for example, we might ask our colleagues, can we please call all of our customers and get feedback about how our product is and then no action or they don't really do it or they don't really feel connected, which is something that we don't want. Or maybe to our partners, can you please the famous, can you please take out the trust? and after hours it's still there. Or our parents, can you please sto ...