Tom Miller has worked in a part time consulting capacity with HeartSine Technologies, Inc. for several years. I first utilized Tom to help me transition our financial management system from a start-up mode under my sole control into a more traditional framework managed by other staff members. Tom’s initial assignment was to develop and implement formal, written accounting policies and procedures and to train staff to use those policies and procedures to maintain our Quick Books financial management system. Tom handled this assignment quite well and far exceeded my expectations for the task. Following this assignment I asked Tom to take on a role of greater responsibility providing interim financial and administrative management for the Company. In this role Tom became responsible for cash management, collections, insurance, payroll, taxes and establishing and implementing inventory control policies, credit policies and procedures, as well as all the other aspects of our accounting operations. It was Tom’s ability to provide well-structured direction, communication and support to our staff that allowed him to manage these tasks efficiently working just two full days per week at the Company. In addition, Tom has provided other valued input and support over this period to me and the Company. He hired and managed a full time bookkeeper to keep up with daily transactions and collection issues. He was the primary interface between the Company and the accounting firm performing our first GAAP audit. He set up a Company credit card system for expense control with AMEX and has researched and made recommendations for upgrading our current accounting software to a more appropriate and sophisticated system. Tom has consistently met and exceeded my expectations for these particular assignments. He is dependable and has been a valued team player and I am confident that any Company utilizing his services will benefit, as we have, from his input, dedication and hard work. I have truly enjoyed working with Tom and am pleased to have the opportunity to provide this reference. If you require any additional information please contact me.
Drew Hofmann: Medical Device CEO
My wife Darcy and I run a visual media company. To create our quotes, track bookings, etc., we use a system designed for photographers. Unfortunately, all the expenses would have to be manually added, meaning we had to use a different expense program the system making to time intensive so we use QuickBooks as well. My philosophy has always been "know how everything in your business works." This means I was doing my own bookkeeping. In the spirit of being honest I’ll admit, not having experience with any program like QuickBooks, I was very intimidated by the task of learning how to use the program. So we decided to get some help. Thinking Tom only worked with larger companies, it took me a while to finally ask for help. Tom came to our home and sat down with me. I could immediately see Tom’s teaching background because h approach was both informative and easy to grasp. Tom started by explaining “why” each function worked the way it worked. This helped me see the relationship between categories of expenses. My experience in the past has been for people to show me how to do it. By understanding not on the “how” but the “why” behind it, I feel my grasp of the program is much stronger. I’ve been a lot more self-sufficient in figuring out new features of QuickBooks because I now have that deeper understanding of how the systems are all connected. Tom was instrumental in us getting everything set up so we can run our business! Now, I don’t have to spend a great deal of time managing our business finances and can use that time to grow my business instead of just maintain it. Whether your business is small or large, I strongly recommend at least consulting with Tom. You don’t know what you don’t know. But maybe he can shed some light on the areas to help you see better. Thanks Tom!
Steven Mask: Business Owner | Eventography
I have known Mr. Miller (Tom) for 6 years and have used him professionally for about 1 year. Initially I hired Tom to help Icityonline.com with our business plan. Having hired and then fired a leading business consulting company to perform the same task, I found Tom a real winner. Icity was going through a growing spurt and we were preparing to go nation wide with our concept. To do this we need a good business plan that would really show what the company could do. We needed to have an outside professional group to write the plan. What we got was fabulous and Tom was great to work with. Many times, people will take your money and write the plan, be it good or bad. Tom’s approach was to really make us think about our business and that was extremely valuable to our company. We also were going to use this business plan to attract potential investors. This too, Tom was a big help. He has been associated with venture capital companies and individuals for years. He brought the knowledge and insight for the other side of the table. This was beyond valuable for my company. Tom made introductions for us, lead us into venture capital companies, and helped us with strategic partners. Tom’s not just another pretty face, he is a real doer that is very well connected plus grounded in the fundamentals of business. Would I recommend Tom to other companies? If I have him working full time with me: NO. But otherwise I do recommend him to all my clients and Toms still finds time to help me grow my new adventure: Infocard.cc. One of the cool things about Tom is his ability to span across traditional companies all the way into the Internet. I found Tom very well abreast of technology and how to position technology to make money. I just can’t say enough good things about Tom and his abilities. I’m sure that after you work with Tom, you will share my viewpoints!
Peter Brusso: President, Infocard | Infocard
As the owner of Assistance In Home Care, bookkeeping, tax preparation and recruitment has always been a thorn in my side. When I first met with Tom Miller of Orange Coast Consulting, I immediately felt confident in his knowledge and expertise. Tom worked with my bookkeeper on our Chart of Accounts to identify our true Cost of Goods Sold and net margin. Additionally, he assisted in increasing our line of credit with a new banking institution to ensure our growth strategies can be met with little risk to the organization. Recently I was speaking with Tom about our struggles recruiting good caregivers. He asked one simple question “What do the top 10-15 caregivers with the most tenure have in common?” What they had in common were most of them are 40-year-old women. Currently we were recruiting with Regional Occupational Programs who cater to 18-24 year olds. We were looking in the wrong place. Once we identified where 40-year-old women, do their shopping, laundry and attend religious services we were able to locate caregivers and reduce our problem significantly. If you are a new business just starting up or someone like myself with 12 years of business. Tom Miller is excellent at coaching, guiding, and creating business strategies. Tom is intuitive, detailed, and creates measurable process to assist any business. I am confident in recommending Tom for new and existing businesses.
Ramona Streit: President, Assistance In Home Care | Assistance in Home Care