What Are You Carrying Into 2026?
January 12, 2026
"We've always done it that way." These are the seven most expensive words in business. As you're mapping out 2026, ask yourself: what are you carrying forward that's actually holding you back?
Most business owners are aware of their processes that are either broken, or dinosaurs. They see the inefficiencies, feel the drain on resources, and watch good employees get frustrated by clunky systems that don't make sense anymore.
But they don't know how to fix it ... Continue Reading
Reflections on 2025
December 22, 2025
As we wrap up 2025 and help our clients finalize their year-end work, I’m reflecting on what an impactful year it’s been. Some of the highlights I can share here are:
Guided a client through a business partnership exit, preserving six-figure savings
Identified six figures in annual savings by bringing an outsourced service in-house
Reduced healthcare administration fees by 55% through proactive solution sourcing
Every year brings its own mix of growth, complexity, and change, and ... Continue Reading
Is Year-End Anxiety Keeping You Up at Night?
December 4, 2025
The end of the year should be a time to rest and celebrate (we’ve earned it!) but for so many business owners, sleepless nights are the norm. End-of-year questions that tend to surface are:
Have I optimized my tax strategy - or am I about to overpay?
Are my books clean enough for my CPA, or will this be embarrassing?
Did I price correctly this year?
Is my cash flow where it needs to be ... Continue Reading
Write Your Own Succession Script
June 4, 2025
Did you watch HBO’s Succession with bated breath, anxiously awaiting the next drama-filled twist? While it was an entertaining show, it’s a blueprint for exactly what business owners should not do when developing a succession plan.
No matter the CEO’s age, health or ambitions, every business should have a succession plan. Succession planning isn’t about planning for your demise - it’s about ensuring the company you worked so hard to grow isn’t shuttered by the absence of one key person. It ... Continue Reading
The Disease That Limits Growth
May 1, 2025
You’ll never see it mentioned in the AMA Journal or chatted about in online platforms. Many who suffer from it may not even know they have it. But this disease can stifle initiative, send good employees elsewhere, and ultimately stagnate growth.
It’s called Founder’s Syndrome.
Companies can develop Founder’s Syndrome when the founder (or founders), who battled against the odds to build a business, eventually becomes its biggest constraint to growth. Wikipedia describes Founder’s Syndrome as “The ... Continue Reading
Growing Sustainably
April 28, 2025
You’ve successfully started a business. Congratulations! But are you on the road to growth that you can maintain and manage?
Sustainable success isn’t necessarily getting bigger and growing profits; it is stable, consistent and long-term growth using the right building blocks. Those include smart investments in technology, personnel and strategic planning.
International entrepreneur Richard Branson reminds us that “A big business starts small.” And that means paying attention to day-to-day details even while thinking long-term for your ... Continue Reading
Business Blind Spots
March 6, 2025
You’re leading your practice or business because you know your stuff. But as a leader, you didn’t necessarily sign up to become an expert at every aspect of running it. So, it’s likely that you are overlooking or deliberately avoiding some aspects of your operations. You may not even realize this is happening but, it turns out, what you don’t know can hurt you.
We at Lumina Business Solutions find that many otherwise gifted business owners have blind ... Continue Reading
A New Year, a Fresh Approach
January 30, 2025
If you read my last Insight, you know that I am a serial – some might say compulsive – fixer. But sometimes, organizations don’t need to be broken to benefit from a few tweaks and new ideas. Looking at your business with fresh eyes is a great way to start off a new year.
Ask yourself: Has my company’s focus or mission changed over the years, but the company infrastructure hasn’t? Are our finances or target ... Continue Reading
Confessions of a Serial Fixer
January 7, 2025
I will admit it: I am a serial fixer. I love to bring order to chaos. Three times in my career I’ve had to clean up an organization in crisis because of embezzlement. The knowledge and experience gained from the first later led to a new employer and a new consulting client, both of which had suffered the light fingers of an embezzler.
As a matter of fact, every role I’ve ever taken on was a ... Continue Reading
Sullivan Joins Genesis Block Foundation Board
December 20, 2024
Genesis Block Foundation recently announced the election of Amy Sullivan as the newest board member for the organization.
Sullivan is founder and principal of Lumina Business Solutions LLC, a fractional business management firm providing solutions to challenges businesses face, according to a news release.
Sullivan has more than 20 years of experience, and she "brings a strong background in operations and accounting, now using that unique skillset to assist with growth and profitability for the companies she ... Continue Reading
