Changes brought on by growth, competition, regulatory requirements, or other factors, frequently require businesses to quickly identify alternatives for driving significant improvements to one or more business processes, including how processes are integrated and enable financial and operational reporting. We assess the integrity and efficiency of workflow across the organization including the effectiveness of application systems to meet current and projected business requirements. We employ behavioral science theory, research and technology in our solutions. Our improvement plans and actions address complete business performance needs including business processes, information technology, and organizational issues. Whether you need a quick analysis or a detailed plan, we custom tailor our approach to meet your business strategy needs.

CAG assists companies in developing the right financial and operational metrics to improve various business monitoring processes. Having the right measurement metrics is the first step in identifying and timely preventing undesired business outcomes.

We prepare detailed business plans for companies seeking to raise finance from a financial investor or to obtain a bank loan. In certain cases, business owners wish to have a business plan to assess their past performance, determine current state, and identify future development options.

CAG applies behavioral science technology to uncover all the dynamics and possible sources of the issue or concern. Based on the data collected via a combination of individual interviews, focus groups, surveys and observations, we engage the client in a collaborative process of meaning making and diagnosis of the current state.

This comprehensive approach integrates strategic planning with devising a clear implementation plan, carrying out the implementation interventions, and building organizational capability to sustain change.

Organization change is exciting and challenging at the same time. Change is complex because what impacts one part of the organization often creates a ripple effect across other parts. Acceptance of the change and building organizational members' support and buy-in is the area where many organizations feel challenged. Careful design and implementation of participatory communication interventions help minimize the resistance and discomfort related to the proposed change.

Collaboration taps into the collective ideas of organizational members fostering innovation, engagement, and ownership. Organizations that decide to build collaborative processes and skills create a culture where people can generate more creative and comprehensive solutions working together than they can by themselves. CAG helps companies to create collaborative work environments at a group/team, department, and the whole system levels via mastering the tools, techniques, skills and ways of thinking necessary for successful collaboration.

Teams created to collaborate on an organizational problem or goal move through various stages of development. Some of these stages are productive and exhilarating while others can slow the team down and create tension among members. A team's deliberate actions of establishing agreements, processes and building skill level to support their success are crucial to consistently solid performance. CAG helps teams in organizations to establish the necessary processes and obtain relevant skills to enhance the performance and achieve results.

Whether a strategic planning retreat, a roundtable session, or a team meeting, CAG has the capability to provide facilitation services that create the context and space for rich discussion and exchange of ideas as well as the tools necessary for practical action planning.

CAG provides highly interactive training modules based on a core model of interest-based negotiation by Fisher and Ury (Harvard Negotiation Model) combined with strategic communication principles. This training includes the process of client mapping for assessing and prioritizing the potential relationships; development of negotiation skills and competencies in how to prepare for a negotiation, and explains the techniques and tactics involved in such a way as to enable parties to get optimal deals. Drawing on experiential learning, simulations, videotaped role-plays, and interactive discussions, this training provides for structured thinking about negotiation, better goal setting, managing day-to-day conflicts among organizational members, as well as establishing and sustaining collaborative client relationships in complex environments.

CAG helps to change behaviors and mindsets in leaders and their team members, break past self-imposed perceptions or barriers, develop new ways to attack old or new problems thus making a significant difference in the long-term success of the organization.

In today's rapidly developing markets, companies and individuals face new challenges and a wide choice of business opportunities. We perform the following services to address some of the needs and help to capitalize on new opportunities:

We assess businesses to help determine their true intrinsic value. We employ both the market and income approaches in our valuation. Our valuation opinions are documented in accordance with industry standards and can withstand the scrutiny from investors, SEC, or other regulatory bodies.

As your company grows, it may be considering undertaking new projects, starting new businesses, or investing idle cash resources to obtain attractive risk-adjusted returns. Based on our understanding of your business and goals, we can suggest and evaluate new investment opportunities to determine if they are right for you.

We perform health check reviews of compliance with license obligations, independent compliance audits, design and delivery of training sessions or presentations; provide advice on regulatory changes and on the likely impact on existing compliance framework. We also perform assessment of existing complaints handling system by benchmarking against current industry practice and regulatory expectations.

CAG advises companies on ways to reduce costs, improve performance, and strengthen the balance sheet. As your business grows in size, it becomes more important to have control over costs to ensure achievement of strategic goals and to provide healthy returns to stakeholders.

CAG offers personal financial planning services to assist individuals in maximizing wealth and gaining better control over finances. We will help you determine your financial goals (risk and return requirements), investment constraints, time horizon, tax implications, and other specifics relevant to your situation.

In today's business environment, accounting has become a key function as different stakeholders attempt to get the most useful and accurate information to make important decisions. Chicago Advisory Group can assist your company in the following areas:

We assist companies in determining appropriate accounting for complex transactions in accordance with US GAAP and international accounting standards. We help identify the relevant issues, interpret the financial accounting standards and apply the technical guidance to client's operations. From high-level corporate policies to detailed process procedures, we provide solutions to issues and create structure for key areas to better position you to operate more efficiently.

With the increased need for timely and reliable financial reporting, many companies are finding that they need to have a more robust management reporting model. CAG helps companies to develop processes that ensure all relevant information is captured in periodic management reports. The improved reporting model allows management to have all the necessary information for effective decision-making. For companies going through financial restatements or companies with system limitations, we assist with gathering, validating, and analyzing data from multiple sources.

We use our technical experience and knowledge of external audit requirements to ensure compliance with the OMB A-123 and Sarbanes-Oxley provisions. We assist with planning and executing OMB A-123 and Section 404 compliance projects and preparation of the necessary documentation. Where controls appear weak, we help to design the controls necessary for OMB A-123 and Section 404 compliance and efficiently implement them throughout client's US and worldwide operations.

CAG assists companies in reviewing, evaluating, and determining the impact of accounting restatements on their financial statements. We leverage our prior experience and knowledge of the surrounding issues to help our clients perform the necessary internal audit work to ensure accuracy, completeness, and validity of the revised financial records. We also assist in the preparation of the necessary documentation for review by external auditors and regulators.

Our firm helps to convert the financial statements of foreign subsidiaries so they comply with US GAAP or international accounting standards, both in format and content. We also assist in designing processes that ensure continued compliance.

To supplement certain accounting and finance functions, CAG provides companies with access to experienced professionals to assist with key accounting and financial work.

We provide training courses in international and US accounting principles to executives, managers, and employees. We listen to your company's needs and tailor our training seminars to respond to your specific needs and level of expertise.

This service is primarily designed for small to mid size audit firms and companies with an internal audit function. We critically evaluate the existing audit methodologies to ensure their compliance with US GAAS or IAAS and make sure that all potential risk areas are appropriately addressed in the audit program.