Suttles Law

A bit of background first:

In my early career, fresh out of the University of Notre Dame, I worked in public accounting for 7 years. The first 3 years with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell (one of the “Big 8” at the time) and 4 years with my father in his accounting firm. We were the largest local CPA practice in Indianapolis at the time. The Firm’s name was Fowler, Suttles & Co., named for my father and his partner, Hugh Fowler. Not only were they business partners, they were close friends.

I was at one of my current B2BCFO® clients this morning. This client of mine is owned by the second generation in their family. The first generation was a client of my Father’s, and of mine, some 30+ years ago. The lady who processes accounts payable is still at this client, as she was back then. I noticed this morning that there was a very old poster tacked to her cubicle, that she had obviously received from my father, and had treasured all these years. A bit tattered to reproduce, so I type the words here (capitalization and format are same as original).

Fowler’s Laws

In Any Field of Our Endeavor,

Anything That Can Go Wrong,

Will Go Wrong.

Left To Themselves, Things Always

Go From Bad To Worse.

If There is A Possibility of Several

Things Going Wrong, the One That

Will Go Wrong Is the One That

Will Do the Most Damage.

Nature Always Sides With

The Hidden Flaw.

If Everything Seems to be Going Well,

You Have Obviously Overlooked

Something.

Suttles’ Law

FOWLER TENDS TO BE OPTIMISTIC