Michelle Lowery
Finance Writer and Editor
Michelle Lowery has written and edited content for a variety of companies, including Disney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Apartments.com, Petfinder, and Semrush. She’s covered topics ranging from B2B tech, legal, medical, and pets to real estate, small business, finance, and more. She’s also built and managed content teams for organizations such as Skillshare and ChamberofCommerce.com. She is a published author and Air Force veteran.
Articles by Michelle Lowery
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Vendor due diligence: Definition, process, and checklist
Vendor due diligence is the process companies use to evaluate a vendor's financial, security, legal, and reputational risk before signing a contract.
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Bookkeeping vs. accounting: Key differences explained
Bookkeeping records daily transactions while accounting interprets them for taxes, budgets, and strategy. Costs, roles, and credentials differ sharply.
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Variance report: What it is and how to build one
A variance report compares budgeted vs. actual results to catch cost overruns early. Two formulas size each gap in dollars and percentage.
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Managing shadow IT spend: Costs, controls, and tools
Shadow IT is software bought outside finance and IT's approval. Pre-approval intake and card controls stop unsanctioned spend before it starts.
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Employee credit card agreement: Template and guide
An employee credit card agreement sets the rules for company card use, covering eligibility, spending limits, documentation, and consequences for misuse.
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Venture debt financing: A guide for startups
Venture debt is a loan structure for startups that extends cash runway with minimal dilution, repaid with interest and often paired with equity warrants.