In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark sits down with Ellen Wood—CEO and co-founder of vcfo—to talk about the power of financial strategy, planning for exit, and how to build a more valuable business from day one. As a pioneer in the fractional CFO space, Ellen has helped hundreds of businesses scale, prepare for investment, and exit successfully. She shares practical advice for founders at every stage, from what entity structure to choose to how (and when) to think about your exit strategy.

This episode is packed with down-to-earth insights on cash flow, culture, and planning for the long game—even if you’re just getting started.

🧠 Takeaways:

1. Every founder has a culture, whether they know it or not—it starts with you.
2. Reverse vesting can protect equity early on in partnerships.
3. A 13-week cash flow forecast is one of the most important tools for small businesses.
4. Retainers and recurring revenue boost both predictability and business valuation.
5. Customer concentration is a real risk—don't become hostage to one client.
6. Even if you're small, you can benefit from planning—and Ellen’s free tools can help.

🔧 Resources Mentioned:

1. V360 Strategic Roadmap: vcfo’s signature planning framework
2. Free Tools: Finance Pulse and HR Pulse
3. Book mention: Traction (EOS framework)

🎯 For more insights like these, visit TheFridayHabit.com to download our free guide on how to spend one day a week working on your business instead of in it.