CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

EXPLORE

Society & Culture

Health & Fitness

© 2024 PodJoint

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/7b/de/bb/7bdebbcb-60b4-e161-dd5c-cb406c2c5622/mza_15242894061418244480.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

James Donovan

62 episodes

3 days ago

Most accountants aren't losing to AI, they're losing to their own bad systems. In this episode, we sit down with Justin White, founder of JBookkeeping and a former trades business owner who’s now built a fast-growing remote firm on precision, responsiveness, and no-BS service. He shares: What actually builds trust and wins clients in 2025Why most firms lose money before they even pick up the phoneThe questions that close 90% of his leadsHow to build a firm people remember (and refer)The best ...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

All content for CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success is the property of James Donovan and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Most accountants aren't losing to AI, they're losing to their own bad systems. In this episode, we sit down with Justin White, founder of JBookkeeping and a former trades business owner who’s now built a fast-growing remote firm on precision, responsiveness, and no-BS service. He shares: What actually builds trust and wins clients in 2025Why most firms lose money before they even pick up the phoneThe questions that close 90% of his leadsHow to build a firm people remember (and refer)The best ...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

Episodes (20/62)

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

AI Won’t Kill Your Firm, But This Mistake Will - With Justin White

Most accountants aren't losing to AI, they're losing to their own bad systems. In this episode, we sit down with Justin White, founder of JBookkeeping and a former trades business owner who’s now built a fast-growing remote firm on precision, responsiveness, and no-BS service. He shares: What actually builds trust and wins clients in 2025Why most firms lose money before they even pick up the phoneThe questions that close 90% of his leadsHow to build a firm people remember (and refer)The best ...

3 days ago

32 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

The $3M IRS Fix You’ll Never Hear About on TikTok - With Brandon Adjei

Lost your office, denied by FEMA, and broke? Here’s how Brandon Adjei bounced back and saved his clients over $3 million in the process. In this episode, Brandon shares how Hurricane Harvey nearly wiped out his firm and how pro bono work with the IRS transformed his business forever. What we cover: • How one client’s $1.3M IRS bill became just $150K • The planning mistake that cost another family $300K • What entrepreneurs get wrong about tax strategy • Why social medi...

1 week ago

33 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Everyone Wants to Be a CFO. Here’s Why Most Will Never Make It - With Kevin Appleby

You’ve done the work. You’ve climbed the ladder. So why does the CFO title still feel out of reach? Kevin Appleby, COO of GrowCFO and mentor to hundreds of finance leaders, reveals: • The 3 invisible blockers keeping smart finance pros from stepping up • Why “imposter syndrome” shows up right after your promotion • What most people get completely wrong about becoming CFO • The mindset shift that separates future execs from spreadsheet managers 🚨 This isn’t theory. Kevin’s helped hundreds m...

2 weeks ago

32 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

You’re Not a Real CFO (Yet): Why Most Firms Never Land High-Value Clients - With Brett Frevert

“Are you a real CFO?” That’s the question clients are now asking, because not all “fractional CFOs” are created equal. In this episode, Brett Frevert (Founder of CFO Systems, Inc. and 9-time Inc. 5000 awardee) breaks down: • Why “bookkeeper to CFO in 90 days” is hurting the industry • The 4 levels of business conversations and why most pros are stuck at level one • Why your newsletter is probably repelling high-value clients • How to land $10K+ clients through old-school strategy,...

3 weeks ago

31 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

The Tax Strategy Rich People Use (But Never Talk About) - With Daniel Lake

$40,000,000. That’s how much Dan Lake’s clients have saved on taxes and most people have never even heard of the strategy. In this episode, Dan reveals how he helps CPAs and high-net-worth individuals shrink tax bills using solar tax equity deals most pros overlook. You’ll learn: • Why mortgages are one of the worst financial tools • How W-2 earners can legally offset massive tax burdens • The strategy that turned a $2M tax bill into nearly $0 • Why most CPAs miss this and h...

1 month ago

39 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Most Accountants Are Giving Away Their Most Valuable Work - With Jackie Meyer

She sold her firm for 7 figures with just 56 clients. Here's how she did it. Jackie Meyer, CPA, founder of TaxPlanIQ and leader of the proactive accounting movement, is done watching firms burn out and undercharge. In this episode, she breaks down: • The ROI method that turns tax advice into a 5-figure service • How to quote tax planning with confidence (even if you hate sales) • What’s killing firms from the inside and how she rebuilt hers • Why advisory isn’t just a servic...

1 month ago

25 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Stop Building a Business That Steals Your Freedom - Jaime Rodriguez

He scheduled his wedding around payroll. That’s when he knew something had to change. Jaime Rodriguez, CEO of Bookkeepers.com, has helped over 17,000 students turn their skill into a scalable business. In this episode, he shares the real lessons that most freelancers and early-stage business owners miss: • The two personality types that sabotage their own growth • The SOP mistake that stalled his own firm • Why most freelancers chase the wrong kind of “rich” • How to build a...

1 month ago

31 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

AI Isn’t the Future of Accounting, It’s Already Killing Off the Old Way - With Daniel Moshe

AI isn’t coming for accounting, it’s already here. And it’s quietly rewriting who wins and who falls behind. In this episode, Daniel Moshe, CEO of TechGuru, breaks down how smart firms are already using AI, cybersecurity, and modern tech stacks to: • Attract better-fit clients (and actually land them) • Add capacity without burning out staff • Win more proposals by proving security and compliance • Automate the admin, elevate the advisory You’ll also hear Daniel’s bold predi...

1 month ago

34 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Why Profit Isn’t Enough And What Most Founders Get Dead Wrong - With Daniel Dickeson

Working 7 days a week. No vacations. $36K a year. Then a CFO stepped in and changed everything. In this episode, Daniel Dickeson, founder of Atlas CFO Solutions, breaks down how he turned a struggling salon into a 6-figure business without scaling chaos or hustle culture. You’ll learn: Why cash flow beats profit, every timeHow to spot silent killers in your pricing and expensesThe shift from financial chaos to true clarityHow founders can finally make their business work for themHe’s helped h...

1 month ago

41 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

The One CFO Skill That Can Save (or Kill) Your Business - With Jack Weinstein

Scaling doesn’t kill companies, confusion does. And most founders are flying blind. In this episode, Jack Weinstein, fractional CFO and former Fox exec, shares what he’s learned advising 50+ entrepreneurs, from zero to $25M in revenue: • The hiring trap that derails scaling teams • What financial firepower really means (and why most businesses don’t have it) • The difference between a controller and a real CFO • Why growth without clarity = chaos Jack also shares how he turn...

2 months ago

37 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

The Productivity Gap You Can’t See (Until It’s Too Late) - With Rhamy Alejeal

Losing one hire can cost you 4+ months of productivity and most founders never see it coming. In this episode, Rhamy Alejeal, CEO of People Processes, breaks down the blind spots killing your team's efficiency and what elite companies do differently: • Why your onboarding is leaking revenue • The math behind a single bad offboarding • How to design people processes that scale without drama • Why "employee experience" isn’t fluffy, it’s financial If you’ve got 5+ employees an...

2 months ago

43 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

The Mistake That Nearly Bankrupted Him (And Is Quietly Killing Most Businesses) - With Mike Milan

You're making money. So why are you always chasing cash? Mike Milan aka Cash Flow Mike has built 14 businesses and now teaches accountants and business owners how to stay cash-rich and debt-free. In this episode: • Why 90% of businesses don't have 3 months of cash on hand • How growing fast nearly bankrupted him • The money rule that separates the broke from the stable • The single shift that helps accountants get clients to actually listen 💬 Want more from Mike? ...

2 months ago

33 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

He’s Interviewed Hundreds of Accounting Leaders - This Is What They All Miss

Most firms wait to adapt, Gary DeHart built a media empire by doing the opposite. As the publisher of Insightful Accountant and founder of the Top 100 ProAdvisor Awards, Gary shares: What 10+ years of ProAdvisor data reveals about firm successHow small firms can punch above their weight at industry eventsWhy AI is not optional (and where to start if you’re behind)Leadership lessons from military training that apply to accountingWhat’s coming next at Scaling New Heights and Intuit Connect🎓 P...

2 months ago

35 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

He Spotted a $500K Payroll Leak. The Owner Had No Idea.

Losing $100K/month and didn’t know it. Until Sonny Grappone showed up. In this episode, the founder of Precision Accounting & Consulting breaks down the real reason most businesses stall financially (hint: it’s not marketing or sales). 🎧 What you’ll learn: The $500K payroll spike a client missedWhy 75% of contractors can’t track profit per jobThe #1 red flag Sonny sees on balance sheetsHow he used ERC to build a 7-figure firm (by the book)What founders get wrong about accounting (and how...

3 months ago

34 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Burnt Out, Understaffed, and Scaling Anyway? Sharrin Fuller Has a System for That

If your team disappeared tomorrow, would your business survive? Most founders build fast, but not to last. Sharrin Fuller, founder of Glass Wallet Ventures, joins CFO Chronicles to share why even successful businesses stall (or collapse) when leadership ignores the endgame. Inside this episode: • How Sharrin rebuilt everything after firing 10+ team members • Why documentation, not hustle, determines whether you scale • Her method for “cloning” your role so you can fin...

3 months ago

30 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Founders, You’re Leaking Profit, Here’s Where It’s Going - With Tom Schultz

You’re not broke, but you might be bleeding. What if your biggest profit leak isn’t your pricing or marketing… but the decisions you’re not even tracking? 🎙 In this episode, fractional CFO Tom Schultz (48+ clients, $1M - $80M businesses) breaks down: • The hidden cost of founder “gut calls” • What really happens when you scale without financial structure • Why money in the bank ≠ a healthy business • The mindset shift that separates operators from real CEOs • The hiring mist...

3 months ago

26 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

This Firm Ditched the Office and Doubled Team Retention - Rachel Phillips

Rachel Phillips isn’t guessing. She built a remote-first accounting firm that now supports 40+ employees and most of them are moms. Before remote work was normal, Rachel Phillips owner of Fully Accountable made it essential. In this episode, she unpacks how her team’s flexibility has become their unfair advantage and why the office is never coming back. What you’ll learn: Her strategy for sourcing elite part-time and full-time finance talentThe power of marketing-style job ads (and how...

3 months ago

25 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Your Next Client is Literally Searching for You, But You’re Invisible - With Jeremy Estey

88% of buyers start on Google, but if your firm isn’t showing up, you don’t exist.⚠️ Referrals won’t scale. SEO alone won’t save you. And “trying out” paid ads without a strategy? That’s just burning cash. In this episode of CFO Chronicles, we’re joined by Jeremy Estey of Amber Sky Marketing, a Google Ads strategist helping firms across North America get seen, clicked, and hired. We unpack the hard truths firms need to hear in 2025, including: Why Google Ads now outperform SEO by defau...

4 months ago

28 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Your Firm Is Growing, But Not Scaling. Here’s Why - With Michael Straza

Growth ≠ scale, and too many founders learn that the hard way. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Straza of Straza Consulting to unpack what actually holds back firms from reaching the next level and why more sales won’t fix a broken structure. They dive into: The difference between running a business and truly being in controlWhy poor delegation crushes growth (and team morale)How Straza helped firms jump from $5M to $15M, then rebuilt profitReal stories of operational friction, founde...

4 months ago

31 minutes

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

2,600 CFOs. 1 Global Community. What Jack McCullough Learned from Leading Them All

2,600 CFOs. 100+ interviews. One framework every advisory-first firm should know. Jack McCullough, founder of the CFO Leadership Council and host of the globally ranked Secrets of Rockstar CFOs podcast, shares what the best financial leaders do differently, and how to position your firm for where the industry is going. This episode covers: The CREATE Framework: 6 traits great CFOs consistently showWhy strategic thinking now matters more than technical skillHow to build CEO-level trust as a fi...

4 months ago

30 minutes