Podcasts about solocast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2026 9:09 Transcription Available

If you can't tell me your return on every marketing channel you're running right now, you're flying blind.Most real estate investors know they have to spend money on marketing — but very few have a system that tells them whether that spending is actually working. In this solo episode, the host breaks down a straightforward framework for tracking marketing dollars from the moment they leave your account all the way through to closed deals, so you can stop making decisions based on gut feel and start making them based on numbers.The episode covers why front-end marketing platforms like Facebook and Google can't tell the whole story, how to use QuickBooks as a financial CRM to tie marketing spend to actual revenue by channel, and what return thresholds should trigger you to pour more money in or pull the plug. Whether you're running direct mail, PPC, or SEO, this one will help you build a simple marketing KPI dashboard that actually tells you what's working.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why most real estate investors are flying blind — and the 3x to 7x return benchmark that separates confident operators from guessers[0:53] The follow-up problem: spending money on marketing without tracking whether it actually produced revenue[1:35] Why front-end dashboards on Facebook and Google aren't enough — and what it means to tie back-end money to front-end spend[2:33] A simple example: $100 in, $5,000 out — and why that math gets much more complex as you scale[3:32] Opening dedicated marketing bank accounts or credit cards per channel to create spending clarity by default[4:29] How to use QuickBooks as a financial CRM — tagging deals by marketing channel and pulling KPI reports straight out of your financial software[6:02] Marketing is the lifeblood of your business — which is exactly why it demands more tracking, not less[6:34] The four metrics that belong on every marketing KPI dashboard: cost per lead, cost per appointment, cost per contract, and return per channel[7:28] How to read your return numbers: 3x to 5x means you're on track, 5x or above is a green light to scale, below 2x is a signal to cut[8:09] The difference between an owner running on gut feeling and one who uses return data to make every marketing decisionKey TakeawaysTracking marketing spend without tying it to closed deals is not a system — it's just a record of what you spent. The real number you need is what you made from each channel, not just what you spent on it.Front-end platform dashboards from Facebook, Google, and other channels only tell part of the story. Your financial software is where marketing spend and actual revenue need to meet.Dedicating a separate bank account or credit card to each marketing channel creates built-in clarity — you can see exactly what each channel cost and what it returned without digging through mixed transactions.QuickBooks and similar tools can be configured to tag deals by marketing source, letting you pull a report at any time that shows channel-level spend versus channel-level revenue. Most investors never set this up.A simple four-metric dashboard — cost per lead, cost per appointment, cost per contract, and return on channel — gives you everything you need to make confident, data-driven decisions about where to scale and where to cut.The 5x return threshold is your green light to pour more money into a channel. Anything below 2x is a signal to either fix the channel or cut it before it quietly drains your profit.Links & ResourcesSchedule a free discovery call — https://www.profitrei.comClosingKnowing your marketing numbers isn't a finance task — it's a growth strategy. The investors who scale predictably aren't necessarily spending more than everyone else; they're just spending with better information. If today's episode helped you see your marketing spend with more clarity, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call and start building your path to financial clarity and freedom.

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Episode 408: The Barbell Effect — What Industry Consolidation Means for Your Business

Not Another Fitness Podcast: For Fitness Geeks Only

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2026 22:53

From speaking at three major wealth management conferences in a single quarter to mapping out a pattern that's already reshaped accounting and is now creeping into law and the trades, Corey Kupfer breaks down the barbell effect and what business owners should be doing now to avoid getting caught in the middle. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: In this episode, you'll discover what the barbell effect is and why it shows up across industries once consolidation and outside capital enter the picture, how accounting's shift from the Big Eight to the Big Four foreshadows what may be coming in wealth management, and why most deals positioned as mergers are actually acquisitions in disguise. Corey explains why firms stuck in the middle face higher overhead than small competitors and fewer resources than large ones, and how the same dynamic is showing up in the trades, from roofing to electrical. KEY INSIGHTS: The barbell effect describes what happens as an industry consolidates: large, well funded firms on one end, small boutique firms on the other, and the middle becoming the hardest place to operate, with higher overhead than small competitors and fewer resources than large ones. The accounting industry offers a preview of where wealth management may be headed. Corey points to the shift from the Big Eight to the Big Four, and to firms like Eisner and Amper merging to compete at a higher level, along with Apria's growth through acquisition. In legal, only attorneys can own law firms in most states, but Corey describes private equity entering through a managed services model similar to healthcare, where a non-legal company runs the back office while attorneys retain ownership of the practice. Corey shares a comment from his Entrepreneurs Organization lawyers group, that it is much easier to run a law firm under two million dollars or over ten million dollars in revenue than to be stuck in the middle, connecting this to the crossing the chasm dynamic of investing ahead of payoff. Drawing on NAPFA in Minneapolis, Corey notes many members are choosing not to sell to PE backed aggregators, even leaving value on the table, out of concern for fiduciary alignment, while noting he is relaying their perspective rather than judging it. He also points out most "mergers" are actually acquisitions, cites the 2026 Advisor Growth Strategies Report and DeVoe's data showing fewer buyers chasing more sellers and average seller AUM crossing a billion dollars, and closes by noting the same barbell dynamic in the trades, where consolidators and mom and pop firms both persist while the middle gets squeezed. Perfect for RIA owners weighing independence, succession, or sale, leaders of growing companies assessing their industry's consolidation cycle, and anyone navigating competition in the middle market. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/barbelleffect FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today! Episode Highlights with Timestamps [00:00:04] - Introduction: the barbell effect and why Corey is talking about it now [00:04:23] - The NAPFA community conversation on succession and exit options aligned with values [00:08:37] - What the barbell effect is and why the middle becomes the hardest place to compete [00:12:21] - Why it's easier to run a law firm under two million or over ten million in revenue than to be stuck in the middle [00:16:14] - NAPFA advisors and the choice to stay independent from PE backed aggregators[00:19:55] - The barbell effect in the trades: roofing, gutters, and electrical consolidation[00:21:55] - Planning for industry evolution instead of being surprised by it Host Bio Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster. Related Episodes Episode 350 - Tom Dillon: Building a firm positioned for acquisition and succession Episode 339 - Solocast 74: Building your G2 and creating optionality for internal successionEpisode 331 - Solocast 72: Reading macro and industry trends without letting personal views distort business decisionsEpisode 327 - Solocast 71: Using authority marketing to build relationships and deal flow Keywords/Tags barbell effect, industry consolidation, RIA independence, private equity wealth management, mergers and acquisitions, internal succession planning, mergers of equals, middle market squeeze, fiduciary advisors, NAPFA, accounting industry consolidation, legal industry private equity, managed services organization, crossing the chasm, RIA exit planning, trades industry consolidation, deal driven growth, 2026 advisor growth strategies, business positioning strategy, exit strategy planning

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The Flex Diet Cert is OPEN and AI vs Coaching Solocast — #389

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 17:18

In this solo episode, Dr. Mike T. Nelson dives into the intersection of AI and coaching. Using his quest to pick up the 175-pound Inch dumbbell as an example, he shows how AI struggles with niche topics where quality training data is scarce — and why that matters for fitness advice. Topics covered: Why AI gave terrible advice on training for the Inch dumbbell — and what that reveals about how AI sources information The protein-and-kidney-damage myth: when AI repeats bad science Where AI actually helps coaches: data analysis, blood work organization, backend tasks, and production workflows Why clients still want (and need) a real human coach — accountability, customization, and skin in the game Will people be compliant to a robot coach? Probably not The baseline is rising: why just writing training and nutrition programs isn't enough anymore Flex Diet Certification — now open through Monday, June 22nd, 2026 at midnight PST. Eight interventions (protein, fats, carbs, exercise, sleep, micronutrition, fasting, and more) built on coaching leverage and metabolic flexibility. Includes direct email access to Dr. Nelson for enrolled students. Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

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Profit First Chat: Building Personal Wealth While You Grow Your Business | Solocast E24

paying cfo grow your business real estate investors profit first quickbooks solocast host david personal wealth

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 7:29

This solo episode breaks down Profit First, the bank account-based cash management system that helps real estate investors and business owners stop bleeding profitability and start keeping more of every dollar they make. Host David walks through the five core accounts, explains why the owner's comp account is the best place to start, and makes the case for why a fractional CFO might be exactly what's missing if systems alone aren't sticking.If you've ever closed a deal and still felt broke at the end of the month, this episode is for you. It's a practical, no-spreadsheet framework for building real personal wealth from the business you're already running.Timeline Highlights[0:26] The core problem: making money but never having anything to show for it at the end of the month[0:46] Why you don't need to be a financial wizard to pay yourself consistently or build real reserves[1:25] Profit First explained: how the envelope method from personal finance translates into a business wealth-building system[2:05] What you focus on expands: why profitability needs dedicated attention, not just a QuickBooks dashboard[2:37] The five fundamental business checking accounts every owner should set up[2:55] The Golden Trio: profit, owner's comp, and owner's tax accounts and why they're the key to keeping more of what you make[3:13] The "big black hole bank account" problem and how dedicated accounts solve it structurally[4:07] Where to start if you're not paying yourself consistently: the owner's comp account as your first move[4:28] What to do if you're currently spending more than you're making: expense analysis, letting people go, and getting profitable first[4:43] What a fractional CFO actually does and when it makes sense to bring one in[5:25] Why most businesses are more profitable than they think and just don't know how to name the dollars[6:12] Fractional CFO vs. doing it yourself: how to decide what level of support you actually need[6:45] Why there's no single deal that solves your cash flow problem and what actually builds lasting financial freedom[7:00] The habit loop that creates real wealth: every sale, a little to profit, every sale, a little to owner's comp, repeatKey TakeawaysProfit First is built on the envelope method, applied to your business bank accounts. Instead of tracking everything in QuickBooks, you set up dedicated accounts so every dollar that comes in gets immediately allocated, making profitability visible in your actual cash, not just your reports.The five core accounts are income, opex, profit, owner's comp, and owner's tax. The first two track what comes in and goes out. The Golden Trio (profit, owner's comp, and owner's tax) are what allow you to actually keep something from every sale you close.If you can only start with one account, start with owner's comp. Paying yourself consistently, even a small amount from every deal, starts building the habit and the reserves that most business owners never develop.A fractional CFO isn't just for large companies. If you know the system but won't stick to it, or if you need someone to help you understand what your numbers actually mean and hold you accountable, that level of support pays for itself.No single deal will solve your cash flow problem. The only thing that builds real financial freedom is consistency: every sale, a transfer to profit; every sale, a transfer to owner's comp. That habit, repeated over time, is what actually gets you out of the rat race.Links & ResourcesProfit First for Real Estate Investors — profitrei.comSimpleCFO — simplecfo.comSchedule a discovery call — simplecfo.comClosingIf this episode made you realize you've been running your business without a real cash management system, now is the time to change that. Share it with a business owner in your network who's making money but not keeping it. Subscribe, review, and share the Profit First for Real Estate Investors podcast, and if you want to go deeper, visit profitrei.com.

Episode 407: Due Diligence, Tax Strategy, and Deal Structuring with Alex Lopez

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2026 44:21

From selling candy in school as a kid in Medellin and getting robbed by his business partner, to riding the South Florida real estate boom and losing everything in the crash before he was twenty, Alex Lopez, CPA built his understanding of deals through lived experience long before he picked up an accounting textbook. Alex runs a CPA firm specializing in CFO services and tax minimization strategy, with over 12 years of experience at global accounting and consulting firms and in corporate America. He works with entrepreneurs in professional services, tech, and real estate, focused on helping them scale from six to seven to eight figures while keeping more of their profits out of the IRS's hands. His years as a financial auditor trained him to assess a business quickly, corroborate what owners claim, and identify which direction a company is actually trending. In this episode he walks through two contrasting deals: one where understanding why a buyer was willing to stretch above market multiples revealed hidden strategic value that let his client hold firm on price, and another where a single off-ratio insurance figure that nobody fully investigated masked a multi-million dollar misrepresentation that killed the deal entirely. He also shares the story of a seller whose insistence on cash over a higher leveraged offer turned out to have nothing to do with preference and everything to do with a pending white collar conviction. On tax planning, Alex is direct: by the time a deal is under letter of intent, several of the most powerful strategies are already gone. He walks through qualified small business stock, which can allow eligible founders to exit with little to zero federal tax on the capital gain from a business sale, but only if the company was structured as a C corporation and the stock held for at least five years. He described a young tech founder who called his firm last year with the deal locked and loaded to close, and paid a seven-figure tax bill because nobody had ever told him this option existed. The conversation also covers how S corporation elections that make sense for self-employment tax purposes can create complications in deals that include rollover equity, why founders who avoided C corp status to preserve early pass-through losses often give up far more in QSBS savings than they ever gained, and how structuring payouts over time can both spread the tax bill across lower-bracket years and give sellers leverage to negotiate a higher total price. For anyone building a business with any intention of eventually selling, this episode makes one thing clear: the time to think about these questions is years before you have a buyer at the table. FOR MORE ON ALEX LOPEZ, CPA: Website: AlexLopezCPA.com FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today! Episode Highlights with Timestamps [00:00] - Introduction: Alex Lopez's background in CFO services and tax minimization [02:54] - First deal: selling candy in school and the partner who stole everything [13:48] - Using ratios and anecdotes to spot market exuberance before it corrects [21:31] - Finding hidden value and why a buyer's motivation is negotiating leverage [28:45] - Why tax planning needs to start before there is a deal on the table [32:13] - Structuring payouts over time to spread the tax bill and negotiate better terms [44:13] - The seller whose insistence on cash pointed to a white collar conviction[49:37] - What freedom means: being oneself and at peace with one's surroundings Guest Bio: Alex Lopez, CPA is passionate about helping business owners scale, increase profits, and minimize taxes. With over 12 years of experience working at global accounting and consulting firms and in corporate America, Alex runs a CPA firm specializing in CFO services and tax minimization strategy. He works primarily with entrepreneurs in professional services, tech, and real estate. Alex grew up in Medellin, Colombia and came to the United States in 1999, getting his real estate license straight out of high school before the 2008 financial crisis redirected him toward accounting. That combination of early deal experience and deep technical expertise informs how he advises clients on both the financial and structural dimensions of their transactions. Related Episodes:Episode 350 - Tom Dillon: Business Valuation and Exit Planning Realities: Understand how valuation works in practice and what drives the gap between what owners expect and what the market will pay.Episode 330 - Pete Mohr: Building Enterprise Value and Exit Readiness: Learn how operational decisions made years before a sale determine what a business is actually worth when it goes to market.Episode 339 - Solocast 74: Equitizing Key Employees and Succession Planning Strategies: Explore how entity structure and equity decisions made early shape your options when it is time to exit.

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HPR4658: Audio Revisited

Hacker Public Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2026

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. 01 Introduction This is a follow up to my 4 part series on simple podcasting. In this episode I will discuss a number of experiments with audio filtering. These experiments were inspired by comments by listeners and by other discussions about audio on HPR. I am not an audio expert, so I am doing this partly in order to learn something, but mainly in order to have a bit of fun. I hope that you find this entertaining as well. In a comment on the first episode a listener mentioned something called Solocast and said that the method bore a resemblance to the method that I was using. Here is his comment -------------------- 02 Comment #3 posted on 2026-04-03 07:49:58 by Reto It reminds me about Solocast Hi Whiskeyjack, I really liked your podcast and the topic. I cannot remember about your last, but the sound quality of this one was good on my mobile speakers :) The concept reminded me about the program from Norrist (another host on HPR), while similar does it have some differences HPR 3496 https://hackerpublicradio.org/eps.php?id=3496 As I am not on the future feed, I look forward to your next episode. Cheers, Reto -------------------- 03 End of comment. I did not recall having heard the episode on Solocast, but this sounded very interesting. Solocast was in HPR episode 3496 and was released by norrist on the 27th of December 2021. I listened to that episode and does indeed use use the same basic concept of recording short segments of audio and combining them later instead of creating one big recording and editing it with an audio editor. 04 The main difference is that the work flow that I described involves a lot of manual steps, while Solocast is a short Python program that automates the entire process of presenting your script, recording the segments, combining the segments, and filtering and normalizing the result. I won't try to describe Solocast in detail, instead I would recommend just listening to HPR episode 3496 to get norrist's explanation directly. -------------------- 05 While I wanted to make sure that I credited norrist with having come up with this concept four years before I did, this won't be the focus of this episode. Instead I will talk about audio filtering and various experiments that I ran on several different methods. 06 While looking at the source code for Solocast I noticed that it used a filtering method that resembled one used by Jivetalk, a podcast production program that caught the attention of one of the HPR community news presenters. This method involves taking a sample of quiet audio where there is no speaking taking place, and then using this as input to a noise reduction filter which is applied to the voice recording. The filter subtracts the quiet sample from the voice audio, which should theoretically remove the ambient noise. 07 I decided to apply this method to a number of different audio test recordings which were recorded under different circumstances using different hardware. In this way I could see if the method worked equally well under all circumstances or if there were some sorts of noise which it was suited to and some sorts that were not. 08 While I was at it, I also picked several other filter methods to see how they worked as well. Potentially, some methods may be better under some conditions while other methods were better suited to others. -------------------- 09 I won't present all of my experiments, as that would be a bit dull to listen to. Instead I will describe each method and then present audio samples which illustrate my conclusions. There are two pieces of audio software involved, both of which were also used in my series on simple podcasting. 10 The first is Sox, spelled s o x , and which is short for Sound Exchange. Sox is a command line program for audio manipulation. Sox is Free Software, released under the GPLv2 or later. The other is FFMPEG, which is also a command line program. FFMPEG is also Free Software, released under the LGPL V 2.1 or later, and GPL v 2 or later. Sox actually uses FFMPEG for certain operations. -------------------- 11 Audio Hardware For recording hardware I used the following. 12 Maxwell Headset The first is a cheap Maxwell headset that has an electrical noise problem. Unfortunately I don't have a model number for this headset. I described this hardware, the noise problems that I had with it, and how I created filters to deal with the noise in my series on simple podcasting. Briefly though, this is a headset that has a build in microphone on a boom which allows the microphone to be positioned close to the mouth. It connects with a USB cable. 13 Borne Earpiece and In-line Microphone This is a set of earplugs that go in your ears and connected by wires and a very small microphone built into a small bulge in the cable. It connects using a 3.5mm jack. The model number seems to be BUD250-BL. 14 XTrike Headset This is a gaming headset similar to the Maxwell headset described above. The model number is GH-510 It uses a USB connection. 15 Yanmai Condenser Microphone This is a microphone that comes with a small tripod stand. The model number is SF-910 It uses a 3.5mm audio jack. -------------------- 16 This is not a review of the hardware. Rather, I was trying to create audio problems so that I could test ways to fix them. Therefore, do not take the above list as a recommendation of what to buy. However, you can see that I am not using any expensive audio hardware. If you want to make an HPR podcast, you do not need professional level hardware. -------------------- 17 Audio Samples The audio samples are as follows 18 Quiet This was recorded in a quiet environment at my desk. This is my normal podcasting environment and represents optimal conditions. The main reason for this method is to see how the various filter methods perform when dealing with the electrical noise from the Maxwell headset. 19 Small fan This is a small USB powered table fan approximately 10 cm in diameter. It was located roughly 40 cm or less to the left of the microphone, although this varies depending on the microphone. 20 Traffic This was along a busy street with traffic noise in the background. -------------------- 21 Filter Methods Sox noisered Filter with Audio Profile This method uses the Sox noisered filter. Here is a brief quote from the Sox documentation on this filter. Quote Reduce noise in the audio signal by profiling and filtering. This effect is moderately effective at removing consistent background noise such as hiss or hum. To use it, first run SoX with the noiseprof effect on a section of audio that ideally would contain silence but in fact contains noise - such sections are typically found at the beginning or the end of a recording. End of quote For these tests I recorded a separate noise profile to go with each test. -------------------- 22 Basic Manual Filter This is a basic high and low pass filter pair based on the work I had done in my previous series on simple podcasting. However, based on the tests that I have done for this episode, I decided to get a bit more aggressive in terms of filtering. I use a high pass filter of 120 Hz, and low pass filter of 8 kHz. The each filter is then applied twice to increase its effect. I also added band reject filters to deal specifically with 50 and 60 Hz line noise. -------------------- 23 Complex Manual Filter This uses the manually constructed filter described in my series on simple podcasting. This uses the basic manual filter plus a series of custom bandreject filters to fix specific noise problems with the Maxwell headset. -------------------- 24 FFMPEG afftdn Filter The documentation describes this as "Denoise audio samples with FFT." -------------------- 25 FFMPEG arnndn Filter The documentation describes this as "Reduce noise from speech using Recurrent Neural Networks." -------------------- 26 FFMPEG agate Filter I will pronounce this as "agate" for convenience. The documentation describes this as "A gate is mainly used to reduce lower parts of a signal. This kind of signal processing reduces disturbing noise between useful signals." -------------------- 27 Method The experimental method used was to take each noise sample and apply the different filter methods to it. Where there are parameters which can be adjusted, a script was used to generate a series of different sample files with different parameter values. Not all possible parameters were experimented with, as the goal is to see which method produces what sorts of results under different circumstances, not to get the best possible result for the samples that I happen to have. The method in each case was as follows 28 Step 1 Convert the audio file to FLAC if it is not already in that format. 29 Step 2 Apply a basic high and low pass filter described previously to each sample. The reason for this basic filtering is that it eliminates at least some undesired noise in a fairly fool proof manner, leaving less for the more advanced filter to deal with. This should allow for a better test of the filter under realistic conditions. 30 Step 3 Apply the noise reduction filter being tested. 31 Step 4 Normalize the filtered sample to 17 LUFS according to the EBU R128 standard. The EBU standard is described in my series on simple podcasting. Normalizing adjusts the audio signal to a desired loudness level. This allows for more more consistent sound levels and allows us to hear the results under realistic conditions. I normalize the audio individually for each sample as different recording hardware requires different amounts of loudness adjustment. This is different from the typical podcast process where normalizing takes place as the very last step in the process, but it was necessary in this case. 32 Step 5 Concatenate selected sample audio files to one another to allow for better review and comparing. -------------------- 33 Results The results are grouped according to the type of noise which is being mitigated. This allows for easier comparison of the effectiveness of each technique under different circumstances. I have only picked a few examples of interest out of the numerous experiments that I conducted. -------------------- 34 Quiet Recording Environment with Maxwell Headset This compares how well the various filtering methods work on the noise induced by the electronics in the Maxwell headset. This electronic noise consisted of a noise spike every 1 kHz. This should be representative of electronic noise caused by problems in recording hardware. 35 Manual Filter The manual filter applied a narrow band reject filter every 1 kHz from 1 kHz to 12 kHz. This completely removed the otherwise audible whine caused by the noise. 36 FFMPEG afftdn This method allows for setting a noise floor and then specifying how much the noise floor should be reduced by. The method is very sensitive to getting the noise floor correct for that recording. Set the floor too low and nothing happens. Set it too high, and some distortion results. However it seemed to be moderately effective, but it would seem to require checking it and possibly adjusting it each time it is used. 37 FFMPEG agate This method allows setting a noise floor and then suppressing all sound which falls below that level. This method is very sensitive to getting the noise floor correct for that recording. If set too low (or quiet), it is ineffective. If set too high (or loud), it distorts words which come after a pause, which would typically be between sentences. 38 When set correctly, it completely removes noise in the silences between sentences. However, the noise is still audible during speech. This is because the noise in this case is a higher frequency than normal speech, and so stands out more. It may not be a significant problem for noise which is closer to the main vocal frequency band. Overall, this method is not suitable for this particular problem. 39 FFMPEG arnndn This method used the standard model. A variety of different noise reduction models are available. I only tested it with one, std.rnnn It does not seem to introduce much distortion in the voice signal even with a high amount of mix parameter. 40 However, it is only slightly effective at removing the whine from the signal, even with a high amount of mix parameter. Overall, this method does not appear to be useful for this sort of noise problem. 41 Sox noisered Filter This was effective in removing noise between words, but noise can be heard while words are being spoken. It was better than agate however. 42 Overall Conclusion for the Maxwell Headset Noise When dealing with narrow noise bands that occur at known frequencies, the manual filter is leagues ahead of any of the other tested alternatives. 43 Sample Audio Here is a sample audio recording showing the best overall results The sample is repeated, first with only basic low and high pass filtering, and then with the manually constructed filtering. In the first sample you should hear a high pitched background whine. In the second sample, the high pitched whine is completely removed. 44 (Audio sample inserted here.) -------------------- 45 Traffic Noise This was recorded using the Borne in-line microphone connected to a mobile phone while walking along beside a busy street. This was in dry cool spring weather, and the road was paved with asphalt. This should be reasonably representative of podcasting while walking outdoors in a noisy environment. 46 Basic Manual Filter This used the basic manual filter with high and low pass filters. This did nothing very useful in this case as the signal was already filtered within those limits by the recording hardware anyway. The low sample rate of 8 kHz in the phone limited the upper frequency to 4 kHz. Recall that the sample rate has to be twice the highest frequency that you want to detect. Overall, this is not suitable for this sort of problem. 47 FFMPEG afftdn With a high noise floor, background noise is reduced, but not eliminated. There was not much distortion in the voice. This is only slightly useful for this sort of problem. 48 FFMPEG agate With a high threshhold, background noise is reduced, but not eliminated. There was some distortion in the voice. The background noise could also be heard when speaking, but because the frequency of the background signal was similar to the louder voice signal, it was not as noticeable as it would have been if the two were very different. This is moderately useful for this sort of problem. It may be more useful in situations where the background noise was not quite as loud. 49 FFMPEG arnndn With high amounts of noise reduction, much of the background noise is suppressed, but there is not a lot of distortion in the voice. The background traffic noise is still present, but is significantly less. This offers only a moderate improvement. 50 Sox noisered Filter With small amounts of noise reduction voice is clear but traffic noise is present as a very significant continuous warbling sound in the background. This is no improvement on the original and in fact could be seen as making it worse. With moderate amounts of noise reduction, traffic noise is mostly gone, but there are still various squeaks present. Voice is noticeably distorted. With large amounts of noise reduction, traffic noise is gone but voice is highly distorted. This is moderately useful for this sort of problem, but requires careful adjustment. 51 FFMPEG arnndn Followed by FFMPEG agate This combined two different filters. First, it used arnndn to suppress the background noise to a lower level without much voice distortion. Then it applied the agate filter to suppress the noise levels between words still further. This used the same amount of mix and threshold as was found to be most effective when each of these filters was used on its own. The background noise is almost completely gone while distortion of the voice signal is low. 52 Overall Conclusion for Traffic Noise The arnndn combined with agate filters was the most successful at suppressing background noise while limiting the amount of voice signal distortion. 53 Sample Audio Here is an audio sample for what I felt to be the best overall results, the arnndn filter combined with the agate filter. First is the original audio with basic filtering. This is followed with the same audio after being passed through the arnndn and agate filters. 54 (Insert arnndn plus agate audio sample here) 55 Another Sample Here is a second audio sample showing the Sox noisered profile based filter. I have included this to show how a profile based filter can make things worse if you are not careful how you use it. This repeats the test audio 4 times. The first is with basic filtering only. The second uses low amounts of noise reduction. The third uses moderate amounts of noise reduction. The fourth uses high amounts of noise reduction. 56 (Insert noisered audio sample here) -------------------- 57 Small Fan Noise with Yanmai Microphone This was recorded using the Yanmai condenser microphone. A small fan was set up behind and to the left of the microphone. This is intended to represent situations where someone may have a fan or air conditioner running in the background due to hot weather, or has a loud computer fan. 58 A condenser microphone was used for this test as they are more prone to picking up unwanted noise. However, for practical recording purposes, this sort of microphone is unsuitable for this type of environment. 59 Basic Manual Filter This used the basic manual filter with high and low pass filters. This did nothing useful as the fan noise was in the same frequency range as the voice signal. This may be of more help in cases where the noise is below the 120 Hz cut off used in the low pass filter. 60 FFMPEG afftdn With high amounts of noise reduction, much of the background noise is suppressed, but there is some distortion in the voice. The background fan noise is still present, but is significantly less. Overall this is moderately effective. 61 FFMPEG agate This was effective in removing noise between words, but noise can be heard while words are being spoken. However, this was a small voice sample and it is possible that more problems could occur. With less fan noise than was in this sample this technique may work much better. 62 FFMPEG arnndn With high amounts of noise reduction, much of the background noise is suppressed, but there is not a lot of distortion in the voice. The background fan noise is still present, but is significantly less. Overall this was fairly effective. 63 Sox noisered Filter With small amounts of noise reduction voice is clear but fan noise is present as a slight warbling sound in the background. With moderate amounts of noise reduction, fan noise is gone, but voice is somewhat distorted. With large amounts of noise reduction, fan noise is gone but voice is very distorted. 64 In general this method is fairly successful at dealing with this sort of problem. However, there is a trade off between background noise and voice quality. Getting that trade off correct takes experiment and judgment for each specific situation. 65 FFMPEG arnndn Followed by FFMPEG agate This combined two different filters. First, it used arnndn to suppress the background noise to a lower level without much voice distortion. Then it applied the agate filter to suppress the noise levels between words still further. This got rid of virtually all of the background noise between words. If you listen carefully however, there is a slight buzzing sound in the voice signal. 66 Overall Conclusion for Fan Noise with Yanmai Microphone. Of the methods tested, the arnndn followed by agate filter seemed to offer the most improvement for the least effort and least voice distortion. The arnndn filter on its own seemed the next most preferable to me despite leaving some fan noise in the background. 67 Audio Sample Here is an audio sample for what I felt to be the best overall results, the arnndn filter combined with the agate filter. First is the original audio with basic filtering. This is followed with the same audio after being passed through the arnndn and agate filters. 68 (Insert audio sample here) -------------------- 69 Small Fan Noise Recorded with Headset The following is an observation rather than a filtering technique. When a recording was made using the Maxwell headset and listened to on the headset later or with speakers, the fan was virtually inaudible. When the same recording was listened to with the XTrike headset, it was barely audible with careful listening and only identifiable as a fan because I knew it was there. 70 In situations where there is ambient noise, the best noise reduction technique is probably to move the microphone as close to your mouth as possible, although not directly in front of it, and reduce the gain if there is a gain adjustment in the microphone. This will work far better than trying to remove the noise later. If you are recording an HPR episode at a desk, then an inexpensive headset with boom mike may do the job just fine with minimal effort and expense. -------------------- 71 Conclusions I have tested three noise scenarios - Electronic noise in the audio hardware at specific frequencies. Recording outdoors with an inline microphone in a noisy traffic environment. A noisy fan creating background noise in an office. My conclusions on these are as follows. 72 Electronic Noise in the Audio Hardware at Specific Frequencies If you can use Audacity or some other means to find the frequencies which are causing the noise, the best solution, assuming you don't just replace the hardware, is to manually construct filters to remove those specific frequencies. This is the safest solution in terms of only doing what you tell it to and not producing unexpected surprises some time down the road when something changed in the environment. 73 If you are looking for a fairly automatic filtering method, the Sox noisered profile based filter seems to work fairly well. There is an equivalent filter in ffmpeg, but I did not include that in my experiments as it is harder to use in a script because it does not use a separate noise profile file. 74 Recording Outdoors with an Inline Microphone in a Noisy Traffic Environment. In this situation, the FFMPEG arnndn combined with agate filters seem to be the most successful. The Sox noisered filter may work, but at the cost of more distortion in the voice than is seen in the other methods. 75 An inherent problem with any profile based noise reduction method is that if the background noise is not constant, which it seldom is in that sort of environment, the profile may not represent the background noise which is present later on in the recording. This risks adding more distortion in the voice as the profile and later environments diverge. 76 However, for this application a different microphone that provided a better recording would appear to be advisable. A solution which brought the microphone much closer to the mouth and so resulted in a better ratio of voice signal compared to background noise would appear to be necessary, after which the question of what sort of noise reduction to use would need to be re-evaluated. 77 A Noisy Fan Creating Background Noise in an Office. The Sox noisered filter and the FFMPEG arnndn, afftdn, and agate methods all work to some degree. However, they all need correct selection of parameters to achieve the proper results. When I compared all four methods side by side, I found the arnndn combined with the agate filter to be preferable in terms of the trade off between background noise reduction and distortion of the voice signal. The arnndn filter on its own seemed the next most preferable to me despite leaving some fan noise in the background. 78 However, that is a subjective judgment of a specific noise sample when recorded using a specific microphone. Keep in mind though that many listeners will not be listening in an idea environment. They may be doing things where background noise is present rather than in a very quiet room and so may find a small amount of background noise in the recording to be less of a problem than distortion in the voice signal which may make some words harder to understand. 79 When I conducted the same experiment recorded with the XTrike headset I found that arnndn seemed to offer no noticeable improvement. This may be because the amount of audible fan noise was far less with the XTrike headset to begin with. In other words, there is no single best solution here, and you may have to be prepared to try different options to see which one works in your situation. The important thing is to avoid making things worse by applying filtering that is not appropriate for that situation. The best method may be to use a recording method that doesn't pick up the fan noise to begin with. This can include just using a gaming headset with boom mic. 80 I have one final observation on this point regarding headsets. The Maxwell headset has a foam cover over the microphone while the XTrike headset does not. There was some slight audible wind buffeting noise picked up by the XTrike headset that was not observed with the Maxwell. This seemed to cause particular problems with the Sox noisered profile based filter, as this noise was irregular and after filtering would show up as a warbling sound. If you use a headset and plan to use it in conjunction with a fan, it may be advisable to apply some sort of wind cover over it. 81 Combining Complex Filters In several cases I found that combining several complex filters offered better results than using any single one on its own. The basic strategy though is to first use a method which is good at reducing undesirable noise without introducing excessive voice distortion. Then apply a different filter which is good at reducing small levels of background noise to an even lower level while affecting the voice signal as little as possible. This uses the relative strengths of different filter types to compensate for the weaknesses of the other. 82 Different combinations of filters were most effective for different types of problems. I did not try all possible combinations however. Perhaps a further exploration of this would be worth doing in a later podcast. -------------------- 83 Case Study - Noise in Another HPR Episode Audio In the comments to my second episode on Simple Podcasting (which is HPR4618) where I discussed basic filtering, a couple of listeners brought up an interesting point. Antoine mentioned "declicking" in a post. -------------------- Vance replied 84 Antoine, thanks for mentioning the click removal capability in Audacity! While I already knew about its noise removal filter, I wasn't aware it also had click removal. It might have helped me for HPR4637, where some sort of electromagnetic signal was picked up by my microphone/recorder, a Zoom H2 (the tapping sound was *not* present in the room where I recorded). While click removal does seem to distort speech when applied to it (though to my ears, it doesn't sound as weird as when noise removal is done with speech), I could have applied the filter only to the pauses, where the "tapping" is most noticeable. I will consider doing this in the event that I'm not able to eliminate the source of interference in the future, which would be the best way to go. -------------------- 85 End of quote. I found this interesting as it sounded like another audio problem that could be experimented with. I found a sample of the episode which had the clicks and cut a copy of that segment out to experiment with. These sounds are a series of clicks, or "ticks" would be another way to describe them, in the quiet part of the audio between sentences or phrases. 86 Next I used Audacity to study the sound spectrum. I found a massive 60 Hz noise spike. However, my speakers won't reproduce sound that low, and filtering this out didn't reduce the clicks. The clicks turned out to be bursts of noise across the 100 to 800 Hz band, which is right where the main vocal band also is. This makes it difficult to filter based on frequency. The most promising approach would seem to be to filter based on sound level. 87 I tried all of the individual audio filter techniques mentioned in the other experiments above. None produced satisfactory results except for agate, which makes quiet audio quieter. This completely suppressed the clicks. However, when applied to the entire episode it also distorted the start of a few sentences which began with single short syllables. 88 The agate filter has a number of parameters which could be adjusted to try to deal with these cases, although I did not spend the time to do so. Another solution to this distortion problem is to simply not apply the filter to those parts of the audio which are affected. If you record the audio as a series of small individual files, it would be easy enough to filter before concatenating the files together while skipping those files which contain audio which is not suited to this method. Here are the results of the experiments. 89 FFMPEG afftdn This reduces the size of of the ticks, but they are still present. However, they may be reduced to a level which is considered acceptable. 90 FFMPEG agate This was very effective in removing ticks with the right parameters. However, it can introduce some voice distortion in the form of cutting out the start of a few sentences which began with single short syllables. This can be corrected with a very short "attack" parameter to turn off the filter when it detects sound above a set threshhold. 91 FFMPEG arnndn This was relatively ineffective. 92 Sox noisered This was effective in removing the sounds between phrases. However, it introduces some distortion in the voice signal. 93 I also tried combining filters. FFMPEG afftdn Followed by agate This combined two different filters. First, it used afftdn to suppress the background noise to a lower level without much voice distortion. Then it applied the agate filter to suppress the noise levels between words still further. This got rid of virtually all of the background noise between words. 94 Here is a short audio sample from HPR4637. First is the unfiltered audio. Second is the filtered audio using the combined afftdn plus agate filters. Since the "clicks" are very quiet, you may not hear them unless you are in quiet environment. Quite a few listeners would probably not be aware of the perceived audio problem in this episode if it had not been discussed here. None the less, it makes for an interesting experiment. Here it is: 95 (Insert sample audio here) 96 Overall Conclusion for Noise "Ticks" The afftdn combined with agate filters seemed to offer the best overall results when used with the right parameters. However, the author, Vance, speaks very clearly and evenly, and so his voice is ideally suited for use with this filter. Another author's voice may not be as suited to this filter. 97 The Sox noisered profile based filter offers various degrees of trade off between suppressing noise and distorting the voice signal. As to whether this is an acceptable trade off depends on the particular voice in question and how easily understood it is under normal circumstances with out additional distortion. The afftdn filter may be a fairly safe filter to use on its own while producing acceptable if not perfect output. -------------------- 98 Overall Conclusions I have presented only a few of the experiments that I conducted. My overall conclusion after all of this is that there is no universal audio filtering method that works best in all circumstances. There are instead a number of tools in the toolbox, and picking the right one for the job takes a bit of trial and error. 99 However, if you have a repeatable recording environment, then once you have decided what tool you need you should create a script for it so you can have a repeatable processing setup. These conclusions apply to voice podcasting. Music has a different set of criteria and techniques that work well with basic voice podcasting may produce poor results when applied to music which has a broader range of frequency and just as importantly, a broad range of loudness. 100 If you are used to using filters and effects in Audacity, many of the settings on those correspond to arguments in the command line version of ffmpeg. It is worth learning how to use ffmpeg directly to automate your recording process. 101 The experiments that I conducted were greatly assisted by writing scripts which created multiple versions of audio files with different settings, thereby allowing me to try many different alternatives relatively easily. It also allowed me to concatenate different audio samples into a single audio file and so listen to different versions in quick succession, making subjective listening judgments more reliable. 102 It is important to keep in mind in all this that I am playing with audio filtering mainly to have fun. It is not necessary to do any of this if you think your podcast episode sounds just fine without it. So, don't let any of what I have talked about in all this discourage you from simply recording a podcast and sending it in as is. I will include copies of the filters I have described here in the show notes. -------------------- 103 Related Matters Hardware Characterization Using Audio Signals I found it useful to characterize the hardware that I had in order to understand its limitations better before starting the experiments. This involved playing a signal out through a set of speakers and then recording it through a microphone. 104 I used two types of signal for this. One is type of signal is known as a "chirp" signal. This is a sine wave that steadily increases in frequency as it sweeps across the audio spectrum. The standard audio range is 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but for my purposes I limited the upper frequency to 15 kHz to save time as anything beyond that is not very useful for voice podcasts. 105 By recording the chirp signal with a microphone and analyzing it with a Fourier transform, I could quickly see what each device was capable of. See my previous series on simple podcasting for an explanation of what a Fourier transform is and what software to use to see the results of it. Here is a chirp signal. 106 (Insert Audio Sample Here) 107 In addition to a chirp signal, I also used a series of simple tones of specific frequencies. By using these tones of known frequency I could gain an understanding of the limitations of my speakers and headphones, and just as importantly, my own ears. By understanding these limitations I was able to narrow the range of frequencies that I need to deal with quite considerably and set the high and low pass filters accordingly. These tones are a series of flac files generated with ffmpeg. 108 Here is a a sample audio tone at a 2 kHz frequency. 109 (Insert Audio Sample Here) 110 Copies of the script to create the chirp signal and the tones are in the show notes. -------------------- 111 A "Not a Review" of some of the Hardware that I Used I said that I would not do a review of the hardware that I used. However, some of it deserves mention for either how good or bad it was. I will record each section using the hardware being described. 112 Maxwell Headset This is my original recording hardware. This is a headset with boom mic and USB connection. There is no model number on it, so I don't know the model. This probably cost somewhere between 10 and 25 dollars. The earpieces sit on the ears and do not fully enclose them. This makes it light weight and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. It has a problem however with electronic noise consisting of a noise spike every 1 kHz. I was able to fix this with a series of filters using FFMPEG. Fixing this problem is what got me started in understanding audio. I will probably continue to use this headset to make podcasts. 113 XTrike Headset, Model GH-510 This is also a headset with boom mic and USB connection. I purchased this headset for the purposes of experimentation for this podcast episode. It cost $12.88. I found it to be surprisingly good for the price. It has fully enclosed ear pieces however, which may make it uncomfortable to wear in hot weather. I may try doing some of my future podcasting using this headset. 114 Borne Earpiece and In-line Microphone This is a set of earplugs that go in your ears and connected by wires and a very small microphone built into a small bulge in the cable. It connects using a 3.5mm jack. The model number seems to be BUD250-BL. It cost approximately $3.00. I bought several sets of these and use them for listening to podcasts from an MP3 player. The ear pieces are pretty good for listening with. The microphone works reasonably well when used in a quiet location. It is less good when in a noisy environment. It is very important however to secure the microphone to your lapel or other location reasonably near your mouth and to point the microphone (that is the small hole) outwards and not simply let it dangle freely. If you let it just hang, you will get poor quality and inconsistent audio. 115 Yanmai Condenser Microphone, Model SF-910 I purchased this microphone for the purposes of experimentation for this podcast episode. It cost $3.88. As it is a condenser microphone, it is prone to picking up background noise more and as such is probably not a good choice for podcasting by single person sitting at a desk. However, it is none the less a surprisingly good microphone for surprisingly little money. 116 iCan USB Microphone, Model M-306 I purchased this microphone for the purposes of experimentation for this podcast episode. This has a USB connection. This was also relatively inexpensive at $7.99, or roughly twice the price of the Yanmai microphone. Unlike the Yanmai however, it is absolutely wretched. There was such a high degree of distortion when recording through it that I found I could not use it in the fan experiments which I had bought it for. I ended up buying the Yanmai microphone for that instead. -------------------- 117 Easy Effects Software The techniques described so far all involve recording audio files and then processing them later to produce the desired result. This is probably the simplest and most straightforward way of doing things if you are making a typical podcast. However, there may be instances where you want to apply filtering or other effects on the "live" signal immediately and not after the fact. 118 There is audio software which can hook into your computer's audio system and do this with a live signal. For Linux, there is a package called "Easy Effects". This is Free Software and comes under a GPL V3 or later license. I installed it from the Debian repository under Ubuntu 24.04. 119 You can create various filters and even chain them together to combine them. I played with it a bit but do not know enough about it to discuss it seriously at this time. However, I thought it would be worth mentioning for the sake of those who may wish to try it out themselves. -------------------- 120 Episode Conclusion After having had some fun with audio and listening to other HPR members talk about audio, I thought I would have some more fun by playing with noise reduction filters. I have no intention of becoming an audio professional, but by doing some experiments I learned a few things and had some fun doing it. I hope that the rest of you found this interest as well. I will see you all again later in another episode of Hacker Public Radio. -------------------- Scripts Basic Filter This shows basic high and low pass filters ( 120 Hz and 8 kHz respectively) and band reject filters for 50 and 60 Hz. # The high and low pass filters. hlpfil="highpass=f=120, highpass=f=120, lowpass=f=8000, lowpass=f=8000" # Band reject filters filter for 60Hz and another for 50Hz. linefil="bandreject=f=60:width_type=h:w=20, bandreject=f=50:width_type=h:w=20" # Filter using ffmpeg. ffmpeg -i inputfile.flac -af "$hlpfil, $linefil" outputname.flac # ====================================================================== afftdn Filter # noisefloor should be between 20 and 80. noisefloor=$1 # Run the noise reduction. ffmpeg -i testrec-filtered.flac -af "afftdn=nr=10:nf=-""$noisefloor" tmptestrec.flac # ====================================================================== agate Filter # threshold shoud be between 10 and 80. threshold=$1 # Run the noise reduction. ffmpeg -i testrec-filtered.flac -af "agate=threshold=-"$threshold"dB:range=-60dB" tmptestrec.flac # ====================================================================== arnndn Filter # mix should be between 0 and 1. mix=$1 # Run the noise reduction. ffmpeg -i testrec-filtered.flac -af 'arnndn=model=std.rnnn:mix='"$mix" tmptestrec.flac # ====================================================================== sox noisered Filter # Generate the noise profile from a sample of background noise. sox silencefiltered.flac -n noiseprof noise.prof # nramount shoudl be between 0 and 1 sox testrec-filtered.flac noiseout-testrec.flac noisered noise.prof "$nramount" # ====================================================================== Manual Filter for Maxwell Headset Noise # Create a series of band reject filters, from 1 kHz to 11 kHz. ftemplate="bandreject=f=%s000:width_type=h:w=100" kilospikefil=$( seq 1 11 | xargs printf "$ftemplate," ) # Using ffmpeg ffmpeg -i testrec-filtered.flac -af "$kilospikefil" tmptestrec.flac # ====================================================================== Create a "chirp" signal # Start frequency. f0=20 # End frequency. f1=15000 # Duration of signal. duration=10 ffmpeg -f lavfi -i "aevalsrc=sin(2 * PI * (0.5 * ($f1 - $f0)/$duration * t^2 + ($f0 * t))):s=44100:d=$duration" -c:a flac -af "aformat=sample_fmts=s16" chirp.flac # ====================================================================== Generate Audio Tones toneout () { printf -v freqval "%05d" $1 ffmpeg -f lavfi -i "sine=frequency=$freqval:duration=3" tmptone.flac # Normalize ffmpeg -i tmptone.flac -af loudnorm=I=-17:TP=-2.0:LRA=4.0 -ar 44.1k -sample_fmt s16 tone$freqval.flac rm tmptone.flac } # List of frequencies in hertz. freqlist="50 60 100 120 130 140 150 160 170 200 500 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000" for freq in $( echo $freqlist ); do toneout $freq done # ====================================================================== Provide feedback on this episode.

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Profit First Chat: How to Work with Your CPA to Get the Best Results From Them | Solocast E23

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2026 5:57

In this solo episode, David Richter breaks down why so many real estate investors and business owners feel like their CPA isn't delivering, and why the problem usually starts long before tax season. The real issue isn't your accountant — it's the quality of the books, the communication process, and whether you have anyone connecting the dots between your bookkeeper, your CPA, and your actual financial goals. If you're tired of surprise tax bills, slow response times, and feeling like you're always paying backwards, this episode gives you the framework to fix all three.Timeline Highlights[0:26] The real reason most people are frustrated with their CPA — and why the first question to ask is whether you actually gave them what they needed[0:46] The three financial statements your CPA needs to do their job well: a clean profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statement[1:08] Why communication process matters just as much as clean books — and what to establish with your accountant before tax season hits[1:46] Three ways to know your books are actually accurate: self-education, hiring a fractional CFO to oversee your bookkeeper, or having your CPA periodically review the books throughout the year[2:45] How a CPA uses your books inside professional tax software to find every legitimate deduction and minimize what you owe[3:16] Why keeping books current throughout the year allows your CPA to give you forward-looking tax estimates instead of just reacting to last year's numbers[3:39] How Profit First's dedicated tax bank account lets you pay quarterly tax estimates without touching operating expenses or owner pay[4:16] What to clarify upfront with your CPA: turnaround times on emails, how many calls are included, and what it costs to get more access[4:51] How a fractional CFO acts as the connective tissue between your bookkeeper and your CPA — managing both relationships and helping you actually implement tax strategy[5:14] Closing call to action: visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery callKey TakeawaysClean books are the foundation of everything. Your CPA can only minimize your tax liability with accurate numbers. If the profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statement aren't in order, no amount of tax strategy will close the gap.Don't wait until April to talk to your accountant. When books are maintained throughout the year, your CPA can give you real-time tax estimates so you're paying quarterly and planning ahead — not scrambling when the bill arrives.Establish your communication expectations upfront. How fast do they respond to emails? How many calls are included? What does it cost to get more access? Knowing this before you need it saves a lot of frustration later.A Profit First tax account removes the guesswork from quarterly payments. Setting aside tax money throughout the year from a dedicated account means you're never raiding operations or owner pay to cover a surprise bill.A fractional CFO is the missing layer between your bookkeeper and your CPA. They keep the books clean, manage the CPA relationship, and make sure the tax strategy your accountant recommends actually gets implemented in your business.Most CPA frustrations are a systems problem, not a people problem. When the right infrastructure — accurate bookkeeping, clear communication, and financial leadership — is in place, your CPA can do their best work.Links & ResourcesSimple CFO — simplecfo.comProfit First for Real Estate Investors — profitrei.com (free financial discovery call)ClosingIf this episode gave you a clearer picture of what it actually takes to get the most out of your CPA relationship, pass it along to a fellow investor who's still blaming their accountant for a problem that starts with the books. Subscribe to the Profit First for Real Estate Investors podcast so you never miss a solo episode, and if you're ready to put a real system around your finances, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call.

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Why ACL Rehab Often Falls Short a Solocast

TILT Parenting: Raising Differently Wired Kids

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 20:42

Send us Fan MailOne of the biggest mistakes in ACL rehab is thinking that “return to play” means “return to performance.”Last week in Ottawa, I spent time with Matt Jordan diving into the use of force deck data, asymmetries, compensations, and how athletes often return to sport while still carrying significant movement adaptations underneath the surface.That's the challenge with ACL injuries. The knee is never truly “normal” again. There is a lasting proprioceptive change that athletes need to continue training and reconnecting to long after the rehab process appears complete.What I've seen over decades in sport is that unresolved compensations often become:• recurrent knee injuries• opposite side ACL tears• SI joint irritation• hip tightness• low back pain• movement inefficiency up the entire chainIn this EP, I spend some time just talking about some of the things we need to think about as practitioners if we want to create better outcomes.Enjoy!If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

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TPP 301a: Navigating Big Life Transitions with Differently Wired Children (a Solocast)

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2026 32:28

Our family has gone through our fair share of big changes, which you'll hear all about in this episode, so this is something that I've spent a lot of time thinking about. Especially as a parent of a differently wired kid, I know that there are some extra challenges that might come up when their routines, environment, life circumstances, or supports change, and our kids are also more likely to be resistant to changes (even if they are beneficial). So today I'll be sharing the strategies I've personally found helpful while going through big transitions with Asher. In this episode, I talk about key things such as why being honest when communicating with your kid is so important to help them understand and process change, how being vulnerable can be a way to show support, how to validate our kids' feelings about the changes or transitions, and how to identify their concerns so you can make plans to address them in advance. I also share about what adjustment disorder is and the kind of extra support you might need during transitions. What You'll Learn in this Episode The benefits and growth that can come from navigating big changes as a family Why honesty is so important when communicating with your child about big changes What to share versus what not to share with your child about the transitions you go through How to validate the big emotions and thoughts that big transitions can bring up in your child The importance of doing your own work as a parent to be able to support our kids during transitions What adjustment disorder is and the extra support you might need to help your child through one How being vulnerable with your kids can be really supportive for them Identifying the concerns that our kids have and coming up with plans to address them in advance Creating new routines to create security for our kids during big transitions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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SOLOCAST: Top 5 Biggest Blocks to Better Body Composition

Inside Out Health with Coach Tara Garrison

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2026 56:40

In this episode, Tara breaks down the top five hidden blocks to better body composition—low deep sleep and under‑recovery, poor insulin sensitivity, not enough muscle, overeating "healthy" fats, and the "I come last" mindset—plus practical fixes you can start using right away. RESOURCES: Learn more about Tara here: http://taragarrison.com Instagram: @coachtaragarrison @higher.coaching Get 10% off Peluva minimalist shoe with coupon code COACHTARA here: http://peluva.com/coachtara CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Solo intro: 5 biggest body comp blocks 00:45 – Sponsor: Peluva minimalist shoe ad 02:31 – Block #1: Under‑recovery and low deep sleep 07:00 – Fixing deep sleep: stress, nervous system, rituals 12:04 – Sleep environment: cool, dark, quiet room tweaks 13:31 – Night wakings, blood sugar drops, CGM insights 15:37 – Perimenopause, HRT and better sleep 21:40 – Block #2: Insulin resistance and labs that matter 27:33 – Fasting insulin ranges and getting more sensitive 34:23 – Block #3: Not enough muscle mass (why it matters) 41:31 – How to actually build more muscle and recover 41:57 – Block #4: "Eating healthy" but way too much fat 49:28 – Block #5: "I come last" mindset and boundaries 51:51 – Missing piece: fun, joy, play as real health WORK WITH TARA: Are You Looking for Help on Your Wellness Journey? Here's how Tara can help you: TRY TARA'S APP FOR FREE: http://taragarrison.com/app INDIVIDUAL ONLINE COACHING: https://www.taragarrison.com/work-with-me CHECK OUT HIGHER RETREATS: https://www.taragarrison.com/retreats SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram @coachtaragarrison TikTok @coachtaragarrison Facebook @coachtaragarrison Pinterest @coachtaragarrison INSIDE OUT HEALTH PODCAST SPECIAL OFFERS: ☑️ Upgraded Formulas Hair Test Kit Special Offer: https://bit.ly/3YdMn4Z ☑️ Upgraded Formulas - Get 15% OFF Everything with Coupon Code INSIDEOUT15: https://upgradedformulas.com/INSIDEOUT15 ☑️ Rep Provisions: Vote for the future of food with your dollar! And enjoy a 15% discount while you're at it with Coupon Code COACHTARA: https://bit.ly/3dD4ZSv

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Profit First Chat: Identifying Hidden Cash Drains in Your Business | Solocast E22

marketing personal real hidden identifying cutting scaling cfo profitable unnecessary profit first drains solocast replaceable

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2026 12:18

Most business owners chase more deals, more leads, and more revenue — convinced that volume is the answer to keeping more money. But as a fractional CFO who has worked with hundreds of businesses, the host knows firsthand what it feels like to scale to 25 deals a month and still bleed cash.This solo episode breaks down the exact system he uses to identify and eliminate hidden cash drains in any business. If you're a real estate investor or entrepreneur who keeps making more but somehow keeping less, this one is for you.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why making more does not equal keeping more, and the mindset shift every business owner needs[1:19] Personal story: scaling to 25 deals a month while spending more than the business brought in[1:57] The two biggest cash drains that take companies down — marketing spend and payroll[2:33] The 35% payroll threshold and what to do when you've crossed it[3:20] Why having 25 staff members felt like success but was quietly killing the business[4:00] The quarterly expense audit: why just one to two hours can put thousands back in your pocket[4:53] A simple net profit math example showing why cutting $200 beats chasing $10,000 in new revenue[5:40] Why the best approach attacks both sides: making more and keeping more[6:31] Introducing the PRU exercise and how to run it using three months of bank statements[7:12] How to label every expense: Profitable, Replaceable, or Unnecessary[8:48] The unnecessary category: forgotten subscriptions, unused domains, and costs you forgot you had[9:25] Start with just one month if three feels overwhelming — most owners find thousands on the first pass[10:11] Why the host calls this the $1,000 per hour exercise and how often to run it[11:04] How to handle staff in the PRU process — including what to do with your best performers[11:22] Real results from fractional CFO work: from $1,000 to $50,000 cut per monthKey TakeawaysMore revenue does not automatically mean more profit. Scaling deal volume without controlling expenses can leave you spending more than you make — as the host learned firsthand when 25 deals a month still wasn't enough to stay ahead of costs.Marketing and payroll are the two expenses most likely to sink a business. Marketing needs a measurable return on investment, and payroll should stay under 35% of revenue before you consider adding headcount.The PRU exercise turns expense reviews into a system. Label every expense as Profitable, Replaceable, or Unnecessary using three months of bank statements, and you'll quickly find costs that have no business being there.Cutting expenses delivers returns that new revenue can't match at thin margins. At a 10% net profit margin, eliminating $200 in monthly costs is the equivalent of adding $2,000 in new revenue.One to two hours per quarter is enough to run a lean business. Doing the PRU exercise consistently — even starting with just one month — can realistically put $12,000 or more back into your pocket over the course of a year.Links & Resources• Schedule a free discovery call — profitrei.comClosingIf this episode helped you see where your cash might be quietly disappearing, share it with a business owner who needs to hear it. The PRU exercise alone could be worth thousands this quarter. Subscribe and leave a review, and visit profitrei.com to schedule your free discovery call.

EP 97: The Enhanced Games Solocast

Swim Bros Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2026 26:56

The Enhanced Games officially entered the sports CHAT! Whether you agree with the concept or not, it raised questions Olympic sports can no longer ignore.In this solo episode of the Swim Bros Podcast, Grant House shares a neutral, thoughtful reaction to the first Enhanced Games event and why it may matter for the future of athlete compensation, professional swimming, Olympic sports, fan engagement, and competition models.This is not a full debate episode. It is a starting point.Grant breaks down why the Enhanced Games captured attention, what it reveals about gaps in the Olympic system, and how alternative events may force traditional sports organizations to think differently about athlete visibility, prize money, media, and long-term career opportunities.This episode sets the table for a bigger future conversation on anti-doping, performance enhancement, athlete rights, NIL, sports business, and the future of professional sport.

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Ep. 452: Membrane Sweeps, Bishop Scores & Advocating at Prenatal Visits Solocast with HeHe stewart (Reair of Ep. 268)

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 20:18 Transcription Available

Inside The Birth Lounge Membership, HeHe recently taught a live deep dive on these exact topics—and new members get instant access to the replay library packed with evidence-based birth education and advocacy support. In this re-aired episode, HeHe breaks down one of the most common late-pregnancy questions: Should you get a membrane sweep? If you're approaching your due date, feeling pressure about induction, or wondering whether a sweep is actually “natural,” this episode gives you the evidence-based, no-fear explanation you've been looking for. HeHe walks through exactly what a membrane sweep is, how it works, what it feels like, and whether it technically counts as a form of induction. She explains what providers often don't tell parents about success rates, Bishop scores, VBAC safety, prodromal labor, and why going into labor isn't the only way a sweep can still “work.” You'll also learn the potential risks, what informed consent should sound like during prenatal visits, and how to advocate confidently if a provider is pushing interventions you're unsure about. This episode is packed with practical education and real-world advocacy tools to help you make a decision that feels aligned for your body, your birth, and your goals—not just the hospital's timeline.

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Profit First Chat: Using Financial Data to Decide Which Business Segments to Double Down On | Solocast E21

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 11:26

The numbers will tell you what to scale — if you'll actually listen to them. In this episode, David Richter breaks down exactly which financial numbers every real estate investor and entrepreneur should be tracking, why most business owners are solving the wrong problems, and how getting clear on just three simple numbers can make you more financially savvy than 90% of entrepreneurs out there.From cash KPIs to marketing ROI to payroll ratios, this episode gives you a practical, no-fluff framework for using your financial data to make smarter decisions — and stop fighting fires you're accidentally setting yourself.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why most people hate tracking numbers — and why that's costing them[1:08] How your business numbers tell the story of your business like a storybook[2:24] The three numbers every entrepreneur should track first: make, spend, and keep[2:58] How Profit First helps you see all three numbers clearly with the right accounts[3:17] The Golden Trio explained: profit, owner's comp, and owner's tax[4:31] Why knowing these three numbers puts you ahead of 90% of entrepreneurs[4:50] KPI #1: marketing return on investment — the 3–5x rule of thumb[5:45] How your CRM and QuickBooks work together to track marketing ROI by channel[6:40] Why you should be reevaluating every marketing channel every quarter[7:22] Why problem solvers in business are often solving the wrong problems[7:45] If you're constantly fighting fires in your business, you're the arsonist[8:02] KPI #2: payroll as a percentage of gross profit — and the 25–35% rule[8:42] The personal story: how a 65–75% payroll ratio helped take down a 25-person real estate business[9:18] KPI #3: your monthly nut — knowing your full out-the-door expenses every month[9:34] How Simple CFO's expense analysis has helped clients save anywhere from $1K to $50K per month[10:22] When to bring in a fractional CFO to help with marketing, payroll, and expense analysisKey TakeawaysStart with three numbers: what you make, what you spend, and what you keep.The Profit First accounts — income, OpEx, and the Golden Trio — make those three numbers visible at all times.Every marketing channel should be returning at least 3–5x what you're putting in.Payroll should never exceed 25–35% of gross profit — when it creeps past that, red flags follow.Know your monthly nut — the full out-the-door cost of running your business every single month.If you're constantly fighting fires, you're likely solving the wrong problems because you're not looking at the numbers.Financial data doesn't just tell you where to cut — it tells you where to double down.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call to build the financial systems your business needs: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode gave you clarity or a new perspective on which numbers to track and how to use them, be sure to like, subscribe, and comment below. If you're ready to apply what we talked about today with real guidance and accountability, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call and create your path to financial clarity and freedom.

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Profit First Chat: How to Pick the Right Fractional CFO for Your Business | Solocast E20

hiring cfo cpa profit first fractional solocast

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 12:02

Hiring the wrong fractional CFO will cost you more than not hiring one at all. In this episode, David Richter breaks down exactly how to know when you're ready for a fractional CFO, what questions to ask before you hire one, and the secret question most business owners never think to ask that reveals everything about whether someone is actually worth trusting with your finances.Whether you're at $100K and feeling the cash crunch for the first time or already past seven figures and wondering where it all went, this episode gives you a clear framework for finding the right financial leader for your business — and avoiding the wrong one.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why hiring the wrong fractional CFO costs more than hiring none at all[1:03] What a CFO is actually there to help you do — and why your bookkeeper and CPA can't fill that role[1:41] How to know if you're even ready to look for a fractional CFO[2:02] Why the same cash flow problems show up at $100K and $1M+ — and what that tells you[3:06] The scaling trigger: when deals and complexity outgrow your spreadsheet[3:24] What a short-term CFO engagement looks like and who it's built for[4:39] Under $500K: why a short-term engagement beats a long-term one[5:16] Why getting good financial habits early means those habits scale with your business[6:10] Question #1 to ask a fractional CFO: do you work with businesses at my revenue level?[6:33] Question #2: do you have experience in my specific industry?[6:53] Question #3: how many clients have you worked with and what's your track record?[7:33] The secret question: are you part of any masterminds or member communities — and how long?[8:38] Why financial freedom is about what you do with the money once it's in the door[9:33] If you're over $1M in revenue, a fractional CFO is no longer optional[10:59] The revenue roadmap: fractional CFO at $100K+, required at $1M+, consider full-time at $10M+Key TakeawaysHiring the wrong fractional CFO is more costly than not hiring one — know what to look for before you commit.If you're making money but feel broke, a bookkeeper and CPA can't solve that problem — a CFO can.You don't need to be at seven figures to benefit from fractional CFO support — $100K in revenue is a reasonable starting point.Under $500K, look for a short-term engagement to build your financial foundation first.Good financial habits built early scale with your business — bad habits at seven figures are far harder to undo.Ask a fractional CFO about their industry experience, client track record, and how long they've been part of professional communities.The secret question — how long have they been in a mastermind or member group — reveals whether they have a real reputation to protect.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call to find your path to financial clarity and freedom: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode gave you clarity or a new perspective on how to find the right financial partner for your business, be sure to like, subscribe, and comment below. If you're ready to apply what we talked about today with real guidance and accountability, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call and create your path to financial clarity and freedom.

Don't Wait - a Solocast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 29:50

Send us Fan MailIn this solo episode of Leave Your Mark, I reflect on the deeper meaning of action, possibility, and the danger of waiting too long to live the life we know we are capable of living.Inspired by Mother's Day weekend and a walk through old photographs and memories, I explore the reality that most meaningful things in life begin long before we ever feel fully ready. Parenthood, relationships, creative pursuits, career shifts, difficult conversations, and personal reinvention all require us to move before certainty arrives.This episode is a reminder that life is not simply about outcomes or achievements. It is about participation. Exploration. Experience. The joy, heartbreak, frustration, growth, and meaning that come from fully engaging with the opportunities life presents to us.Throughout the conversation, I reflect on the importance of presence, the illusion of “better timing,” and why action itself is often the pathway to clarity and purpose.If you've been hesitating on something important in your life, this episode is for you.Because eventually, time runs out for all of us.The question is:What will you do today?If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

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Solocast: The Pod

Trail Running Women

Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2026 8:12

The future of the podcast :)

solocast

Ep. 448: Epidural Experiences: 3 things that can go wrong with an epidural and How to Manage It solocast with HeHe Stewart

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 51:47 Transcription Available

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe returns from maternity leave and continues the listener-requested deep dives by breaking down what can actually go wrong with an epidural in labor, and more importantly, what you can do about it in real time. After more than a decade working as a doula, HeHe walks through the three most common epidural issues she sees in practice: when the epidural is too dense (meaning overly heavy numbness and limited mobility), when there's a “window” (one specific area that is not fully covered and still feels intense contraction pain), and the rare but stressful situation where an epidural seems to stop working altogether. She explains how each scenario can show up in the body, what communication with anesthesia can sound like, and the practical options available in the moment, including repositioning, using gravity and labor positions strategically, pressing the PCA button when appropriate, requesting medication adjustments or a bolus, and when it may be time for anesthesia to reassess or replace the epidural. Throughout the episode, HeHe emphasizes informed decision-making, calm advocacy, and flexibility in labor so you can respond to what is actually happening in your body instead of feeling stuck or panicked if things don't go exactly as expected. This episode is all about staying grounded, informed, and supported if an epidural needs troubleshooting during birth. SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ BIRTH EDUCATION: Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what's really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy And if you haven't grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/ Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page LINKS MENTIONED: Listen to Episode 404 Epidurals: Pros, Cons & Alternatives with Marissa Mulder of Sassy Anesthesia: https://youtu.be/m8As_lYXkMM?si=dNxuOvG04I8hFOVM

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Profit First Chat: How to Model the Cashflow of Owner-Finance Deals | Solocast E19

Creating The Perfect Experience

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 10:26

In this solo episode of the Profit First for Real Estate Investors podcast, host David Richter breaks down the cash flow realities and hidden risks of owner finance deals — and why going in without a plan can cost you everything.Owner finance can be one of the most powerful strategies in real estate investing, giving you multiple ways to make money on a single deal. But without the right cash projections, bookkeeping systems, and financial team in place, it can just as quickly become a liability. David walks through what you need to model before taking on an owner finance deal, the bookkeeping complexity most investors never see coming, and why Profit First is still the foundation — no matter how creative your deal structure gets.If you're doing owner finance deals or thinking about getting into them, this episode gives you the financial framework to do it right.Episode Highlights[0:34] – Why owner finance can build cash fast — or destroy you without a plan[1:00] – The three ways to make money on an owner finance deal[1:32] – Knowing your cash flow threshold before you ever take a deal[2:07] – The hidden dangers beyond just getting the terms wrong[2:29] – Why slim deals on terms can leave you waiting too long for cash[3:19] – Applying Profit First to owner finance: knowing where every dollar goes[3:40] – The bookkeeping complexity of entering an owner finance transaction in QuickBooks[4:40] – Why one payment can split into five categories depending on how you structured the deal[5:24] – Why your bookkeeper needs to understand owner finance specifically[7:02] – Understanding what's actually yours: deposits, nonrefundable payments, and legal risk[7:18] – How to think through real cash flow after mortgage, taxes, and expenses[7:56] – Balloon payments, phantom taxes, and land contract tax implications[8:30] – Why your financial team needs to understand creative deal structuring[9:03] – Why a cheap overseas bookkeeper can cost you far more than you saved[9:21] – Questions to ask any bookkeeper, CPA, or CFO before hiring them for creative deals5 Key TakeawaysOwner finance gives you multiple profit windows — but only if you model them upfront. Down payment, monthly cash flow, and the back-end payout all need to be planned before you close.Bookkeeping for owner finance is far more complex than a standard rental. One payment can split into five categories depending on how the deal was structured.Profit First still applies. No matter how creative the deal, you need to know what you're making, what you're spending, and what you're keeping.Know what's legally yours. Misclassifying a deposit or nonrefundable payment can expose you to a lawsuit that costs far more than what you took in.Hire for expertise, not price. A bookkeeper who doesn't understand owner finance, land contracts, or creative deal structuring will cost you more in the long run than a specialist.Links & ResourcesHost: David RichterCompany: Simple CFO / Profit First for Real Estate InvestorsWebsite: profitrei.comTopics discussed: Owner finance, seller finance, creative deal structuring, Profit First, cash flow modeling, bookkeeping, land contracts, balloon payments, tax planningClosing RemarkOwner finance is one of the most powerful tools in a real estate investor's arsenal — but it demands financial clarity from day one. David Richter breaks down exactly what you need to model, track, and protect before you take on your next terms deal.If this episode gave you clarity, make sure to like, subscribe, and comment below. And if you're ready to get real guidance on your finances, visit profitreig.com to schedule a free discovery call.

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We Heard Events Are Hot!

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 12:41 Transcription Available

In this episode, Mark Testa explores why the renewed excitement around live events is both an opportunity and a challenge for brands. Budgets are coming back, audiences are gathering again, and the energy around experiential marketing is real—but popularity alone does not make an event effective. In this SoloCast, Mark breaks down six key considerations every event marketer should keep in mind when investing in live experiences, from defining clear objectives to designing moments that create lasting impact.This episode we discuss:Why the current momentum around events does not automatically translate into meaningful results.The importance of starting with clear objectives before investing budget, time, or creative energy.How audience alignment can make or break an event's effectiveness.Why every dollar needs a strategic purpose—and how to avoid spending driven by ego or pressure.The difference between building a setup and designing a true brand experience.How live events should connect to a larger marketing strategy before, during, and after the moment.Why content, amplification, and follow-up are essential to extending the life of an event.How brands can think beyond attendance numbers and measure deeper forms of success.The role of emotion, relevance, and human connection in creating experiences that resonate.What event marketers should consider now as live experiences become a larger part of the marketing mix.Thanks for tuning in. Check us out at: https://www.markstephenagency.com/podcastThanks for tuning in. Check us out at https://www.instagram.com/markstephenagency/

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- solocast - Tribute To Mothers, Control, And Divine Timing

SHOCK & Yâ€™ALL

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 16:47

In this solo episode, I'm talking to my mamas. Mother's Day was already on my mind, and then a random trip to the dog park turned into one of those weirdly perfect divine timing moments that makes you go, “Okay, I see what's happening here.” New mom, tiny baby, French bulldog, lactation consultant from 13 years ago, the whole thing.This episode is about motherhood, surrender, faith, emotional outsourcing and remembering that you do not have to hold every single piece of life together with your bare hands.You are allowed to ask for help. You are allowed to set something down. You are allowed to let God, the universe, your people and your own wisdom meet you where you are.Highlights:(01:51) - Why this Mother's Day episode took an unexpected turn(03:10) - Meeting a brand-new mom at the dog park(07:30) - Why community can absolutely save your ass(09:28) - The prayer that helps you set down what is not yours to carry(11:49) - What emotional outsourcing does to moms(13:09) - How surrender creates space for the right support to show upQualia Mind - click hereCoupon Code: SHOCKANDYALL (15% off any purchase)Visit Nicole's on demand fitness platform for live weekly classes and a recorded library of yoga, strength training, guided audio meditations and mobility (Kinstretch) classes, as well: https://www.sweatandstillness.comGrab Nicole's bestselling children's book and enter your email for A FREE GIFT: https://www.yolkedbook.comFind Nicole on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nicolesciacca/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thenicolesciaccaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolesciaccayoga/Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1X8PPWCQa2werd4unex1eAPractice yoga with Nicole in person in Santa Monica, CA at Aviator Nation Ride. Get the App to book in: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aviator-nation-ride/id1610561929Book a discovery call or virtual assessment with Nicole here: https://www.calendly.com/nicolesciaccaThis Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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240 Solocast - When You Lose Yourself

The Beauty Biz™ Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 30:02

Welcome back to the Beauty Biz Show! In this heartfelt episode, Lori talks about what it's like when you lose yourself as an esthetician. Tune in to hear how you can reset, plus a big announcement about the Beauty Biz Club. " The best leaders don't always push harder." - Lori Crete Learn more about The Beauty Biz Show at https://loricrete.com/when-you-lose-yourself

solocast

HPR4631: HPR Community News for April 2026

Hacker Public Radio

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026

This show has been flagged as Explicit by the host. New hosts There were no new hosts this month. Last Month's Shows Id Day Date Title Host 4608 Wed 2026-04-01 Simple Podcasting - Episode 1 - Preparation and Recording Whiskeyjack 4609 Thu 2026-04-02 Proper Date Format Ahuka 4610 Fri 2026-04-03 Playing Civilization V, Part 10 Ahuka 4611 Mon 2026-04-06 HPR Community News for March 2026 HPR Volunteers 4612 Tue 2026-04-07 Hackerpublic Radio New Years Eve Show 2026 Episode 4 Honkeymagoo 4613 Wed 2026-04-08 Adding functionality to an Odoo installation Jeroen Baten 4614 Thu 2026-04-09 Dauug|18: Faster Than a '286, but Inspectable Like a Soroban Marc W. Abel 4615 Fri 2026-04-10 Clicking through an audit Lee 4616 Mon 2026-04-13 Thoughts about age control and further suggestions Trollercoaster 4617 Tue 2026-04-14 UNIX Curio #4 - Archiving Files Vance 4618 Wed 2026-04-15 Simple Podcasting - Episode 2 - Basic Filtering Whiskeyjack 4619 Thu 2026-04-16 HPR Beer Garden 12 - Baltic Porter Kevie 4620 Fri 2026-04-17 The Second Doctor, Part 1 Ahuka 4621 Mon 2026-04-20 Android volume control help operat0r 4622 Tue 2026-04-21 Hackerpublic Radio New Years Eve Show 2026 Episode 5 Honkeymagoo 4623 Wed 2026-04-22 A brief infodump on the Broadcast Address and Routing Jon The Nice Guy 4624 Thu 2026-04-23 Cheap Yellow Display Project Part 7: GUI Trying a Simple Hello World Trey 4625 Fri 2026-04-24 Site Specific Browsers Lee 4626 Mon 2026-04-27 Cable Management / PC Speakers operat0r 4627 Tue 2026-04-28 UNIX Curio #5 - Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Vance 4628 Wed 2026-04-29 Nuclear Power Technology Follow Up Whiskeyjack 4629 Thu 2026-04-30 What did I do at work today? Part 2 Lee Comments this month Past shows hpr4424 (2025-07-17) "How I use Newsboat for Podcasts and Reddit" by Archer72. Ken Fallon said: "Summary of findings" (2026-04-05 14:09:24) Archer72 said: "Not fixed from أحمد المحمودي" (2026-04-25 11:02:26) hpr4569 (2026-02-05) "Kiosk with guest mode on Linux" by Klaatu. 0xf10e said: "Preconfiguring browsers profiles? and re-replies ;)" (2026-04-17 09:56:49) hpr4585 (2026-02-27) "mpv util scripts" by candycanearter. candycanearter07 said: "perpetually updated script(s)" (2026-04-14 20:41:28) hpr4596 (2026-03-16) "Adding voice-over audio track created using text to speech on the movie subtitles" by Ken Fallon. Windigo said: "Great usability win" (2026-04-24 19:33:03) hpr4600 (2026-03-20) "The First Doctor, Part 5" by Ahuka. Kevin O'Brien said: "Maybe I will" (2026-04-12 16:16:00) hpr4603 (2026-03-25) "On the Erosion of Freedom in Open Source Software" by HopperMCS. Trollercoaster said: "Hopper did time traveling!" (2026-04-09 05:46:52) hpr4605 (2026-03-27) "Lee locks down his wifey poo" by Elsbeth. Lee said: "Quotation" (2026-04-05 15:59:54) Paulj said: "Thanks!" (2026-04-06 16:44:28) hpr4606 (2026-03-30) "My Nerdy Childhood: From Floppy Disks to Dial-Up Dreams" by Trollercoaster. Trollercoaster said: "Damn you Nerdy Nostaliga!" (2026-04-06 15:28:34) This month's shows hpr4608 (2026-04-01) "Simple Podcasting - Episode 1 - Preparation and Recording" by Whiskeyjack. Archer72 said: "Listening ahead" (2026-04-01 10:06:46) Whiskeyjack said: "Reply to Archer72 on HPR4608" (2026-04-01 12:27:46) Reto said: "It reminds me about Solocast" (2026-04-03 07:49:58) Whiskeyjack said: "Response to Reto comment on HPR4608" (2026-04-04 18:19:25) Whiskeyjack said: "Further response to Reto comment on HPR4608" (2026-04-04 22:21:38) hpr4609 (2026-04-02) "Proper Date Format" by Ahuka. Jim DeVore said: "It is the only proper date format" (2026-04-04 14:19:15) candycanearter07 said: "sensical date format" (2026-04-06 09:37:47) hpr4611 (2026-04-06) "HPR Community News for March 2026" by HPR Volunteers. candycanearter07 said: "misattributed comment" (2026-04-06 03:24:30) Ken Fallon said: "Fixed" (2026-04-06 13:50:17) hpr4614 (2026-04-09) "Dauug|18: Faster Than a '286, but Inspectable Like a Soroban" by Marc W. Abel. Jim DeVore said: "Is this the best approach for privacy?" (2026-04-12 03:15:44) candycanearter07 said: "interesting!" (2026-04-13 16:43:22) hpr4616 (2026-04-13) "Thoughts about age control and further suggestions" by Trollercoaster. Antoine said: "'Jus'do the age verification'" (2026-04-20 01:37:33) candycanearter07 said: "good strategy" (2026-04-22 13:24:48) Trollercoaster said: "Looking forward at next steps" (2026-04-25 15:37:22) Antoine said: "Our State. The Invitation." (2026-04-26 23:55:45) hpr4618 (2026-04-15) "Simple Podcasting - Episode 2 - Basic Filtering" by Whiskeyjack. Antoine said: "Applying filters - exp. with declicking - Compression?" (2026-04-20 12:50:09) Whiskeyjack said: "Response to Antoine on de-essing in HPR 4618" (2026-04-22 15:59:57) Vance said: "Click removal" (2026-04-25 14:31:40) Whiskeyjack said: "Reply to Vance in HPR4618 - Click Removal" (2026-04-27 00:48:11) Vance said: "To Whiskeyjack - Click Removal" (2026-04-28 00:43:11) Whiskeyjack said: "Reply to Vance on Click Removal in HPR4618" (2026-04-28 17:16:54) hpr4619 (2026-04-16) "HPR Beer Garden 12 - Baltic Porter" by Kevie. Gan Ainm said: "Störtebeker - again" (2026-04-17 16:37:29) hpr4621 (2026-04-20) "Android volume control help" by operat0r. candycanearter07 said: "intended double entendre?" (2026-04-21 18:58:54) hpr4624 (2026-04-23) "Cheap Yellow Display Project Part 7: GUI Trying a Simple Hello World " by Trey. Ken Fallon said: "Great to hear your success" (2026-04-23 08:36:28) hpr4625 (2026-04-24) "Site Specific Browsers" by Lee. candycanearter07 said: "electron charged opinion" (2026-04-24 03:38:13) hpr4627 (2026-04-28) "UNIX Curio #5 - Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" by Vance. Antoine said: "kill and killall" (2026-04-29 11:57:27) candycanearter07 said: "killer episode" (2026-04-29 15:14:31) Vance said: "Glad you enjoyed it" (2026-04-29 20:58:44) candycanearter07 said: "Re: Glad you enjoyed it" (2026-04-30 18:58:50) Mailing List discussions Policy decisions surrounding HPR are taken by the community as a whole. This discussion takes place on the Mailing List which is open to all HPR listeners and contributors. The discussions are open and available on the HPR server under Mailman. The threaded discussions this month can be found here: https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2026-April/thread.html Events Calendar With the kind permission of LWN.net we are linking to The LWN.net Community Calendar. Quoting the site: This is the LWN.net community event calendar, where we track events of interest to people using and developing Linux and free software. Clicking on individual events will take you to the appropriate web page. Provide feedback on this episode.

Ep. 446: 4 Key Terms That Can Change How You Push Your Baby Out Solocast with HeHe Stewart

The Mindful Hunter Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 43:14 Transcription Available

In this solo episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe breaks down four key terms every pregnant person should understand before pushing begins. Inspired by a listener question, she unpacks what's actually happening physiologically when your body starts bearing down and why the pushing stage is often misunderstood inside modern birth culture. HeHe explains the Early Pushing Urge (EPU), what it can feel like, and the two common schools of thought around responding to it. She also breaks down the difference between the Ferguson reflex and the fetal ejection reflex, two terms often confused online but very different in practice. Plus, she shares why reaching 10 centimeters does not automatically mean it is time to start pushing. You'll also learn about laboring down, how passive descent can sometimes create a more effective pushing phase, signs transition may be happening without a cervical exam, and what research says about delayed pushing, active pushing time, postpartum outcomes, and baby safety. If you want to walk into labor understanding your options, trusting your body, and knowing that pushing is more nuanced than “count to ten and hold your breath,” this episode is for you. Timestamps 00:00 Mothers Day Offer 03:45 Podcast Topic Pushing 05:28 Early Pushing Urge 09:00 Ferguson Reflex Explained 11:49 When To Start Pushing 14:56 Fetal Ejection Reflex 16:24 My Birth FER Surprise 21:58 Advocacy Scripts Promo 25:22 Laboring Down Basics 30:48 Passive Vs Active Pushing 33:41 Laboring Down Research 41:09 Wrap Up And Resources 42:35 Outro And Subscribe SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ BIRTH EDUCATION: Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what's really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy And if you haven't grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/ Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page LINKS MENTIONED: Hear HeHe's birth story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noh5eFpCFcs Check out the Secret Sauce to Pushing here: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/SSP Data on Laboring Down and The Early Pushing Urge: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/02/approaches-to-limit-intervention-during-labor-and-birth https://www.lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/new-research-states-laboring-down-with-an-epidural-shows-no-benefits https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-birthing-positions/ https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(21)00708-0/fulltext https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009124.pub3/full For a breakdown of the data, be sure to download The Birth Lounge App.

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EP 310 – Are You Wasting Time Worrying About Extreme Spread? & The Biggest Mistake New Hunters Make: Solocast Q&A

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 60:50

Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay wraps up the massive backlog of listener questions from our recent Q&A, covering everything from backcountry bear hunting stories to controversial reloading opinions. We kick things off with a recap of Jay's first guided bear hunt of the season, detailing a successful 400-yard shot and a massive 6-foot+ boar. Then, we dive into the Q&A, tackling some heated topics. Is extreme spread (ES) and standard deviation (SD) actually important for hunting, or is it just a distraction? Jay shares his unfiltered thoughts on why speed for speed's sake is useless and how to reverse-engineer your bullet velocity for maximum terminal performance. Jay also answers questions about the best books to improve your hunting (spoiler: you should probably just spend more time in the field), the single biggest mistake he made when he first started hunting, and why using a floorless shelter in the high country is a recipe for disaster. Plus, get the details on a massive $10,000+ giveaway, the upcoming technical apparel launch, and some exclusive outfitting opportunities. Whether you're looking for reloading advice, scouting strategies, or just some honest, unfiltered hunting talk, this Q&A is packed with actionable advice to help you level up this season. Timed Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro & Housekeeping (Apparel Launch & Massive $10k Giveaway) 00:00:15 - Bear Camp Recap: A 400-Yard Shot on a 6-Foot+ Boar 00:11:35 - Field Processing a Bear: Meat Care & Packing Out 00:15:52 - Remaining Guided Bear Hunt Openings for 2025/2026 00:17:22 - Match Bullets for Hunting: Reverse-Engineering Velocity for Terminal Performance 00:21:01 - The Truth About Extreme Spread (ES) & Standard Deviation (SD) 00:25:47 - The Best Books to Help You Improve as a Hunter 00:28:38 - Plans for a BC Whitetail Hunt & Unfinished Sheep Business 00:32:35 - Advice for Someone Struggling to Get Their First BC Mule Deer 00:35:44 - Heated Gloves, Telson Optics, & Winter Kit Swaps 00:36:59 - Goat Redemption Plans for 2026 & Hiring a Full-Time Filmer 00:38:26 - Spotting Scope Recommendations: Kowa 88 vs. Swarovski ATX 85 00:38:53 - How Often Do You Eat Wild Game for a Healthy Physique? 00:39:34 - Argali Clothing Review: Pants & Grid Fleece 00:40:46 - The Best Rifle Cleaning Products & Process (Modern Day Sniper Method) 00:43:20 - Upgrading from Cheap Binos: Are the SIG Zulu 6s Worth It? 00:43:49 - Is a Vacuum Sealer Worth It for Backcountry Food? 00:44:13 - The Two Biggest Mistakes I Made When I First Started Hunting 00:48:27 - Kootenay CWD Tags, Born Primitive Gear, & Podcast Guests 00:52:12 - MDT Carbon Stock vs. Rok Stock vs. XLR Element 4.0 00:54:34 - 6mm Creedmoor for BC Mule Deer, Blacktail, and Elk? 00:54:55 - Canadian-Made EDC Pocket Knives & Island Blacktail Tactics 00:58:59 - Floorless Shelters in the High Country: Why You Shouldn't Do It 00:59:53 - Outro & Final Giveaway Details Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide Free Training Guide For Mountain Hunting https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

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Profit First Chat: Aligning the Finance Team in Your Business | Solocast E18

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Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 10:36

Your bookkeeper is not a CFO — and confusing the two is costing you money. In this episode, I break down the three distinct roles on your financial team, why most business owners accidentally ask the wrong person the wrong questions, and what that mistake is quietly costing them.We talk about the real difference between a bookkeeper, a CPA, and a CFO using a hospital analogy that makes it crystal clear, what each role is actually responsible for, and why having all three aligned — or at least understanding what each one does — is the key to running a business where your finances actually work for you instead of against you.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why confusing your bookkeeper for a CFO will cost you money[1:01] The mistake most business owners make when they hire a bookkeeper[1:18] Why your bookkeeper can't tell you where your profit went[1:39] What a CPA actually does (and doesn't do) for your business[2:14] The day-to-day questions only a CFO can answer[2:58] The hospital analogy: bookkeeper as nurse, CPA as surgeon, CFO as private doctor[3:30] Why the CPA and bookkeeper both "work for the hospital" (the IRS)[4:14] How a CFO bridges the gap between you and your financial team[4:58] What a bookkeeper is actually there to do[5:23] The questions that are CFO questions — not bookkeeping questions[6:09] What a fractional CFO is and why it's an option even for smaller businesses[6:35] How to use your bookkeeper correctly from day one[7:22] When good tax advice creates a bad business decision[7:38] The truck example: how a CPA recommendation can hurt your cash flow[9:24] Why asking your bookkeeper CFO-level questions leaves money on the tableKey TakeawaysYour bookkeeper records the numbers — they are not equipped to interpret or manage them.Your CPA solves tax problems — not cash flow or business management problems.A CFO acts as your private financial doctor — they work for you, not the IRS.Good tax advice and good business advice are not always the same thing.Asking $10,000/hour questions to a $10–50/hour person will always get you a $50 answer.Fractional CFOs exist — you don't have to hire a full-time executive to get high-level financial guidance.Aligning all three roles — bookkeeper, CPA, and CFO — is what creates real financial clarity in your business.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call to get the right financial guidance in your corner: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode gave you clarity or a new perspective on how to build your financial team, make sure to like, subscribe, and comment below. If you're ready to apply what we talked about today with real guidance and accountability, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call and create your path to financial clarity and freedom.

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#157 When Medicine Becomes a Verdict | A Solo Cast on Symptoms, Labels, and Real Healing

Know Better | Do Better

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2026 33:54

What if your symptoms aren't the problem? What if they're the proof your body is still working exactly the way God designed it to? In this solo episode, I challenge the idea that diagnoses define your future and explore how fear, labels, and compliance quietly reshape how we think about our bodies. Somewhere along the way, medicine stopped being a tool and started becoming a verdict. Your body isn't broken. It's communicating. And the moment a label becomes identity, captivity begins. If you've ever been told "this is just how it is now," this conversation may change how you see your health forever. Share this episode with someone who needs a different perspective on what healing can look like.

- solocast - The Anecdotal Peptide Conversation

SHOCK & Yâ€™ALL

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2026 25:37

In this solo episode, I'm sharing my personal experience with peptides, what they are, how I've used them, and why they've made such a big difference in the way I feel.I talk about GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and CJC-1295, what they are meant to support, and what I've noticed in my own body through recovery, sleep, training, and healing.This is not a medical deep dive, and it is definitely not advice from a doctor. It is a real conversation about what has helped me, what surprised me, and why I think peptides are worth understanding if you care about performance, recovery, and aging well.Highlights:(02:06) - What peptides actually are, and why they are not the same as GLP-1s(04:35) - My experience with GHK-Cu for skin, hair, and recovery(08:49) - Why BPC-157 impressed me so much for injury healing(13:12) - How CJC-1295 supports growth hormone, sleep, and recovery(14:56) - The changes I noticed in my body within the first couple of weeks(21:54) - The back pain story that made me a believer in peptidesFIT AMINOS: LINK AND CODE (NICOLES) https://fitaminos.com/ref/nicole.sciacca/ELLIEMD: LINK AND no code needed: https://elliemd.com/nicolesciaccaQualia Mind - click hereCoupon Code: SHOCKANDYALL (15% off any purchase)Visit Nicole's on demand fitness platform for live weekly classes and a recorded library of yoga, strength training, guided audio meditations and mobility (Kinstretch) classes, as well: https://www.sweatandstillness.comGrab Nicole's bestselling children's book and enter your email for A FREE GIFT: https://www.yolkedbook.comFind Nicole on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nicolesciacca/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thenicolesciaccaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolesciaccayoga/Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1X8PPWCQa2werd4unex1eAPractice yoga with Nicole in person in Santa Monica, CA at Aviator Nation Ride. Get the App to book in: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aviator-nation-ride/id1610561929Book a discovery call or virtual assessment with Nicole here: https://www.calendly.com/nicolesciaccaThis Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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Schnupperwoche: Solocast - Generative KI – Erkenntnisse aus und Gedanken zu rund zwei Dutzend Gesprächen

Auf ein Bier von Gamespodcast.de

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 129:56

Damen und Herren, es ist soweit! Ich habe mich über Wochen mit mehr als zwei Dutzend Menschen aus der Spielebranche über den Einsatz von generativer KI unterhalten. Erfahrungen und Gedanken aus all diesen Gesprächen habe ich nun in diesen Solocast herunterdestilliert und erzähle euch, was ich in diesen Gesprächen über die verbreitetsten Anwendungsfälle gehört habe und wie meine Gesprächspartner und Gesprächspartnerinnen auf meine Nachfragen zu den ethischen Bedenken hinsichtlich der Nutzung von generativer KI reagiert haben. Herausgekommen sind … omg … zwei Stunden Monolog. Können wir alle diese Menge an Intimität ertragen? Das ist hoffentlich nur eine von vielen spannenden Fragen, die in diesem Podcast eine vorsichtige Antwort erhalten. ABO! ABO DALASSEN! Hallo? Hatten wir doch drüber gesprochen. Hier noch ein Direktlink zu Steady: https://steady.page/de/aufeinbier/about Zack! So einfach! Convenient! Ab 5 EUR seid ihr an Bord und dann schippern wir gemeinsam über wundervolle Wasser und silbrige Wellenkämme!

Profit First Chat: Target Allocation Percentages TAPs (Explained for Growing at $1M+ Revenue) | Solocast E17

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 11:55

If you don't know your target allocation percentages, you don't have a financial plan for your business. In this episode, I break down what TAPs actually are, why most business owners are running on the "hope and pray plan," and how knowing the right percentages—based on where your business is right now—can be the difference between financial chaos and a clear path to freedom.We talk about the five core Profit First bank accounts, what percentages you should be hitting at different revenue levels, and how to get started even if you're currently spending more than you're making. Whether you're brand new or already doing seven figures, this episode gives you a target to aim for.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why not knowing your TAPs means you have no financial plan[0:48] What target allocation percentages actually are (and why they matter)[1:17] How Profit First works and why it's like the envelope method for your business[1:58] The five Profit First bank accounts explained[2:17] Why I call profit, owner's comp, and owner's tax the "Golden Trio"[3:19] The danger of the "black hole bank account"[4:02] How TAPs answer the question: how much goes where?[4:22] Why most businesses are built on the hope and pray plan[5:12] TAP breakdown for businesses doing $0–$250K in revenue[6:23] Why owner's comp is 50% at the early stage[6:46] How the percentages shift dramatically as you grow past $250K[7:36] Why you should never reinvest every dollar back into the business[8:14] The difference between TAPs (targets) and CAPs (current allocation percentages)[8:58] How to start with 1% to each Golden Trio account if you're upside down[9:17] How Profit First builds wealthy business habits—not just bank accounts[10:23] Where to find the full TAP breakdown for every business sizeKey TakeawaysIf you don't have target allocation percentages, you don't have a real financial plan.The five Profit First accounts are: income, profit, owner's comp, owner's tax, and operating expenses.At $0–$250K revenue, aim for 15% profit, 50% owner's comp, and 15% owner's tax.As your business grows past $250K, percentages shift—more toward opex, less toward owner's pay.Never reinvest every dollar back into the business—always protect the Golden Trio.Start where you are: even 1% to each Golden Trio account is progress.TAPs are your goal; CAPs (current allocation percentages) are your starting point.Links & ResourcesGet the full TAP breakdown for your business size and book a free discovery call: simplecfo.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode gave you clarity or a new perspective, be sure to like, subscribe, and comment below. If you're ready to apply what we talked about today with real guidance and accountability, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call and create your path to financial clarity and freedom.

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#453 Solocast- weight loss, PEDs, peptides and more!

Kyle Kingsbury Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 68:54

This Solocast I deep dive the ins and outs of burning fat and recovery, peptides like GLPs, testosterone and much more. I breakdown the launch of my new community The Kingdom Within launching May on Skool. Join my new community here https://www.skool.com/the-kingdom-within-5541/about Microdose with the very best products & get 15% off everything in the store here https://brainsupreme.co/KKP don't forget to use "KKP" at checkout for the 15% off!

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400 Episodes, One Mission: The Story Behind DealQuest with Corey Kupfer

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2026 41:25

Nearly 8 years, 400 episodes, and close to 30,000 monthly listens: Corey Kupfer shares how the DealQuest Podcast started as a solution to a real business problem, what the guest relationship strategy actually produces for a professional services firm, and why most podcasters quit before the compounding effect kicks in. In this milestone episode of the DealQuest Podcast, host Corey Kupfer hands the mic to his law firm partner Brian Meegan for a candid look inside nearly eight years of podcasting. Corey is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making experience, and the creator of the DealQuest Podcast. Brian Meegan is Corey's partner at Kupfer Law and a longtime member of Entrepreneurs' Organization, where the two originally met. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: How a frustration with staying connected at scale led to a podcast now generating close to 30,000 listens per month, why the guest relationship is more valuable than the listener base for a professional services business, what "pod fate" is and why more than 85% of podcasts never reach 15 episodes, and the distinction between born dealmakers and situational dealmakers and why it matters for entrepreneurs who think deals aren't for them. ORIGIN STORY: The podcast started as a business problem. As the law firm grew, staying genuinely connected with clients, referral sources, and industry partners at scale became impossible. Authority marketing offered a path. An Entrepreneurs' Organization event in New York, where Gimlet Media founder Alex Bloomberg spoke candidly about starting a podcast company, made the medium click. The show launched in 2018 as Fueling Deals, rebranded to DealQuest about a year and a quarter in, and settled into the format it holds today: a defined open, a defined close, and everything in between is open conversation with no pre-prepared questions. KEY INSIGHTS: The three-part value model for a professional services podcast covers staying top of mind with your existing network, credibility and searchability when a prospect googles you, and actual search-driven client acquisition. All three have produced meaningful results for the DealQuest practice. The guest relationship is the most underestimated asset. Of approximately 300 guest interview episodes, the direct business and referrals from those guest relationships have outweighed what came from the broader listener base. The relationship starts from a place of value creation because the first thing Corey does is give guests access to a meaningful audience. Pod fate is real. More than 85% of podcasts don't reach 15 episodes. Corey's posture from the start was either commit to hundreds of episodes or don't start. Pick a medium you're genuinely energized by, because the energy in the conversation is not replicable with a format you find grinding. Born dealmakers and situational dealmakers are both real. People who treat dealmaking as an exclusive talent tend to opt out before they try. Deals can be learned, and there are structures where risk is easily managed. That's the premise behind Corey's talk called There's a Deal for That: any business challenge or opportunity has a potential deal solution worth at least considering. Perfect for entrepreneurs and business owners considering whether a podcast makes sense for their business, professionals thinking about authority marketing strategy, and dealmakers curious about what nearly 400 conversations about deals has taught someone with 35 years of deal-making experience. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/episode400 FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today! Episode Highlights with Timestamps [00:03:35] - The origin: Authority marketing, the scale problem, and why a podcast [00:06:45] - The Gimlet Media moment: How Alex Bloomberg's story made podcasting click [00:11:51] - Fueling Deals becomes DealQuest: The rebrand and format evolution [00:14:50] - Growth from 60-80 listens to close to 30,000 per month [00:18:26] - The lurker phenomenon: Why public engagement undercounts your real reach [00:20:28] - The three-part value model for a professional services podcast [00:23:06] - The guest strategy: Why guest relationships outperform listener reach [00:28:50] - Memorable guests and the deal stories that stuck [00:38:31] - Born dealmakers vs. situational dealmakers [00:44:05] - Final advice: Pick your medium, go deep, and commit for the long term Related Episodes Episode 327 - Solocast 71: Authority Marketing and How a Podcast Drives Deal-Driven Growth Episode 331 - Solocast 72: Deal-Driven Growth Strategy for Business Owners Episode 339 - Solocast 74: Equitizing Key Employees and Succession Planning Strategies Episode 351 - Solocast 77: Deal Structures and Strategic Growth Planning Keywords/Tags: DealQuest Podcast 400 episodes, authority marketing podcast, podcast for business development, deal-driven growth, professional services podcast strategy, B2B podcast strategy, staying top of mind at scale, guest relationship strategy, pod fate, Corey Kupfer, dealmaker mindset, born dealmakers situational dealmakers, business podcast milestone, there's a deal for that, Fueling Deals DealQuest rebrand, entrepreneur podcast strategy, M&A podcast, business growth through deals

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- solocast - The Amazon Prime Of Prayers

SHOCK & Yâ€™ALL

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2026 10:04

In this solo episode, I'm talking about the kind of prayer that feels powerful, honest, and a little terrifying. I share a deeply personal story about dating, gut instinct, and the moment I prayed for something to be removed from my life if it was not truly meant for me.What followed was fast, sharp, and impossible to ignore.This conversation is about faith, surrender, and the discomfort that can come with getting exactly what you asked for. I also talk about grieving the illusion of what you thought you wanted, trusting divine intervention, and finding peace in the belief that what is truly meant for you will not miss you.Highlights:(02:06) - The dating pattern shift that made my gut speak up(03:03) - The "finality prayer" that changed everything in 36 hours(05:13) - Why answered prayers can still hurt like hell(05:55) - Grieving the illusion of what you thought was meant for you(07:03) - If it is not for me, I do not want it(07:48) - The prayer we say when we are ready to let goQualia Mind - click hereCoupon Code: SHOCKANDYALL (15% off any purchase)Visit Nicole's on demand fitness platform for live weekly classes and a recorded library of yoga, strength training, guided audio meditations and mobility (Kinstretch) classes, as well: https://www.sweatandstillness.comGrab Nicole's bestselling children's book and enter your email for A FREE GIFT: https://www.yolkedbook.comFind Nicole on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nicolesciacca/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thenicolesciaccaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolesciaccayoga/Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1X8PPWCQa2werd4unex1eAPractice yoga with Nicole in person in Santa Monica, CA at Aviator Nation Ride. Get the App to book in: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aviator-nation-ride/id1610561929Book a discovery call or virtual assessment with Nicole here: https://www.calendly.com/nicolesciaccaThis Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

The Sun Will Come Up - a Solocast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2026 23:36

Send us Fan MailOver the past few years, something has been shifting.Not all at once. Not loudly. But steadily enough that it became impossible to ignore.In this solo episode, I share a more personal reflection on where I've been, what I've been feeling, and the decision to step into a new chapter of life and work. It's a conversation about isolation, purpose, and the tension between building something meaningful and feeling connected in the process.I talk about the evolution of our work in education, the changing landscape of how people learn and connect, and the reality of navigating a world that moves faster than ever. But more importantly, I explore what happens when you start asking yourself better questions. Questions about alignment, about community, and about what you actually want your life to feel like.This episode is not about having all the answers.It's about being willing to move forward without them.It's about recognizing when it's time for a change, and having the courage to take that step.And it's about the opportunity to begin again in a way that feels true to who you are now.If you've been reflecting on your direction, your work, or your sense of purpose, this conversation may resonate.This is the next adventure.As always, this episode is brought to you by ReconditioningHQ.com, where we help you own the grey area between rehab and performance.If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

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Ep. 442: When to go to the hospital in labor Solocast with HeHe Stewart

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 21:44

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. With Mother's Day coming up, skip the flowers and ask for something you'll actually use… their insanely soft bamboo sheets. Right now, they're running a limited-time buy one, get one free on sheet sets. Head to cozyearth.com and use code HEHEBOGO to grab yours. In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe breaks down one of the most common questions in labor: when do you actually leave for the hospital? She shares what she's seen over 10 years as a doula, from people arriving way too early at 1 cm to babies being born in cars, hallways, and yes… accidental home births. And why the standard 5-1-1 rule doesn't work for everyone. HeHe explains how timing your arrival should be based on you — your birth goals (unmedicated vs epidural), how far you are from the hospital, your contraction pattern, and your labor history. She also gives more realistic guidelines based on distance, like shifting to 4-1-1 or even 3-1-1 if you live closer, and talks about how car rides can actually slow contractions (rude, honestly). The biggest takeaway? This isn't one-size-fits-all. Your intuition, your body, and your context matter. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Too Early vs Too Late 05:16 When to Leave for the Hospital 08:29 Why 5-1-1 Doesn't Work for Everyone 13:40 Listening to Your Body + Past Labors 15:16 Adjusting for Distance + Travel 17:54 Hospital Arrival + Final Tips SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ BIRTH EDUCATION: Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what's really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy And if you haven't grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/ Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

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Profit First Chat: Separating Business Money From Personal Money | Solocast E16

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 6:51

If you're mixing your business and personal money, you're not just making things messy—you're putting your entire business at risk. In this episode, I break down why separating your finances isn't optional if you actually want to build a stable, scalable business.We talk about the real dangers of co-mingling funds, from losing legal protection to unknowingly draining your business or personal reserves. I also walk through the hidden habit most entrepreneurs fall into—robbing Peter to pay Paul—and how that cycle quietly destroys financial progress. If you want clarity, control, and real financial freedom, this is a foundational shift you can't ignore.Timeline Highlights[0:00] Why mixing business and personal finances creates risk[0:57] How co-mingling breaks the corporate veil[1:24] The legal and financial dangers most owners overlook[1:54] “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” inside your business[2:17] Using personal reserves to float your business[2:33] Draining your business to fund your lifestyle[2:46] Why both scenarios lead to financial collapse[3:19] The reality: you started your business for freedom—not stress[3:39] The first step: separating accounts completely[3:57] Why even separate banks can help create discipline[4:15] The importance of accountability in your finances[4:49] How a CFO helps enforce structure and discipline[5:08] Fixing co-mingling habits without shame[5:41] Why your business must support your lifestyle—not the other way around[5:58] Using systems like Profit First to control your cashKey TakeawaysCo-mingling business and personal funds creates serious financial and legal risk.You can lose liability protection by not separating your finances.“Robbing Peter to pay Paul” is a dangerous and common habit.Your business should not rely on personal funds to survive.Your lifestyle should not drain your business cash.Separate accounts create clarity, discipline, and control.Systems and accountability are essential for long-term financial stability.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call and build real financial structure in your business: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode helped you see why separating your finances is so important, make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with another business owner who might be mixing funds without realizing the risk. And if you're ready to build real structure, discipline, and clarity into your business finances, visit profitrei.com and book your free discovery call to start creating financial freedom.

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Nexus of Change a Solocast with Scott Livingston

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2026 21:30

Send us Fan MailThis week's solocast is a personal one.A reflection on a stretch of time where everything seemed to converge at once.A return to places and people that shaped my early career.A realization that something in my current life needed to change.A family decision to step into a new chapter.And a moment that brought it all together in a way I didn't expect.Over the course of a single weekend, I found myself reconnecting with old colleagues and mentors, revisiting the environments that helped define who I am today, and being reminded of something easy to lose sight of when you're deep in the work…Connection matters.Being around people who are striving, learning, and growing matters.And if we're not careful, even the best intentions can slowly lead us into isolation.I also share the experience of watching Raye live in concert, and how her message of resilience, honesty, and hope landed at exactly the right moment.Sometimes the message finds you when you need it most.This episode is about recognizing when something is off, having the courage to make a change, and trusting that even in uncertain moments, you are being pointed in the right direction.It is also a reminder of something simple, but powerful:Never give up.Everything is going to be alright.If you've been feeling like something needs to shift in your life, this conversation may resonate.If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

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Profit First Chat: How to Audit Your Books Internally (CFO's Checklist for Readiness) | Solocast E15

books loss financial profit negative identifying comparing checklist audit readiness spotting profit first miscellaneous internally balance sheets solocast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2026 11:48

If you can't audit your own books, you can't trust your numbers—and that's a dangerous place to run a business from. In this episode, I walk you through a simple, practical way to internally audit your financials so you can actually understand what's happening inside your business.We break down the three core financial statements—profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow—and what you should be looking for in each one as a business owner. This isn't about becoming an accountant. It's about knowing enough to spot red flags, ask better questions, and make confident decisions with your money.Timeline Highlights[0:00] Why not being able to audit your books creates risk in your business[1:03] Your numbers are the story of your business—and your path to freedom[1:35] The three financial statements every owner must understand[2:16] Profit & Loss: income minus expenses and what to verify[2:57] Comparing projected revenue vs actual performance[3:36] Breaking down revenue streams for better clarity[4:15] Spotting unusual or inconsistent expenses[4:57] Red flags: “miscellaneous,” “ask my accountant,” and unknown categories[5:34] Balance Sheet basics: assets, liabilities, and equity[6:13] Why negative assets or liabilities are major warning signs[7:30] When your business is upside down (liabilities > assets)[8:26] Cash Flow Statement: tracking real cash movement[9:18] The key question: do you have more cash this month or not?[9:42] Identifying whether cash is from profit or borrowed money[10:19] Why business owners must review their numbers regularlyKey TakeawaysIf you can't audit your books, you can't trust your financial data.The profit and loss shows performance—but not actual cash.The balance sheet reveals long-term financial health and risk.The cash flow statement shows whether your business is gaining or losing cash.“Miscellaneous” or unclear accounts are major red flags.Negative assets or liabilities signal potential bookkeeping errors.Financial clarity starts with understanding—not outsourcing blindly.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call and get clarity on your numbers: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode helped you better understand how to audit your books and spot red flags, make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with another business owner who needs more clarity around their numbers. And if you're ready to stop guessing and start leading your business with confidence, visit profitrei.com and book your free discovery call to start building real financial clarity and freedom.

Ep. 439: SOLO: Classes We Took to Prepare for Birth SoloCast with HeHe Stewart

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2026 27:37 Transcription Available

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/ In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe walks you through the birth prep she and her husband actually did for their home birth… and what actually mattered once they were on the other side of it. They took The Birth Lounge childbirth education course together to understand labor, get aligned on preferences, and make sure her husband felt confident and steady through a three-day labor. He also went through Dad Days to learn real, practical support skills from other dads. HeHe also shares how the Secret Sauce to Pushing course played a huge role in her pushing experience, supporting her pelvic floor, minimizing tearing, and setting her up for a smoother recovery, even with hours of pushing and a long crowning phase. They prepared for the “what ifs” too, taking a newborn resuscitation class and a breech birth course, and she brought in an IBCLC prenatally for breastfeeding support so she wasn't figuring it out for the first time postpartum. This episode is a real look at what prep can actually do for your birth and recovery, and how to focus your energy on what truly makes a difference. 00:00 Postpartum Perspective 01:10 Episode Overview 01:49 Birth Lounge Prep 03:52 Water Break Moment 05:26 Dad Daze Course 08:37 Secret Sauce Pushing 13:53 Newborn Resuscitation 17:13 Breech Birth Training 19:23 Lactation Support Plan 23:12 What We Could Skip 25:18 Wrap Up and Resources SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ BIRTH EDUCATION: Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what's really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy And if you haven't grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/ Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page LINKS MENTIONED: https://www.breechwithoutborders.org/courses/

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Profit First Chat: Cash Flow vs. Profit (What's the Difference) | Solocast E14

financial profit cashflow profit first solocast reinvesting

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2026 10:40

Profit doesn't matter if you run out of cash—and that's where so many business owners get blindsided. In this episode, I break down the critical difference between cash flow and profit, and why confusing the two can put even a “profitable” business at risk.We talk about why your bank account doesn't match your profit and loss statement, how money moves through your business differently than it shows up on paper, and why you need systems to manage both. If you've ever wondered how you can show strong profits but still feel broke, this episode will give you the clarity you've been missing.Timeline Highlights:[0:00] Why profit doesn't matter if you run out of cash[0:49] The disconnect between your bank account and your profit[1:15] Why cash is the real fuel of your business[1:33] The three key financial statements explained simply[1:53] Why your net profit doesn't reflect your actual cash[2:14] How money moves through your business differently than you think[2:51] Why you need a system to track and manage cash[3:14] Using Profit First to assign every dollar a purpose[4:06] How reinvesting cash creates confusion between profit and cash[5:19] Why some expenses don't show up on your profit and loss[6:11] The difference between short-term profit and long-term assets[7:10] Why cash is always in motion while profit is a snapshot[8:24] How strong profit can still lead to bankruptcy without cash control[9:41] Why tracking both cash and profit is essential for survivalKey TakeawaysProfit and cash are not the same—and confusing them is dangerous.Cash is the fuel that keeps your business alive day-to-day.Profit is a snapshot in time; cash is constantly moving.You need systems to manage both cash flow and profitability.Reinvesting cash can make profitable businesses feel broke.Financial statements each tell a different part of the story.Strong cash management leads to long-term financial stability.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call to gain clarity on your cash flow and profit: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode helped you understand the difference between cash and profit, make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with another business owner who's making money but still feels stuck. And if you're ready to build real systems around your numbers with guidance and accountability, visit profitrei.com and book your free discovery call to start creating financial clarity and freedom.

450: The Subtle Art of Noticing A Solocast with DREAM THINK DO Founder - Mitch Matthews

DREAM. THINK. DO.

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2026 44:24

450 episodes. Over 337 hours of conversations and interviews. Thousands of hours of research. And if Mitch Matthews had to boil all of it down to one game-changing practice? It would be this: The Subtle Art of Noticing. In this milestone solo episode, Mitch reflects on what 450 episodes of Dream Think Do have taught him and he lands on a concept that's been quietly showing up in almost every DTD conversation he's had. It's a powerful theme and once Mitch saw it, he couldn't unsee it. Whether it's in your leadership, your relationships, your creative work, or your next big dream… this concept represents one of the most powerful skills you can develop… and one of the greatest gifts you can give. Plus, Mitch shares a practical 7-Day Win Challenge you can begin… TODAY... Read the Full Show Notes Here: https://mitchmatthews.com/450/

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Episode 397: Achieving 97% Client Retention in Practice Transitions with Jerry Blakely

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 47:01

From buying his first practice from a trusted friend to achieving 97% client retention when selling his own 700-client firm, Jerry Blakely shares the emotional strategies that make RIA practice transitions succeed when so many others fail. In this episode of the DealQuest Podcast, host Corey Kupfer sits down with Jerry Blakely, a CFP and financial advisor with over 40 years of experience in the wealth management industry. Jerry has been on both sides of practice transitions and now consults RIA firms on helping selling advisors pass client relationships to buying advisors with maximum retention. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN In this episode, you'll discover why buying a practice means buying client relationships and what happens when those relationships fail to transfer. Jerry explains why selling advisors without clear exit timelines struggle to complete transitions, how a one-year in-office handoff with joint client meetings dramatically increases retention, and what he discovered when consulting practices that had never told their clients about the sale. You'll also learn why keeping key staff provides crucial continuity and how authentic storytelling creates the emotional anchors that keep clients from leaving. JERRY'S JOURNEY Jerry's first deal came through a close friend he met at Life Underwriters Association meetings. Gordon was older and ready to retire. They compared notes, realized they had extremely similar practices, and decided to use the same appraisal firm and even the same attorney. Everyone says not to do that, but the trust between two friends made the deal work. Gordon physically moved into Jerry's office for one year. They met personally with every single client together in what Jerry calls a "great big handoff routine." Most of those original clients were still with the practice when Jerry sold it himself ten years later. KEY INSIGHTS When you do a buy-sell agreement in wealth management, you're buying client relationships. If those relationships don't stick, you've bought a distressed asset and the buyer won't have money to pay the seller. Both parties have skin in the game to make the emotional transfer work. Having a targeted exit date changes everything. Jerry wanted to be out by age 70. He told clients directly, "Don't get mad at me, but I'm getting old." They understood because they were living similar life stages. Jerry's practice manager had been with him for 20 years and remained six more years after he sold. Clients who went through five different advisor changes stayed because they could still call the familiar person at the front desk. One advisor Jerry consulted couldn't tell clients she was retiring because she felt guilty about her success. Once she realized clients would celebrate her dream of building a cabin on a lake, she developed a script and moved forward within three weeks. Perfect for financial advisors planning succession, RIA firm owners acquiring practices, and any business leader where client retention drives enterprise value. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE:https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/jerryblakely FOR MORE ON JERRY BLAKELY:https://www.cffp.edu/who-we-are/jerry-blakely FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Episode Highlights with Timestamps:[00:12:28] - Introduction and Jerry Blakely's background as a CFP with 40+ years of experience [00:13:45] - What Jerry wanted to be as a kid and surrogate father figures in marching band[00:14:28] - First deal with Gordon and the trust-based approach to practice acquisition[00:17:04] - The one-year in-office transition with joint client meetings [00:18:12] - Getting hired as a consultant and discovering why other acquisitions struggled[00:27:44] - Why Jerry sold his practice and having a targeted exit date of age 70 [00:30:48] - Visiting offices where sellers had never told clients about the transition [00:35:05] - "Don't get mad at me, but I'm getting old" and authentic communication[00:37:24] - The 97% retention rate reveal [00:41:09] - The practice manager as anchor and why continuity matters [00:49:36] - The advisor who felt guilty about retiring [00:53:49] - The $5 million client whose father owned ski resorts [00:59:23] - What freedom means to Jerry Guest Bio:Jerry Blakely was a successful CFP and financial advisor for over 40 years. He bought practices and sold practices during that time, achieving approximately 97% client retention when he sold his own 700-client firm. He now consults RIA firms on helping selling advisors pass client relationships to buying advisors with maximum retention. Host Bio:Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. He is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description:Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, and strategic alliances, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Related EpisodesEpisode 339 - Solocast 74: How G2 and G3 Advisors Impact M&A Outcomes in Wealth Management Episode 350 - Tom Dillon: Understanding Business Valuation and What Buyers Should Evaluate Keywords/Tags:RIA practice transition, client retention, financial advisor succession, wealth management M&A, practice acquisition, advisor transition consulting, exit planning, CFP succession, buy-sell agreement, advisor retirement, emotional anchoring, practice continuity

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Profit First Chat: When to Borrow Money & When to Use Cash Flow to Scale Your Business | Solocast E13

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2026 13:12

Borrowing money can help you scale your business—but it can also destroy it if you do it for the wrong reasons. In this episode, I break down when it actually makes sense to use debt in your business and when you're better off growing from your own cash flow and reserves.We talk about the difference between smart debt and risky debt, why so many entrepreneurs rely on loans without a real plan, and how to think through both the best-case and worst-case scenarios before you take on any financial risk. If you've ever wondered whether you should borrow to grow or stay disciplined and build from within, this episode will help you make that decision with clarity and confidence.Timeline Highlights[0:00] When borrowing money is smart—and when it becomes dangerous[0:57] The difference between asset-backed debt and unsecured business loans[1:28] Why many entrepreneurs rely on loans too early[2:00] Understanding loan terms, interest rates, and payback timelines[2:21] Why you should grow from reserves—not just revenue[2:58] The danger of reinvesting every dollar from a good month[3:27] Why you need a clear plan before taking on debt[4:02] How to evaluate different types of financing options[5:17] Why managing cash on the back end matters just as much[6:18] Having an exit strategy before taking on a loan[7:26] Growing from reserves vs borrowing—what's safer[8:05] The most important question: can you live with the worst-case scenario?[9:01] Planning for best-case, worst-case, and backup scenarios[10:05] Why disciplined cash management leads to better growth decisionsKey TakeawaysBorrowing money is only smart when you have a clear plan to use and repay it.Asset-backed debt is generally safer than unsecured loans.Growing from reserves creates more stability than relying on debt.Reinvesting every dollar without a plan increases risk.Always evaluate both best-case and worst-case scenarios.If you can't live with the downside, don't take the risk.Financial discipline is the foundation of sustainable growth.Links & ResourcesBook a free discovery call to build a smarter cash flow and growth strategy: profitrei.comClosingThanks for spending time with me today. If this episode helped you think differently about borrowing and scaling your business, make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with another entrepreneur who's considering taking on debt. And if you're ready to build a smarter financial strategy with guidance and accountability, visit profitrei.com and book your free discovery call to start creating financial clarity and freedom.

Episode 396: Do You Actually Want to Be a Deal Maker with Corey Kupfer

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 23:49

From year-end deal crunches to honest conversations about risk tolerance and self-knowledge, Corey Kupfer makes the candid case for why deal making may not be for every entrepreneur, and what it actually takes if you decide it is. In this remastered DealQuest solocast, host Corey Kupfer draws from his own experience managing multiple year-end closings while stretched thin to walk through three reasons why deals may not align with every business leader's goals or temperament, and how the flip side of each reason reveals the roadmap for those who do want to pursue deals. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN In this episode, you'll discover why even experienced deal teams face periods of all-encompassing intensity, how risk tolerance shapes whether and how you pursue deals, and why some entrepreneurs are better served by doubling down on organic growth. Corey explains how the CPR tool from his Authentic Negotiating book can help you assess whether deals belong in your growth strategy, and why the distinction between born deal makers and situational deal makers matters. THE HONEST CASE FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT Corey acknowledges the counterintuitive nature of a deal-making advocate telling listeners they might not want to be deal makers. But the premise is grounded in something he returns to throughout his work. Self-knowledge matters more than ambition. The decision to pursue deal-driven growth should come from clarity about what you want, not from external pressure or assumptions. He connects this to the CPR tool from his Authentic Negotiating book, which stands for Context, Purpose, and Results. The CPR framework applies as powerfully to the question of whether deals should be part of your growth strategy as it does to any specific negotiation. Corey also previews his dealmaker retreats, which will begin with visioning work before any deal strategy is discussed. KEY INSIGHTS Deal work is periodically all-encompassing. Corey shares his experience managing multiple year-end closings while sick, with his team stretched. He walks through disclosure schedules in asset purchase deals, where sellers must provide representations and warranties covering contracts, employees, regulatory matters, and taxes. Getting these wrong risks breach and potential indemnity obligations. Risk tolerance is a prerequisite. Every successful deal maker has deals that fail or underperform. Corey shares a live example of risk-averse buyers requesting protections that could burden his client. If deals going wrong would affect your sleep or health, the personal cost may outweigh the benefit. Your highest and best use may not include deal making. Some entrepreneurs generate exceptional results through organic growth. Adding deals could dilute their greatest strength. Corey compares growth diversification to a diversified stock portfolio but notes you can hire the right team to handle deals while you focus on your strengths. Being a deal maker is not binary. There are situational deal makers who evolve into the role because the timing aligns, an opportunity appears, or their mindset shifts. The question is whether this is the right time for you. Perfect for entrepreneurs weighing whether deal-driven growth aligns with their goals, business owners considering M&A or partnerships, and anyone interested in an honest self-assessment framework before committing to a deal strategy. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/beadealmarker FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ Website: https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Episode Highlights with Timestamps:[00:02:12] - Solocast opens with the counterintuitive premise of why you should not be a deal maker [00:04:53] - Why deal work can be all-encompassing and the demands of year-end closings[00:06:32] - Disclosure schedules in asset purchase deals and why they matter [00:10:25] - The reality of pushing through fatigue and intensity [00:11:57] - The inherent risk of deal making and why some deals will always fail [00:14:01] - Live deal example with risk-averse buyers requesting protections and guarantees[00:14:54] - Organic growth as an alternative path and when deals become a distraction [00:15:53] - Superpower and highest and best use [00:18:25] - Self-knowledge as the foundation and the CPR tool from Authentic Negotiating[00:19:00] - Dealmaker retreats and why they start with visioning [00:21:02] - What it takes to be a deal maker and the concept of situational deal makers Host Bio:Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description:Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster. Related Episodes:Episode 326 - Herman Dolce: How People Around You Filter Advice Through Their Own Risk Tolerance Episode 330 - Pete Mohr: Building Enterprise Value and Exit Readiness Episode 323 - Holiday Solocast: Year-End Completion and Clearing Exercise for EntrepreneursEpisode 324 - Sejal Lakhani-Bhatt: Entrepreneurial Mindset, Vulnerability, and Authentic Leadership Keywords/Tags:deal making mindset, risk tolerance in deals, deal maker self assessment, organic growth vs acquisitions, deal-driven growth strategy, entrepreneur risk tolerance, when not to do deals, self-knowledge in business, authentic negotiating CPR tool, situational deal makers, disclosure schedules, highest and best use, deal-driven growth

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Episode 395: Building Exit-Ready Businesses with Marty Fahncke

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 43:33

From grassroots soccer parks to $600 million exits, Marty M. Fahncke reveals why every dollar of EBITDA sacrificed for tax savings costs you seven on a multiple, how the build versus buy decision needs a reality check, and why a business fully prepared to sell is the best business to own. In this episode of the DealQuest Podcast, host Corey Kupfer sits down with Marty M. Fahncke, CMAA, who has helped hundreds of businesses scale to over $1 billion in combined revenue and executed nearly $500 million in M&A deals. He is the founder of Westbound Road, an M&A advisory firm specializing in digital businesses in the $5-50 million range, and author of Boomer Sells the Business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cashing Out and Living Large. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: In this episode, you'll discover why the build versus buy analysis fails when founders underestimate timelines and costs, and why opportunity cost is often the biggest expense that never appears in spreadsheets. Marty explains how combining marketing expertise with M&A strategy creates advantages most advisors lack, the costly trade-off between profit maximization and tax mitigation that saves twenty cents but costs seven dollars on a multiple, and why operational decisions like CRM selection or staffing structure can kill deals worth millions. You'll also learn how the Who Not How philosophy transforms into a powerful acquisition playbook, why SaaS founders who turned down $50 million in 2021 are accepting those valuations were an anomaly, and how authority marketing through podcasts generates clients who arrive ready to sign without sales conversations. MARTY'S JOURNEY: Marty grew up in the mountains of Utah wanting to be either a forest ranger or join the military. Neither path worked out, and he ended up on the entrepreneur path instead. Even as a teenager, he showed entrepreneurial instincts, selling water purifiers and vacuums and running a bicycle rehab business at age twelve. M&A was completely off his radar until he and some friends started a soccer training product company. They took a truly grassroots approach, setting up canopies at local parks every weekend where kids played soccer. Marty had his children demonstrate the product while he sold to parents. Those park sessions taught them exactly what messaging resonated. Marty used those insights to create a marketing campaign that got the product onto QVC in the United States and Japan. Just eighteen months in, they received an unsolicited $1.5 million offer from a private equity firm buying their proven QVC sales channel. His next deal flipped the approach. Instead of building from scratch, Marty and a partner combined two competing businesses, each doing $1.5-2 million in revenue. By eliminating competition and consolidating operations, they scaled from under $4 million to $30 million in two years. That company eventually became part of a $600 million exit through a reverse merger. After that exit, Marty built a personal portfolio of businesses. In 2019, he focused on M&A full-time. When 2020 hit, he saw opportunity in the chaos. He reached out to companies about selling, and economic uncertainty generated many yes responses. When businesses weren't right for his portfolio, sellers asked if he knew other buyers. He started triangulating deals, brought in partner Becky, and launched Westbound Road in 2020. They focus exclusively on digital businesses between $5 and $50 million, including e-commerce, SaaS, publishing, marketing agencies, and virtual professional services. The firm is intentionally small at five people but highly specialized. THE MARKETER'S EDGE: Marty brings a rare combination of world-class marketing expertise and deep M&A experience. Most advisors excel at one or the other, rarely both. He is a marketer at heart and applies marketing principles to M&A strategy. This matters because organic growth drives valuation multiples. Buyers pay premiums for demonstrated growth momentum, often adding an extra turn or two on exit multiples. Marty sees both sides of the equation, knowing how to build marketing systems that drive organic growth and how to structure deals that accelerate inorganic expansion. KEY INSIGHTS: The build versus buy decision requires brutal honesty. Marty sees unreasonable optimism every time founders analyze whether to build or acquire. His rule: double the timeline, triple the costs. Even then, most analyses miss opportunity cost. What revenue will you lose spending years building? What market share will competitors capture while you're distracted? These costs rarely appear in spreadsheets but are often the most expensive part of the build decision. The Who Not How philosophy becomes an acquisition playbook. When something needs to be done, don't ask how you can learn it yourself. Find someone already better at it and acquire them. Marty applied this when a bookkeeping firm asked for growth help. Instead of consulting fees, he negotiated equity, brought marketing expertise and clients, they tripled revenue, and everyone won when they sold. Profit maximization beats tax mitigation. Every dollar of EBITDA sacrificed to save taxes saves twenty cents but costs seven dollars on a multiple when you sell. When Marty shows clients this math, they immediately shift strategies. This insight often represents millions in additional exit value. Begin with the buyer in mind. Westbound Road identifies upfront who will buy your business and why, then builds the business to suit those buyers. Every decision from CRM selection to staffing structure gets evaluated through one lens: how will this impact deal viability at exit? Minor operational choices can kill deals worth millions. A client built operations entirely on offshore VAs with impressive margins, but many buyers walked away. To command their target multiple, they needed to onshore roles and add W-2 employees. Another business chose a non-standard CRM. An acquirer walked away because integrating it created too much friction. That preference cost millions. The SaaS valuation bubble is being accepted as an anomaly. In 2021-2022, founders got $50 million offers for businesses worth $12 million today. Many refused, expecting the market to stay hot. Marty shows them the charts: the market returned to historical norms, and eighteen months was a bubble. Those founders are finally accepting realistic valuations. Authority marketing creates pre-sold clients. When prospects ask questions, Marty's team sends time-coded podcast links. Prospects listen to full episodes, then more episodes, and arrive ready to sign without sales calls. His first ChatGPT client found Westbound Road via AI recommendation, watched three episodes, and asked where to sign. A business fully prepared to sell is the best business to own. The best practices for creating enterprise value that commands premium multiples are the same practices that make a business pleasurable to operate. Clean financials, reduced owner dependency, autonomous systems, and strategic structure benefit owners whether they sell or not. Perfect for business owners in the $5-50 million range planning exits, entrepreneurs considering M&A advisory relationships, and anyone interested in combining marketing expertise with deal-making to build and sell businesses. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/martyfahncke FOR MORE ON MARTY FAHNCKE: Website: https://westboundroad.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyfahncke/ FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Episode Highlights with Timestamps[00:06:48] - Introduction: Marty Fahncke's credentials and experience [00:08:38] - Childhood dream of being a forest ranger in the mountains of Utah [00:11:12] - Early entrepreneurial ventures: bike rehab business at age twelve [00:11:30] - First major deal: grassroots soccer product to QVC and $1.5 million exit[00:23:36] - Eliminating competition through collaboration instead of competing [00:23:36] - Who Not How philosophy applied to M&A and acquisition strategy [00:24:09] - Build versus buy analysis and unreasonable optimism trap [00:28:52] - Combining marketing expertise with M&A strategy as unique advantage [00:31:08] - Starting Westbound Road advisory firm during 2020 disruption [00:33:37] - Focus areas: $5-50M digital businesses, e-commerce, and SaaS [00:34:09] - Exit planning gap: helping founders understand what they have [00:47:13] - Beginning with the end in mind: identifying buyers before building [00:48:01] - Offshore VA staffing structure as deal-killer example [00:48:30] - Non-standard CRM selection costing millions in lost deal value [00:50:36] - A business fully prepared to sell is the best business to own [00:53:23] - Freedom defined: making impact on entrepreneurs and participating in exits[00:57:32] - Authority marketing: podcast content creating pre-sold clients [01:01:00] - First ChatGPT-originated client story Guest Bio:Marty Fahncke, CMAA is a seasoned marketer and dealmaker with over 35 years of business experience and over 25 years in M&A. He has helped hundreds of businesses scale to over $1 billion in combined revenue and executed nearly $500 million in M&A deals. His first deal was selling a grassroots soccer product business for $1.5 million. His second deal combined a $2 million company with a $1.5 million company and built it to $30 million in revenue in two years. Since then, he has been involved in deals from $5 million to $600 million. He is the founder of Westbound Road, an M&A advisory firm specializing in digital businesses between $5 and $50 million, including e-commerce, SaaS, publishing, marketing agencies, and virtual professional services. Marty is a top-ranked podcast guest, international speaker, and author of Boomer Sells the Business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cashing Out and Living Large. He owns five motorcycles and over thirty businesses. Host Bio:Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description:Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster. Related Episodes:Episode 332 - John Martinka: Exit Planning and Value Drivers for Business Sales Episode 331 - Solocast 72: 2025 M&A Market Outlook and Deal Activity PredictionsEpisode 328 - Richard Manders: Growing Through Acquisition and the Deal-Maker MindsetEpisode 327 - Solocast 71: Authority Marketing and Content Strategy for Business Growth Social Media:Follow DealQuest Podcast: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/ Website: https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Follow Marty Fahncke: Website: https://westboundroad.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyfahncke/ Keywords/Tags:M&A advisory, exit planning, business valuation, lower middle market, build versus buy, organic growth, inorganic growth, SaaS valuation, e-commerce acquisitions, profit maximization, tax mitigation, enterprise value, Who Not How, business exit strategy, exit readiness, authority marketing, content marketing, podcast marketing, deal-driven growth, strategic acquisitions, business combination, marketing expertise, digital businesses, operational decisions, CRM selection, staffing structure, business sale preparation

Lessons Learned in Nearly 500 Conversations a Solocast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2026 33:17

Send a textNine years ago this April 3rd, I pressed record on my first podcast episode.At the time, I had no idea it would become one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.Sometime this year, I'll cross the milestone of 500 conversations with people from all walks of life: athletes, coaches, leaders, entrepreneurs, and thinkers.What I've discovered through those conversations surprised me.Most people didn't have a perfect plan.Most didn't know exactly where life would take them.Instead, they responded to opportunities, navigated setbacks, and allowed circumstance, faith, and persistence to shape their path.And in the end, almost everyone wants the same thing.To be remembered not for their achievements…But for how they treated the people they loved.This week's podcast is a reflection on what nearly a decade of podcast conversations has taught me about life, growth, and becoming.I hope you enjoy the reflection.If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

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432 SOLO: Things No One Tells You About Postpartum Recovery SoloCast with HeHe Stewart