The Power of the Quarterly Financial Review: How 90 Mins Every 90 Days Changes Everything – Ep. 228
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Release Date: 06/24/2025
The Hidden Mistakes That Keep Your LLC Small (and How to Grow Into an S Corp) – Ep. 249
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
You’ve set up your LLC, you’re running an established business, and things are moving along, but are your financial habits actually helping you grow and is your LLC protecting you the way you think it is? In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., breaks down the five hidden mistakes that hold LLC owners back and shows you how to build the right habits to protect your business, pay yourself confidently, and prepare to scale into an S Corp when the time is right. Key Takeaways: Separate Your Business and Personal...
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How to Know If Your Contractor Should Be an Employee: The 3-Part Test That Could Save You Thousands – Ep. 248
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
What if misclassifying your team could cost you thousands in back taxes, penalties, and missed benefits? Most business owners don’t realize how risky it can be to pay someone as a contractor when they really should be an employee. In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., simplifies the IRS classification rules into a 3-step framework that helps you confidently decide whether your next hire or current team should be a contractor or employee, and when it might be time to make a change. Key Takeaways: Know the 3 Keys of...
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What I Would Say If I Wasn't Afraid to Hurt Your Feelings – Ep. 247
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
In this episode of Business by The Books, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc.’s Danielle Hayden gets honest about a tough but essential topic: Are you building a business that’s truly healthy, or one that’s just trying to pay as little as possible in taxes? Danielle breaks down the real costs of trying to make every expense a “business expense.” From dinners and vacations to board meetings and the Augusta Rule, she shares the financial habits that could be holding you back from long-term success and how to fix them. Key Takeaways: Showing Zero...
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The Confidence That Comes with Financial Clarity: A Journey from Stressed to Scaling with Nico Misleh – Ep. 246
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in decisions but flying blind when it comes to your finances? You are not alone! In this episode of Business by The Books, Danielle sits down with returning guest and longtime client , a nurse practitioner and the founder of and , who went from overwhelmed and unsure to confidently hiring, scaling, and even launching a second business. Together, Danielle and Nico explore how understanding your numbers doesn’t just change your strategy, it changes your mindset. Key Takeaways: Financial Clarity Creates Emotional Freedom: When Nico...
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Bonuses Made Simple: A 6-Step Framework for Rewarding Your Team – Ep. 245
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
It’s the season of gift giving, evaluating team performance, and bonuses, and for many business owners, that can bring up hard questions. Can I afford to give out bonuses this year? What if it’s not as much as last year? How much is fair? And how do I reward my team without draining my cash or putting my business at risk? In this episode, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc.’s Danielle Hayden walks you through a simple, repeatable framework to help you decide if, when, and how much to give your team in bonuses that’s fair, financially sound, and aligned with...
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The Tax Strategies Business Owners Need to Prep Before the New Year – Ep. 244
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Heading into tax season unprepared can be costly—missed deductions, lost paperwork, and sometimes, a surprise check to the IRS. But it doesn’t have to be that way! In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., shares the ultimate year-end checklist every business owner needs to save on taxes, protect their business, and walk confidently into tax season. From organizing your paperwork to making smart tax moves and maximizing personal financial strategies, Danielle gives you practical steps you can take before December 31st that can make...
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The 4 Seasons of Business Explained and Healthy Spending Strategies for Each Stage – Ep. 243
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Are you constantly wondering if you’re spending too much or maybe not enough in your business? Here’s the truth: not every season of business is meant to be profitable. And if your spending isn’t aligned with the season you’re in, you could risk stunting your growth or draining cash you can’t afford to lose. In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., walks you through the four seasons of business—developmental, growth, optimization, and stability—and shows you what healthy spending looks like in each one and their...
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The 3 Stages of Business Growth: Entrepreneur, Small Business Owner, and CEO Explained – Ep. 242
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
In this week’s episode of Business by The Books, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., breaks down the real journey from entrepreneur to small business owner to finally stepping into the role of CEO. This isn’t about chasing flashy titles or hitting arbitrary revenue goals. It’s about clarity, confidence, and understanding your numbers so you can actually lead your business instead of letting it run you. Key Takeaways: Entrepreneur Stage – Building with Instinct: Many entrepreneurs start with passion and creativity but rely...
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How to Use Financial Goal Setting as the Foundation for Your Business Budget – Ep. 241
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Ever sat down to build your budget, only to realize you don’t even know what you’re building it for? A budget without a goal is like a map without a destination. In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., is pulling back the curtain on the exact step-by-step framework she and her team use with CFO clients to set financial goals first, and then create a budget that actually gets them there. Key Takeaways: Celebrate the Wins (and Lessons) First: Before setting new goals, reflect on what you achieved last year and the hard...
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The Confidence Formula: Balancing Intuition + Data in Your Business Numbers with Serena Waller of The Dande Agency – Ep. 240
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Ever heard the phrase “know your numbers” and thought, okay…but what does that actually mean? In this episode, Danielle sits down with client and entrepreneur Serena Waller, founder of , to talk about how truly understanding her numbers transformed the way she runs her business. Serena gets real about the ups, downs, and unexpected turns of entrepreneurship—like losing a corporate job at seven months pregnant, launching her own agency, and growing it over the past ten years into a thriving business that now supports a full team. Key Takeaways: Clarity Creates Confidence:...
info_outlineYou’re reviewing your numbers monthly (go you!), but what about taking a step back to see the big picture? In this episode, Danielle walks you through the power of a quarterly financial review, one of the most practical ways to make smarter decisions, spot real trends, and align your business goals with your personal ones.
She breaks down the difference between monthly and quarterly reviews (the micro vs. macro view each provides), what numbers to look at quarterly, and how to analyze those numbers. All you need is 90 minutes every 90 days to use your financials as a tool for success and lead your business with deeper clarity and confidence.
Key Takeaways:
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Monthly vs. Quarterly Reviews: Monthly reviews help you manage the day-to-day, while quarterly reviews are your roadmap, zooming out to see long-term trends and course correct if needed.
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Revenue Trends & Profitability: Don’t just focus on sales. Understand where your income is coming from and if it’s actually making you money.
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Operating Expenses: Your top five expenses tell the real story of your business priorities. Make sure your spending aligns with your vision.
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Personal + Business Alignment: Your personal and family goals should be part of your financial strategy. If they’re out of sync, tension (and burnout) is bound to follow.
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Data > Emotion: Reviewing your numbers quarterly helps you strip away the emotional swings of entrepreneurship and make clear-headed decisions based on actual performance.
Topics Discussed:
(00:53 – 02:05) Monthly vs. Quarterly Reviews
(02:05 – 04:16) What to Include in a Quarterly Review
(04:16 – 05:48) Growth vs. Profit
(05:48 – 07:01) Aligning Business with Personal Goals
(07:01 – 08:50) Tracking & Analysis of Revenue Trends
(08:50 – 10:15) Reviewing Operating Expenses & Spending Trends
(10:15 – 12:19) Understanding Your Net Income & Cash Flow
(12:20 – 12:44) Reviewing How Much You’re Paying Yourself & Your Team
(12:45 – 14:25) Comparing Budget vs. Actual
Kickstart’s Quarterly Review Checklist:
Last quarter compared to year-to-date
Growth vs. profit & ROI
Personal vs. business financial alignment
Profit margin & revenue streams
Operating expenses + top 5 spending categories
Net income & monthly/quarterly patterns
Cash flow health + reserve analysis
Owner’s pay & team compensation
Budget vs. actuals
Action Steps:
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Blockout 90 minutes of CEO time
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Gather your Snapshot and financial statements
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Use your quarterly checklist to walk through the process
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Set 1–3 priority shifts or goals for the next 90 days
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Schedule your next review (and that call if you’re a Kickstart client!)
Resources:
Past Episode | Healthy Spending Habits: Business Budget Percentages That Fuel Sustainable Growth – Ep. 220
Kickstart Accounting’s CFO Services | kickstartaccountinginc.com/cfo
Book a Call with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.:
https://www.kickstartaccountinginc.com/book
Connect with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Kickstartaccounting