How One Fantasy Book Sparked a Career Pivot and Successful Podcast Business with Nicole from Fantasy Fangirls Podcast – Ep. 236
Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden
Release Date: 08/19/2025
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_outlineIn this episode, Danielle is joined by Nicole, one-half of the dynamic sister duo behind Fantasy Fangirls Podcast, to talk about her leap from running a professional coaching business to building a wildly successful podcast brand that’s taken the book world by storm.
This isn’t a story about going viral overnight (although that did happen). It's a story of personal growth. It's a story about making intentional, informed decisions and trusting yourself enough to pivot when you find what lights you up. Nicole shares how a chance reading of a fantasy novel sparked an idea, how she and her sister went “all in” on creating a show they loved, and what it took to turn that passion project into a full-time career.
Key Takeaways:
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Pivoting Can Be the Smartest Move You Make: Nicole’s shift from coaching to podcasting wasn’t a step backward, it was a leap toward something that energized her every day.
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Strategic Investments Pay Off—If You Actually Implement: The importance of acting on what you learn from courses and mentors, instead of staying in “forever student” mode.
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Passion and Profit Can Go Hand-in-Hand: The Fantasy Fangirls Podcast proves that you can build a sustainable business around what you genuinely love when you combine your passion with taking an honest look at your numbers.
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Entrepreneurship Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely: Whether you’re going it solo or have a team, you don’t have to white knuckle it to success. Don’t be afraid to create a support system and rely on others along the way.
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Make Space for Hobbies and Discovering Your Spark: Choosing projects that light you up can be the key to longevity and fulfillment in business.
Topics Discussed:
(00:00 – 04:32) Intro: Nicole’s Mission with Fantasy Fangirls Podcast
(04:37 – 10:32) From Professional Coaching to Full-Time Fantasy Podcasting: Nicole’s Unexpected Career Shift - How a Single Book Sparked a Whole New Business
(10:32 – 14:14) Lessons from Investing in Your Education and Actually Implementing What You Learn
(14:15 – 18:41) Making the Emotional and Financial Leap Into a New Industry
(18:43 – 18:56) Rate & Review Break
(19:01 – 28:42) How Nicole Used Numbers to Build a Team and Grow the Podcast
(28:42 – 32:35) The Loneliness Factor in Entrepreneurship and the Importance of Having Support
(32:37 – 35:00) What’s Next for Nicole and Fantasy Fangirls Podcast in the Future
(35:01 – 37:30) Nicole’s Piece of Advice for Entrepreneurs Who Are Struggling to Grow or Are In Growth Season
Connect with Nicole:
Fantasy Fangirls Podcast Website | https://www.fantasyfangirls.com/
Watch Fantasy Fangirls on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@fantasyfangirls
Follow Fantasy Fangirls on IG and TikTok | @fantasyfangirlspod
Mentioned in the Episode:
Built to Sell by John Warrillow | https://builttosell.com/the-books/
Grow the Show with Kevin Chemidlin | https://growtheshow.com/
Book a Call with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.:
https://kickstartaccountinginc.com/book-a-call/
Connect with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Kickstartaccounting
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@businessbythebooks
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/kickstartaccountinginc