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The 5 Must-Know Cash KPIs Every Business Owner Needs to Grow & Stay Profitable – Ep. 238

Business By The Books with Danielle Hayden

Release Date: 09/02/2025

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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:...

More Episodes

If you want to grow your business with confidence, you need to understand your cash flow, and that means going beyond just checking your bank balance. In this episode, Danielle Hayden, your go-to financial partner for all things bookkeeping, breaks down the 5 essential cash KPIs every CEO should track and explains how to use them to make smarter decisions for your business.

Key Takeaways:

Cash Flow is the Lifeline of Your Business: Without clarity on cash flow, you’re reacting instead of leading—and that’s the fastest path to burnout or shutdown.
KPIs Turn Insight Into Action: Knowing your bank balance isn’t enough; these 5 KPIs give you the clarity you need to plan, invest, and scale sustainably.
Healthy Ratios = Peace of Mind: Metrics like the quick ratio and current ratio tell you whether you can handle surprises without panic.
Free Cash Flow Is Your Decision-Making Tool: It reveals whether you can hire, invest, or pay yourself more without putting your business at risk.
Cash Reserves Buy Confidence: Having 1-3 months of operating expenses in the bank gives you the power to make bold moves without sleepless nights.

The 5 CEO Cash KPIs We Cover:

Free Cash Flow – What’s really left after running and growing your business?
Operating Cash Flow to Liabilities Ratio – Can your business cover what it owes?
Current Ratio – Do you have enough short-term assets to pay your bills?
Quick Ratio – If you had to pay everything today, could you?
Cash On Hand – How long can you keep the lights on without new revenue?

Topics Discussed:

(00:00 – 01:14) Why Cash Flow Makes or Breaks Your Business

(01:15 – 02:16) Why KPIs Matter Beyond the Cash Flow Statement

(02:17 – 03:07) Free Cash Flow: What It Is and Why It’s Critical

(03:07 – 05:02) Comparing Operating Cash Flow to Liabilities Ratio

(05:03 – 06:14) Current Ratio: What It Tells You and How to Calculate It

(06:14 – 07:26) Quick Ratio: What It Tells You and How to Calculate It

(07:27 – 08:28) Cash On Hand: Your Ultimate Safety Net and Ability to Investment

(08:35 – 09:42) Recap of the 5 KPIs to Track as a CEO

(09:44 – 10:27) Outro: Like, share, and subscribe!

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