Profits Affogato Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sara Verheyen
What does it take to create a profitable business that nourishes your life? That’s what we’ll explore in the Profits Affogato podcast, as we learn from expert entrepreneurs how to flourish in the online business world while enjoying our lives and loved ones.
I’m your host Sara Verheyen, accountant turned online business owner, unlikely entrepreneur, and I’m so excited you’re here. So grab a cup of coffee and join us for inspiration and actionable steps to cultivate the business of your dreams while living your ideal life.
What is an S Corp Election? How does it save in taxes? When is the best time to go forward with it? Sara answers these questions and more in this episode of Profits Affogato. Listen in as Sara dives into the nitty gritty of your election, how to approach your CPA about it and how it can impact your business.
Show Links:
- Get a bookkeeping quote: www.mareishbooks.com/quote
Show Takeaways:
- Learn what S Corp Election is and if it’s right for you.
- Discover how it can save you on taxes!
- Listen in to when the best time to go through with an S Corp Election
Notable Quote:
“You can see that it's a delicate balancing act to find the perfect time to make the election. If you make it too early, you might not be saving all that much in taxes, when you take into account the additional costs of payroll and a separate tax return.” [4:43]
If you have ever been curious about human design, then this episode is for you. Laura Torma is on the show to do a case study for Sara and she helps explain the world of human design, what it is based on and its connection to our place in the world. Listen in to discover Sara’s reading and what that could mean for her going forward as well as how Laura uses it in her life as a mother.
Show Links:
Follow Laura: https://www.instagram.com/lauratorma_/
Join the Mind on Fire Community where you are provided an intimate look at how Laura builds her business and navigates all the unique aspects of her growing family through the lense of Human Design:
https://lauratorma.podia.com/mindonfire
Book a Human Design Reading with Laura:
https://lauratorma.podia.com/hd-reading-via-zoom
Laura is a consultant who works with small business owners and families. As a reader of the Human Design System, Laura guides her clients to their unique decision making process and provides a blueprint for navigating their innate strengths and limitations. Whether looking through the lenses of solo entrepreneurship, business team building, or as a parent raising the next generation - Laura is a grounded sounding board to guide you in navigate these dynamics.
Show Takeaways:
- Discover the world of human design and how some people use it in their business.
- Learn about how Laura uses human design as a mother.
- Listen to Laura’s observations about Sara and her season of transition to starting this podcast.
Notable Quote:
- “There's so many things that can distract us as parents these days, and the world wants us distracted in some ways, and I'm just always constantly trying to remind myself: Be present, be present, pay attention, be present.”
“Anything is possible!” was the mindset our host adopted for the exciting challenge she took part in. Listen in as Sara shares about her experience with the $10K in 10 Days Challenge, the hurdles she faced, the inner work she did and the wins that propelled her forward.
Show Takeaways:
- Listen in to Sara’s exact experience with the $10K in 10 Days Challenge, from the dollars and cents to the inner work that she did to get through.
- Discover her takeaways were from the challenge and how that will impact her business going forward.
- Learn about recommendations she gives if you are interested in this challenge as well!
Notable Quote:
This was a fantastic exercise in stretching my ability of selling by providing value and building relationships and putting myself out there because selling is not easy.
We have all had our seasons of waiting on a big dream or for our circumstances to change. But what do we do with that? How do we find contentment right where we are? In this episode, Sara reflects on what it means to wait and gives an encouraging perspective on our approach to these difficult times in our lives. Listen to Sara share about her own seasons of waiting, avoiding the comparison trap and becoming the person you were meant to be.
Show Takeaways:
- Learn about finding contentment in the waiting
- Discover the question that could change HOW you survive waiting seasons.
- Listen to Sara share about her own seasons of waiting and what she has learned.
Notable Quote:
- There are probably a lot of internal things going on that you're processing and working through, and maybe even a lot of small actions that you're taking, but you're not seeing the results yet, and that's because you're not meant to.
- You're just waiting on like, “when will the sun come back up? I don't know how long I can sit in this for any longer. How long do I have to be here?” But at the same time, there's so much beauty in the waiting if you allow yourself to see it. Like there's so much beauty in the dark night.
Have you ever wondered how you can get the best price for the greatest service when it comes to your bookkeeper? Today’s episode is all about things that affect the price of your bookkeeping and the top three components that determine the price of your bookkeeper. Listen in and learn about how you can maximize the value of this essential business service.
Show Links:
- Get a quote for bookkeeping services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/quote
Show Takeaways:
- Discover three different components that will affect the price of your bookkeeping services.
- Learn about what it means to commingle your accounts and the risks involved.
- Listen to the number one reason you should find a specialized bookkeeper.
Notable Quotes:
-
If you are looking to hire a bookkeeper for your business, and you're wondering how to get the lowest price possible, but the best service you can: you want to maximize your money basically and get everything set up to where you are able to get the base price.
-
There are a few things, several things really, that affect the quote that I'm able to give them for monthly bookkeeping services. The first one, and what's probably the biggest one, is if somebody is co-mingling business and personal expenses into a bank account.
Do you love ‘Day in the Life’ videos on Instagram? We can always learn a lot from other’s real life examples. In this episode, Sara takes you through one of her typical work days full of client work, onboarding a new client and podcasting all while balancing household tasks.
Show Takeaways:
- Learn about the day to day tasks of a full time business owner.
- Listen in to the realities of balancing work and life during a full work day.
Notable Quote:
- Something that I have implemented recently, is actually taking a break for lunch. So even if it's not like a super exciting meal not sitting at my desk.
On today’s episode, Sara talks with Kari Roberts all about strategic support and if an online business manager is a good fit for your business. They also get down to the details of company culture and connection that can have a major impact on your company. Kari is the founder and CEO of Kari and Company, an online business management and virtual assistant agency that creates, implements and manages simple systems for coaches and consultants so that they can expand their impact.
Show Links:
Connect with Kari:
-
https://www.instagram.com/kari.and.company/
-
https://kariandcompany.com/
What An Online Business Manager or Virtual Assistant Can Do For Your Business - A Support Pro Guide
This guide will give you clear standards of what to expect while hiring a support pro to fit your business needs. There is an easy-to-use checklist to help you map out what task could be outsourced to help you save time.
And we've even included a bonus section of interview questions to ask as you are considering bringing on administrative help in your business.
www.kariandcompany.com/supportproguide
Show Takeaways:
- Learn about the function of an online business manager and how they can support your business.
- Discover if you are ready for an online business manager.
- Listen to how you can build community and connection within your company.
Notable Quote:
- "Some people start businesses merely for the purpose of making them profitable and selling them. Other people have businesses where they're making a difference. Whatever the reason is, that's your vision. And you usually have to stay up high because when you're casting a vision, you're always thinking like the future."
There are seasons of our lives that can teach us a lot about ourselves and the world around us. On this episode of Profits Affogato, Sara shares three of the major perspective shifts she has made that have changed her life forever from some very personal experiences. Also, learn about her very practical ways of navigating difficult emotions, making space for them and giving them the respect they deserve.
Show Takeaways:
- Learn about the three shifts in her thinking that Sara made to change her life forever.
- Listen in as she shares about what she believes is the result of following your passions.
- Discover how to practically navigate ‘negative’ feelings in a healthy way.
Notable Quote:
- That was the first thing that had to shift in order for me to change the course of my life is the realization and the embodied belief that every human is inherently valuable. And your value doesn't come from your work or how good of a mom you are, or any sort of external aspect of their lives. ( 2:59)
I ask every guest I have on the podcast the same question, “If you could tell yourself one year ago, anything, what would it be?” This episode is near my birthday and I thought I would answer that question myself. Listen in for some encouragement.
Show Takeaways:
- Learn ways Sara has grown into herself this year and how her advice can impact you for the better
- Discover motivation to walk into dreams or goals you have for your life
Notable Quotes:
3:46.91
First of all, keep going. And you're doing exactly the right thing. Like you're exactly where you need to be. You're not behind. You're not ahead, you're perfect exactly where you are. So keep going.
Today, I discuss more of the emotional side of money, particularly what to do when you're in a phase of ignoring your finances. This information is relevant to both business and personal finances; anywhere there's money that you are managing. We all go through phases we don’t want to look at our finances; learn ways to get back into your budget with ease.
Show Links:
- You Need a Budget (YNAB) App
- Small Biz Starter Kit
- Book a Call with me
Show Takeaways:
- Discover the reasons you may be avoiding looking into your finances and the four steps to take the next time you find yourself avoiding your finances
- Learn what budget app Sarah uses in her personal life
- Listen to understand ways to move from being stuck to being involved with your money
Notable Quotes:
“Remember, what you're looking at is just numbers on a screen. It's that abstract. It's a five or it's a one, or it's a zero or it's this many commas or this many numbers. It's just digits…Any dollar amount you see isn't good or bad until you assign that judgment to it.”
Today’s episode is for the business owner who desires high-level financial information, whether doing your own books or staying informed about the details. We address the question “Will hiring out my bookkeeping lead to less control of my business?”
If you like numbers, or are accustomed to doing your own bookkeeping, there comes a time you need to hire help. You will learn what you need to consider as you make this decision.
Show Links:
- Get a quote for bookkeeping services
Show Takeaways:
- Learn how to let go of your books and stay informed in the transactions
- Discover what information and metrics to ask your bookkeeper for
- Determine if now is the right time to outsource your bookkeeping or CFO services.
Notable Quotes:
“Here's what I would ask from a bookkeeper, knowing what I know as an accountant. So of course I would ask for monthly reports, like profit and loss statements, Balance sheet, visual metrics, which we offer for all of our clients, having breakdowns of income and expenses, tracking profit margin over time, things like that. However, I would also request to see the general ledger detail activity each month.”
I am so excited to have Chelsea Wessman on the podcast today. Chelsea is a wife and mom of three living next to the Utah mountains. As a productivity coach and online business consultant she works with female entrepreneurs to grow their business while still prioritizing what matters most through her signature coaching containers and small team workshops. Chelsea is passionate about empowering high achievers to take control of their time. Make more money without putting in more hours and create a life that aligns with their values. This episode is jam packed with tips, and advice, you’ll walk away feeling empowered that yes, you can raise babies while simultaneously growing your business.
Show Links:
- Practices to Sustaining New Habits Training
- Connect with Chelsea
Show Takeaways:
- Listen in as Chelsea shares how she got started in business and the thing her mom said to her that changed everything
- Discover Chelsea’s tips for maximizing your time, effort, and energy when working from home
- Hear Chelsea’s advice when it comes to Bookkeeping and what she wishes she would have done sooner
Notable Quotes:
“But if we just had two hours of deep work time, if we just gave ourselves two hours of blocked out focused time, whatever that looks like to get focused work done, your business would compound.” -Chelsea Westman
In this episode, I'm going to be talking about something that I've seen a lot of recently, that is people coming to me, who have had very poor experiences with their accountants. And we're going to talk a little bit about why that might be happening and why I think having separate professionals do your bookkeeping versus your tax returns and tax strategy is the optimal situation.
Show Links:
- Custom Bookkeeping Quote
Show Takeaways:
- Listen in to learn why I believe having separate professionals for your bookkeeping, tax returns, and strategy is imperative
- Discover the relationship between a tax professional and a bookkeeper, including what they each do
Notable Quotes:
5:46:06
“So even though a tax accountant and a bookkeeper are both like financial professionals, you're going to want to separate them into whichever that person specializes in and spends every single day in.”
Today, Nneka Roberts, an Operations Consultant for Coaches, joins us to discuss who to hire and when. Handing over responsibilities and tasks we are used to doing in a company we built can be difficult. Listen in to hear Nneka’s expert perspective on the hiring process, how to plan and build your team and create the business culture that reflects you and your business.
Show Links:
- Nneka’s Worksheet
- Nneka’s Instagram
Show Takeaways:
- Learn the first place you want to start hiring for your business; it’s not where you think.
- Discover why Nneka doesn’t advise hiring a VA and what to do instead.
- Listen to the strategies you need to put into place before you consider hiring.
Notable Quotes:
5:22:38
“Most people when they start coaching, their coach tells them, you need a VA, you need a VA, you need a VA. And I, I'm not down with that.”
Nneka Roberts is an Operations Consultant who helps coaches and creatives with process, people, and planning as they grow from 6 to 7-figures so their backend backs their BRILLIANCE!.
She’s on a mission to help as many coaches and creatives magnify their magic to reach millions while making millions - SUSTAINABLY.
Nneka believes that:
🔥 You can transform the lives of millions while making millions WITHOUT sacrificing your integrity, sanity, pleasure, and joy.
🔥 You are a BRILLIANT coach. She believes your brilliance deserves to be supported by systems, not stifled by them.
🔥 Simplicity is elegant and effective while complexity is expensive and cumbersome. The simpler your systems, the faster you will grow - your income and your impact.
🔥 A spreadsheet has as much legitimacy as SaaS (fancy letters don’t make it more effective). What matters is that you love it and you use it!
🔥 Chick lit read over Busta Rhymes while sipping on hibiscus tea is a whole vibe!
Welcome back to the podcast! For today's episode, I'm going to talk about five mistakes I see from people who do their own bookkeeping and how to fix them. Now, before I begin I want you to know that I’m not calling anyone out here. If you are making any of these mistakes that I list, give yourself some grace. You don't know what you don't know, and that's okay. That's why there are people who specialize in things.
Show Links:
- Small Business Starter Kit
Show Takeaways:
- Listen in to learn the five mistakes I see from people who do their own bookkeeping, including the biggest and most common mistake I see.
- Discover what you can do to not only avoid these mistakes but to fix them all together.
- The one thing you can do today to set yourself up for success when it comes to keeping your own books.
Notable Quotes:
5:51:26
“So maybe the money stories you have in your mind about how you're not good with money, or you're not good at math. And having this thing that you're putting off with money can perpetuate those money mindset stories, and it can actually affect the way that you're running your business.”
For today's episode, we're going to talk all about sales tax and specifically what online business owners need to know about sales tax. Sales tax, especially for online businesses is something that can be sort of an afterthought and it's something that you definitely need to at least have a base knowledge about and know whether your items are taxable for sales tax and the thresholds to pay attention to. We’re covering that and more in this episode.
Show Links:
- Custom Bookkeeping Quote
- Etsy article
Show Takeaways:
- Understand what sales tax is and what it is not.
- Listen in to learn what products are taxable.
Notable Quotes:
4:50:47
“However, digital products are also becoming increasingly more taxable. Some examples of digital products would be online courses, webinars, any sort of ebook or PDF, even things like fonts and graphics are digital products. A lot of states are starting to consider digital products taxable for sales tax as well, which is why this is so important for online business owners to be aware of, because so much of what we do is obviously digital.”
Today, Katie Fleming, a business mindset coach, joins me and discusses her mindset around business and money. Katie shares her story about money and how she got to where she is today, how she navigates change in the shifts of business, and her mindset on debt and much more.
Show Links:
- Katie’s Instagram
Show Takeaways:
- Discover the benefits of having a mindset that all things will work together to serve you.
- Listen to Katie’s view on why certain people, ideas, and practices are drawn into your circle of influence.
- Learn how to listen to yourself and apply these messages to business.
Notable Quotes:
6:25:58
And it wasn't until I finally realized that it wasn't the Facebook ads that were gonna be the thing. It wasn't the coach who was gonna finally help me map my funnel or make my course, or give me some grand thing - it was never that. Once I realized it was me, that's when everything shifted. That's when the business took off.
In today’s episode of the ‘Profits Affogato Podcast’, I talk about three easy ways to increase your profits today while growing a profitable business.
Episode Highlights:
- Start with the math of how much is your profit.
- Ensure that you are still using those subscriptions that you've upgraded to annually.
- One of the ways to increase your profits is to raise your prices but consider the value behind it.
- The last way to increase your profit today is to expand your network and deepen your relationships.
Show Takeaways:
- There are three mathematical ways to increase your profits.
- When you are building business relationships, it is adding to your quality of life.
Show Links:
- Mareish Books - Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services (‘Profits Affogato Podcast’ host, Sara Verheyen is the Owner of Mareish Books, a bookkeeping and CFO services company.)
- Cash Flow Forecaster
- Sara Verheyen - Mareish Books
Kendall’s vision for her copywriting agency has inspired me for months now, and we talk all about it in today’s episode.
She has an apprenticeship model which is unlike anything I’ve seen before, and everything in the way it’s set up reflects her values.
We also talk about what her business looked like before hiring a bookkeeper and CFO and how it looks and feels now.
Kendall Cherry is the founder and creative director of The Candid Collective and she's on a mission to create a world that’s more candid and kind. Kendall and her team create copy and content for ALL kinds of businesses. They’ve written for multi-seven figure software companies, strippers and sex-positive CEOs, media empires with 100k+ email lists, and many other virtual service providers, all while sounding EXACTLY like who they're writing for.
WTF to Send Your Tiny Ass Email List
Get one year of email prompts so you never have to ghost your email list.
candidcollective.co/one-year-of-email-ideas
Connect with Kendall Cherry:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candidcollectiveco/
- Candid Collective Co: https://candidcollective.co/
About the host:
Sara Verheyen is the owner of Mareish Books, a bookkeeping and CFO services company dedicated to helping small business owners increase their profits by embracing the numbers side of their business.
Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
There are 8 financial routines every entrepreneur needs. In this episode, I talk all about them and which ones are weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Show Takeaways:
- The first weekly routine is a bite sized check in that shouldn't take more than 20 minutes.
- Set aside money monthly to a separate high yield savings account for taxes
- When doing annual goals and projections, make sure you make time to calculate the profitability of your upcoming/planned offers
Show Links:
- Free monthly bookkeeping and tax reminders
- Small Biz Starter Kit
- Get a quote for 1:1 CFO Services
Without setting goals, it’s common for the pages on the calendar to fly by until you look up and realize an entire year has passed. In this episode, I talk to Erin Haworth, productivity coach and strategist, all about refreshing our goals now that we are halfway through the year.
Erin answers common questions such as,
- Why should we set goals?
- Should goals be tied to a dollar amount or other metric or more general?
- How do I do a goal refresh?
And she also talks about her own recent experience with burnout and how she is working through that.
Show Takeaways:
- There are two types of people when it comes to goal setting, and those two have different types of goals that work better for their personality (outrageous and good/better/best)
- How 5 year and 10 year visions fit into the goal setting process
- Refreshing goals is like cleaning out your refrigerator: you maintain it weekly but every now and then you do a major clean out where you take all the food out, wipe down the shelves, etc. It’s a similar frequency for goal refreshes.
Show Links:
- Erin on Instagram
- Erin on TikTok
- Goal Get It Podcast
Diving behind the scenes in today’s episode, I share my daily habits that make an impact towards my goals and contribute to the success of my business.
If you have enjoyed this episode of the podcast, take a screenshot, head on over to Instagram and share your IG stories and tag me, @mareishbooks
Show Links:
Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
Another question I see business owners have: where did all my profits go?
In episode 5, I help you reconcile your net income from your P&L to the cash in your bank account, so you have better understanding of the flow of your money.
If you have enjoyed this episode of the podcast, take a screenshot, head on over to Instagram and share your IG stories and tag me, @mareishbooks
Show Links:
- Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
Continuing the series of commonly asked questions, I answer the question “how much should I pay myself?”
There’s no one size fits all answer here, and I talk about a few of the intricacies in answering this question, as well as how to decide what that amount is for your business.
If you have enjoyed this episode of the podcast, take a screenshot, head on over to Instagram and share your IG stories and tag me, @mareishbooks
Mentioned:
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Show Links:
- Cash Flow Forecaster Tool https://www.mareishbooks.com/cff
- Small Biz Starter Kit (use code PODCAST15 to get 15% off as a podcast listener) https://www.mareishbooks.com/kit
- Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
We’ve all been there - that awkward moment at dinner out with friends where everyone waits a second too long before reaching for the bill.
Why is it so uncomfortable to talk about money?
I share a little about my thoughts on scarcity and money mindset and ponder what business would look like if more people had an abundance mindset.
Recomended money mindset resources:
- The Soul of Money
- The Abundance Book
Show Links:
- Connect with me on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mareishbooks/
- Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
One of the most common questions I get is what’s a good profit margin?
In Episode 2 of the Profits Affogato Podcast, I do a deep dive into the financial statements of a few large companies and analyze their profits margins. I compare these to what I see regularly in the online business industry and how profit margins are affected by the industry.
I also talk a little about why profit margin matters and what to do with it (spoiler: it’s only one piece of the puzzle.)
Show Links:
- Small Biz Starter Kit (use code PODCAST15 to get 15% off as a podcast listener) https://www.mareishbooks.com/kit
- Connect with me on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mareishbooks/
- Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
In Episode 1, I do a brief intro and then dive right into one of the most common questions I get: what’s the difference between a bookkeeper, CPA, accountant, CFO, etc? Which one do I need as a small business owner and when’s the best time to add them to my team?
Join me in this first episode of the Profits Affogato Podcast to find out!
Show Links:
- FRIENDS quiz: https://www.mareishbooks.com/quiz
- DM me on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mareishbooks/
- Get a quote for bookkeeping or CFO services: https://www.mareishbooks.com/work-with-me
This is not a CPA firm.
The Profits Affogato Podcast is for women entrepreneurs who are ready to embrace the financial side of their business and leverage their numbers for powerful decision making. Each week, I'll bring you a new episode designed to demystify accounting jargon, and inspire you to take action and provide strategies you can implement today to build the business of your dreams while living your ideal life. I'll also be sharing my experiences and lessons learned along the way. Find out more about Sara and Mareish Books at https://www.mareishbooks.com