A 401(k) is no longer simply a nice benefit to offer—it can be an important tool for attracting and retaining employees, reducing taxes, and helping business owners prepare for their own retirement.

In this episode of Ask the CFO, Lowell Mora speaks with Stan Francom of Human Interest about what business owners should know before starting or evaluating a retirement plan. They discuss available tax credits, Safe Harbor options, Roth contributions, employee participation, fiduciary responsibility, and how automation can make plan administration easier.

Whether you already offer a 401(k) or have assumed one would be too expensive or complicated, this conversation will help you understand the options, costs, and questions worth asking.

Learn more about Ask the CFO at www.impactcfo.net/ask.

What happens when your marketing is creating activity—but not enough revenue?

In this episode of Ask the CFO, Lowell Mora sits down with Dolores Hirschmann of Masters in Clarity to talk about what is actually working in marketing today, especially for consultants, fractional executives, advisors, and service-based businesses.

They discuss relationship-based marketing, LinkedIn lead generation, why consistency matters, how AI is changing the way we find and communicate with prospects, and where automation should stop.

The biggest takeaway? AI can help you move faster, target better, and eliminate a lot of the grunt work—but the last mile still has to be human.

If you are trying to turn more of your marketing efforts into real conversations, stronger relationships, and ultimately revenue, this episode is worth a listen.

Most high-achieving business leaders eventually hit a moment where they stop and ask, is this it. Not because anything is wrong. The revenue is there, the team is growing, the milestones keep getting checked off, and something still feels unresolved.

In this episode of Ask the CFO, Lowell Mora sits down with Diana B. Patel, founder and president of Resonant LLC, to talk about what fulfillment actually means for a business leader, and why it has to come before success and happiness, not after.

Today's chat is about the four building blocks of fulfillment: purpose, people, process, and peace of mind, and why fulfillment is not the same thing as happiness Why core values only mean something when they change what you say yes and no to, not when they are words on a poster Lowell's own reasons for turning down CEO offers he knew would set him up to fail, and what that has to do with the Peter Principle Work-life balance versus what Diana calls work-life harmony, and a simple way to decide what gets protected on a hard week The difference between patience and active patience, and how process goals keep you moving while an outcome plays out on its own timeline

Whether you are running a business, leading a team, or figuring out your own next step, this conversation is a practical look at how to build a career and a company you do not need a vacation to recover from.

Diana B. Patel is the founder and president of Resonant LLC, where she works with senior leaders through one-on-one coaching, keynote speaking, and workshops focused on turning insight into practice. Learn more at dianapatel.com.

About Ask the CFO Ask the CFO is a free, interactive series hosted by Lowell Mora, founder of Impact CFO. Each session brings business owners and financial experts together for practical conversations about the decisions that shape profitability, growth, succession and long-term business value.

Register for an upcoming session: https://impactcfo.net/ask

Connect with Lowell Mora: Website: https://www.impactcfo.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lowellmora/

Connect with Diana B. Patel: Website: https://www.dianapatel.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianabpatel

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