Budgeting doesn't have to be intimidating, but it does have to be intentional. In this episode, Brian Thompson kicks off a brand new solo series on budgeting for entrepreneurs, approaching the topic through three lenses: awareness, acceptance, and action. The episode is the first and most foundational step: Awareness. Whether you're a new business owner or a seasoned mission-driven entrepreneur, understanding where your money is actually going is the starting point for everything else.

Why Financial Awareness Comes First

Every January, Brian's inbox fills up with clients asking to connect about their budgets. It's a ritual he takes seriously in his own life too. This time of year offers a rare advantage: a full year of real data and a fresh set of goals. Before you can make smart decisions about where you're headed, you need an honest look at where you've been.

A Three-Step Framework for Financial Awareness

To get there, Brian walks through three concrete steps: tracking your income, reviewing your expenses, and understanding your cash flow.

1. Track Your Income

The foundation of financial awareness is tracking. You can't manage what you don't measure. Start by understanding exactly where your money is coming from. Break down income by client, look at the consistency of your monthly revenue, and identify any seasonal patterns. That data doesn't just inform your budget; it shapes your marketing, hiring, and service delivery decisions too.

1. Review Your Expenses

Next, take a deep dive into your expenses to gain clarity. Ask yourself which expenses align with your values, which help you grow, which are essential to serving clients, and which could be eliminated or renegotiated.

1. Understand Your Cash Flow

Cash flow keeps your business alive. Ask yourself: Are you regularly dipping into savings or credit cards to cover operations? Do you have a cash reserve for emergencies? Are you paying yourself a regular profit distribution? If cash flow feels tight, it may be time to revisit your pricing, your payment terms, or the consistency of your revenue streams.

Tools to Make Financial Awareness Easier

QuickBooks, Xero, or Wave are great for automated tracking and categorization, or Excel and Google Sheets for a more hands-on approach. Tune in as Brian previews the Profit First Framework — a method of allocating funds into key buckets like profit, taxes, and owner's pay — which will get a deeper treatment in the action episode. His biggest tip? Hire a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping is too important to keep pushing to the back burner, and editing someone else's work is always easier than starting from scratch.

Your action step

Set aside 60 minutes this week to review your income and expenses from last year. Use whatever tool works for you, and look for patterns, surprises, and opportunities. If you're feeling brave, share one insight with Brian on Instagram at @BTFinancial. In the next episode, the series continues with acceptance — letting go of shame and judgment around money so you can focus on what you can actually control.

Resources + Links

• QuickBooks, Xero, Wave
• Newsletter Sign Up
• Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes
• Follow & review the podcast: on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast

Brian Thompson, JD/CFP®, is a tax attorney and Certified Financial Planner® who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit.

On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.