Burn Rate & Beyond

In this episode of Burn Rate and Beyond, Chad Folse and Quinto Pauletti (founder of doc-q.com and the Agape Institute of Functional Health and Chiropractic) talk about managing the biological burn rate that founders, CEOs, and high performers experience.

Just as a company monitors its cash burn rate, your body manages a physiological burn rate driven by adrenal strain, sleep debt, mitochondrial capacity, and allostatic stress load. Quinto explains how concierge functional medicine and Quantum Neurology help identify hidden nerve deficits, reboot the vagus nerve, and build a biological dashboard before chronic stress turns into medical issues.

Key Topics Covered:

Financial burn rate vs. biological burn rate

The two founder profiles: Burned-Out High Achiever vs. Health-Engaged Optimizer

Transitioning from traditional healthcare to a Concierge Functional Care Model

Fundamentals of Quantum Neurology, brainstem rehabilitation, and vagus nerve healing

Recognizing early warning signs of burnout and disrupted sleep architecture

Leveraging Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and BioStrap data effectively

Quinto's upcoming book: Running on Empty at the Top

Links & Resources Mentioned:

Website: https://doc-q.com/

Book Waitlist & Pre-Sale: https://runningonemptybook.com/

In this episode of Burn Rate and Beyond, Chad and Lua discuss how Artificial Intelligence is impacting day-to-day accounting, tax research, and financial workflows.

Chad breaks down which routine tasks are being automated—such as ETL (Export, Transform, Load), bank reconciliations, and tax law research across 2,000 pages of GAAP rules and 50,000 lines of tax code. He also shares the specific AI tools his firm uses, including Google Workspace (Gemini), Blue J, Digits, and Puzzle, and explains why AI acts like a "junior accountant" that still requires senior human review.

Key Topics Covered:

Transformed accounting tasks:

ETL, reconciliations, and instant tax law lookupAI platforms breakdown:

Gemini, Blue J, Digits, Puzzle, ChatGPT, and Claude

The evolution of accounting workflows: AI metadata coding vs. human reviewFormatting client presentations and complex spreadsheets with AI

Why AI financial analysis lacks critical real-world business contextSoftware costs and client expectations:

When AI tool bills scale from $20/mo to $15,000/moWill AI replace accountants?

The shift from job loss to increased capacityProblem-solving and idea generation:

What accountants would miss if AI vanished tomorrow

In this episode of "Burn Rate and Beyond," we sit down to discuss the realities of running a family business across generations. From leaving the government sector to start a bookkeeping firm in 1976 to navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, we dive deep into the lessons learned over 50 years.

We cover:

-The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Why risk is necessary and how to manage the fear of starting out.

-Avoiding Single Points of Failure: How building a diverse client base protects your business.

-Financial Resilience: The importance of protecting key assets and the reality of cash flow management.

-Generational Wisdom: How a family-learned attitude toward independence shaped our path.

Whether you're a budding entrepreneur scared to take the leap or an established business owner looking for sustainable growth strategies, this conversation offers honest insights into the grit, resilience, and relationship-building required to thrive.

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In the season two premiere of Burn Rate & Beyond, Chad Folse and his father John are joined by Lua to dive deep into the financial habits every young adult needs to master. From the "biggest mistakes" of cashing out 401ks to the power of the three-jar budgeting system, the family discusses why living within your means and thinking 10 years ahead is the key to building long-term wealth. Learn why you shouldn’t "do the ostrich" when it comes to your money and how to start investing today, no matter your income level.

If you found these financial tips helpful, please subscribe to Burn Rate & Beyond on your favorite podcast platform and visit us at ABT Financial Consultants for personalized financial guidance.

Are you scaling your business, or just adding more complexity to your back office?

In this episode Janvi and I discuss the reality of scaling from $1M to $10M in revenue.We move past the "DIY bookkeeping" phase and dive deep into what it actually takes to build a financial growth engine. If you're a founder feeling like your current accounting setup is holding you back, this conversation will help you clear the clutter.

In this episode, we cover:

-The Scaling Pivot: Why the transition from $1M to $10M+ requires a total change in your financial systems.

-Strategic Advisor vs. Tax Preparer: Why you need a partner, not just a processor

.-The AI Reality Check: How AI is accelerating accounting, and why human intuition still matters more than ever.

-The "Teacher Mentality": Why the best advisory is about walking beside the client, not mandating them.

-The Essential Tech Stack: The tools you need for remote-first financial management.

For more:

https://abtaz.com/ 

 / chad-folse-cpa-210a5049     / @burnrateandbeyond  

Or schedule a free consultation: https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery

Burn Rate & Beyond -Visit https://abtaz.com -Book a call https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery-Join our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burnrateandbeyond

Financial Leadership for Founders and CEOs: Audit Readiness as a Year-Round Habit

Stop treating your annual audit like a fire drill!

In this episode, we dive into the core year-round habits that Founders and CEOs need to master to ensure financial health and stress-free audits.

Learn how to:

Adopt a "Mini-Audit" Mindset: Conduct small, internal reviews throughout the year to keep your financial systems sharp.

Master the Monthly Close: Discover why reconciling all balance sheet accounts monthly with full support documentation eliminates approximately 80% of annual audit pain.

Build a Professional Auditor Relationship: Understand how open communication and clear documentation can streamline the process and even lead to minor fixes being allowed on the spot.

Leverage Technology: Utilize cloud accounting's built-in audit trail to clarify old transactions and strengthen fraud investigation.

Make audit readiness a part of your financial leadership, not just a seasonal event

Burn Rate & Beyond -Visit https://abtaz.com -Book a call https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery-Join our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burnrateandbeyond

In this episode Alex Roman from Humans in Accounting talks with Chad Folse, owner of ABT Financial Consultants.

Chad shares his family’s legacy in accounting, his own path from physics to entrepreneurship, and how he grew ABT into a firm that supports virtual companies, SaaS businesses, and expats around the world. From moving between Arizona and Spain to launching his own podcast, Chad’s journey is a true mix of sprinting at the start and learning to run the marathon of business.

We cover:

The story of ABT Financial Consultants, founded by his grandfather and father.

Chad’s transition from physics and engineering to accounting.

Lessons learned running a remote firm between Spain and the U.S.

Why outsourced accounting services are critical for SaaS companies and expats.

Favorite food 🍅 (Caprese Salad) and the story behind it.

His podcast Burn Rate and Beyond and what inspired him to start it.

Best advice: If you think you need an accountant, you probably do.

If you’re an entrepreneur, accountant, or expat, this episode is full of insights on remote firms, cash management, and long-term growth.

Burn Rate & Beyond -Visit https://abtaz.com -Book a call https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery-Join our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burnrateandbeyond

In this episode, learn how to build an investor-ready business from a financial perspective.

We discuss presenting clear financial history, current metrics, and future projections, as well as the importance of starting early and having well-organized financials.

We also explore the trade-offs between equity and debt financing and the strategic reasons for seeking investment.

Burn Rate & Beyond -Visit https://abtaz.com -Book a call https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery-Join our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burnrateandbeyond

Learn the essentials of scenario planning in this episode, where we discuss how creating "what-if" versions of the future helps businesses prepare for various outcomes.

Discover why collaboration between finance and operations teams is crucial, how to focus on key metrics and cash flow, and why regular review of scenarios is vital for proactive decision-making.

We'll also explore how scenario planning builds resilience and adaptability, preparing your business for both positive and negative uncertainties.

Burn Rate & Beyond -Visit https://abtaz.com -Book a call https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery-Join our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burnrateandbeyond

In this episode we delve into the crucial distinctions between forecasting and budgeting, highlighting how dynamic forecasting leverages historical data and trends for future projections, unlike static annual budgets.

Discover what makes a forecasting model 'robust,' including the integration of multiple scenarios like base, best and worst-case projections to navigate volatility and unforeseen events.

Explore key forecasting types such as scenario planning and rolling forecasts as well as various software tools from traditional Excel to cloud-based accounting solutions and specialized platforms like Fathom and Data Rails.

Learn about the emerging role of AI in forecasting and, most importantly, the critical need for quality input data. We also cover common mistakes to avoid and best practices for building flexibility into your systems.

To evaluate your current forecasting practices, identify areas for improvement, and develop more resilient financial planning strategies visit https://abtaz.com/ or book a call https://meet.abtaz.com/discovery