Getting to the Bottom Line: Helping business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow

What happens when your clients love you, your retention is solid, and your close rate is strong... but there just aren't enough people in the pipeline?

In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie sits down with Scott Maderer, stewardship coach and founder of Inspired Stewardship, who opens up about the client acquisition challenge that quietly affects everything downstream, from revenue to cash flow to your own peace of mind. Scott's business isn't broken. His clients stick around. They get results. But getting the right prospects to the table? That's where the real financial pressure shows up.

Scott shares how economic downturns create a predictable six-month lag in his coaching business, and how knowing that pattern helps him plan instead of panic. He also talks about the thing that's helped him most: building a circle of other business owners who get it. Mastermind groups, peer communities, coaches who aren't competing with each other but lifting each other up.

If you're a business owner who's ever felt stuck on an island trying to figure it all out alone, this one will hit close to home. It's a real conversation about the financial pressure of an empty pipeline, the power of asking for help, and why admitting you don't have it all together is one of the smartest business moves you can make.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

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My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

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Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

What if you could save thousands every year just by renegotiating the contracts you already have?

In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie sits down with Kathryn Rowell, a cost optimization consultant with over 36 years of experience in budgeting, vendor management, and operational efficiency. Kathryn spent her career in law enforcement managing multi-million dollar budgets and negotiating vendor contracts, and now she brings that same expertise to help business owners keep more of their revenue.

Kathryn walks through her process for identifying hidden savings in everyday business expenses, from credit card processing fees to telecom costs, waste management, and fuel. She shares a real success story where she helped a flooring company save over $70,000 a year in processing fees alone. And she explains why most businesses don't get the best rates when they try to negotiate on their own.

If you've ever felt stuck with a vendor or wondered whether you're overpaying for services you use every day, this episode will open your eyes. You'll learn how small changes to your cost structure can free up real cash flow, improve your profit margins, and give you the financial flexibility to invest back into your people and your business growth.

Connect with Kathryn: kathrynrowellconsulting.com

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

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My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

What do you do when it's Thursday night, payroll hits Friday morning, and the money just isn't there?

In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie sits down with Dennis "DM" Meador, founder of the Legal Podcast Network, who shares the kind of payroll nightmare every bootstrapped business owner secretly fears. A single complaint to his credit card company froze $30,000 of his cash, just months into building a team of 10–12 people. Suddenly, payroll wasn't just tight — it was gone.

DM opens up about how he handled it, why brutal honesty with his team saved his business, and the simple cash flow habit he's used ever since to make sure it never happens again. He also gets real about the hidden expense most entrepreneurs ignore — a bloated SaaS and tech stack that quietly drains profit and puts payroll at risk.

If you've ever stared at your bank account on a Thursday night wondering how you're going to cover Friday, this episode is for you. It's a candid look at how transparency, smart cash reserves, and tight expense control protect your team, your revenue, and your peace of mind — and how those small financial habits drive long-term business growth.

Connect with Dennis:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismeador/
- Legal Podcast Network: https://www.thelegalpodcastnetwork.com/

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

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My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

You might be spending thousands on marketing and still leaving money on the table, not because your product isn't good, but because you're talking to people you don't really know.

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Kristin Zhivago, revenue systems architect and president of Zhivago Partners, to talk about what's actually getting in the way of your sales. Kristin has spent decades interviewing customers, identifying hidden sales stoppers, and helping companies remove friction from their buying process, and the results speak for themselves. One of her clients went from stalled to a Microsoft acquisition.

If you want to grow revenue without throwing more money at ads that aren't working, this conversation is going to change how you think about your customers, your marketing, and your message. We dig into what buyers are actually thinking when they decide to purchase, why most small businesses are promoting the wrong things, and how a handful of customer conversations can unlock the clarity your marketing has been missing.

Whether you're a home service business, a B2B company, or somewhere in between, the insights in this episode are practical, eye-opening, and immediately actionable.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

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My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

What if the biggest thing holding your business back… is your relationship with money?

In this powerful Cash Flow Confession, Renee Hastings shares a deeply personal journey of confronting a hidden poverty mindset that was limiting her ability to receive financial success, even as her business was growing.

As the founder of a successful virtual assistant agency serving entrepreneurs, private equity, and real estate professionals, Renee found herself facing an unexpected challenge: fear of abundance. Despite doing meaningful work and generating revenue, she struggled internally with accepting more income and stepping into higher levels of success.

In this episode, we unpack:

• How money beliefs formed early in life can quietly sabotage business growth 
• Why success can feel uncomfortable, even when you’ve worked hard for it 
• The role of faith, community, and mindset in unlocking financial breakthroughs 
• Practical ways to shift from scarcity thinking to abundance thinking 

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about charging more, earning more, or stepping into your full financial potential, this conversation will hit home.

This is more than a money conversation. It’s about identity, belief, and giving yourself permission to receive what you’ve earned.

Connect with Renee:
→ https://executivehelpnow.org/
→ https://livestreameditors.com/
→ https://www.instagram.com/executivehelpnow/
→ https://www.linkedin.com/company/executive-help-now/
→ https://www.facebook.com/ExecutiveHelpNow
→ https://www.tiktok.com/@executivehelpnow

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

---

My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

What if the biggest thing holding your business back… isn’t your strategy, but your assumptions?

In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie Smith sits down with entrepreneur and neurodivergent business advocate Avy Schondorf to unpack why so many business owners feel stuck, overwhelmed, and unsure of their next move, and how to fix it.

Avy shares how she accidentally built her company, Alisto, out of necessity after moving to the U.S. in 2020, and how her experience as an ADHD entrepreneur shaped a completely different approach to business growth, one rooted in data, clarity, and zero shame.

Together, they break down why entrepreneurs often invest in the wrong solutions, how “shiny object syndrome” and misdiagnosed problems cost you time and money, and what it actually looks like to make decisions based on real data instead of guesswork.

You’ll also hear a powerful client case study showing how one business owner went from frustration and stalled growth to streamlined systems, automated processes, and increased revenue, simply by identifying the right problem to solve.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “all the things” but still not seeing results, this conversation will give you a new lens, and a better path forward.

👉 Find out  more about Avy and her business online: avyhd.com and alistova.com
👉 Book a strategy call with Avy: https://web.alistova.com/booking-strategy-call-with-avy

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

---

My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

Many entrepreneurs believe the only way to grow their business is by purchasing expensive leads. But what if the real growth strategy was already sitting in your own community?

In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions on Getting to the Bottom Line, host Stephanie Smith sits down with warm marketing strategist Billy Sammons to unpack a powerful shift in mindset: moving from cold lead generation to authentic relationship-based marketing.

Billy shares the financial challenge that many entrepreneurs face when starting their business—spending thousands of dollars on paid leads that rarely convert. After experiencing the frustration of cold calling and getting hung up on, he realized there had to be a better way.

That realization led him to develop a strategy centered around community connections, collaboration with local businesses, and giving value first. By creating simple video content to promote local businesses, Billy built strong relationships that organically generated referrals and business opportunities.

The best part? This strategy doesn't require a large marketing budget. In fact, Billy explains how entrepreneurs can start implementing warm marketing with nothing more than a smartphone, a tripod, and a simple desire to support their local community.

If you're tired of wasting money on leads that don't convert and want to build a business that can withstand economic ups and downs, this episode offers a refreshing and practical alternative.

You'll walk away with actionable ideas on how to create meaningful relationships, generate referrals naturally, and grow a sustainable business rooted in genuine connections.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

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My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

Are your financial reports giving you the full picture,  or hiding costly mistakes?

In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, host Stephanie Smith of New Light Financial Solutions is joined by her husband and business partner, Kris Smith, to unpack the most common bookkeeping cleanup issues they see when working with high-earning entrepreneurs.

If you’ve ever fallen behind on your books, categorized expenses “close enough,” or wondered why your profit doesn’t match your bank balance, this episode is for you.

Stephanie and Kris break down two of the biggest financial clarity killers:
→ Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) being miscategorized
→ Payroll entries recorded incorrectly

When these items aren’t properly structured on your Profit & Loss statement, your margins become distorted, your gross profit is misleading, and your decision-making suffers. You may think you're profitable — but the numbers could be telling a different story.

They explain:
• What cost of goods actually includes (and how to know if it applies to your business)
• Why service businesses often overlook COGS
• How misplacing COGS impacts your gross profit percentage
• Why recording payroll as “net pay” is a major bookkeeping mistake
• The difference between employer vs. employee payroll taxes
• How liabilities from payroll affect your balance sheet

If you want accurate financial reports, clean books, and better business decisions, this conversation will help you understand where clarity begins.

Because at the end of the day, good decisions require good data.  

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

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My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

What happens when your business crosses $1 million in revenue… but you can’t afford your mortgage?

In this powerful Cash Flow Confessions episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, host Stephanie Smith sits down with profitability expert Leanne Ozaine to unpack the painful, and surprisingly common, reality of being “profitable” on paper but broke in real life.

Leanne shares the dark moment that changed everything: running a million-dollar software company, speaking in 30 cities a year, growing fast… and quietly accumulating six figures of debt. The turning point? A simple, humbling exercise with a stack of bank statements and a highlighter.

This episode dives into:
→ Why revenue growth doesn’t guarantee cash flow
→ The dangerous “it takes money to make money” mindset
→ The difference between profitable investment and waste
→ Why most entrepreneurs avoid looking at their bank accounts
→ A practical “Heartbeat Audit” you can implement immediately

If you’re a high-earning entrepreneur who feels like money slips through your fingers even though sales are strong, this conversation will give you clarity, courage, and actionable next steps.

This is not about shame. It’s about awareness, ownership, and building a business that actually pays you back.

Listen now to learn how to stop chasing revenue and start keeping more of what you make.

Connect with Leanne:

• Website: https://profitwithleanne.com
• Free Heartbeat Audit Guide: https://gift.profitwithleanne.com

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

---

My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

What if the fastest way to grow your revenue, profit, and cash flow wasn’t working harder, but letting go?

In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, host Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, sits down with Renee Hastings, President and CEO of Executive Help Now, for a powerful conversation about delegation, trust, and reclaiming your time as a business owner.

Renee shares her incredible journey from growing up in an Amish community in Wisconsin to becoming a trusted right-hand partner for founders, executives, and content creators worldwide. With over 20 years of experience supporting C-suite leaders, she explains how letting go of low-value tasks can dramatically improve not just business performance, but quality of life.

You’ll hear real-world stories of how outsourcing email management, scheduling, operations, and even podcast production freed founders to focus on revenue-generating activities, and sparked massive business growth. This episode tackles the emotional side of delegation, including trust, fear, and control, and reframes support as self-care, not weakness.

If you’re overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or stuck doing work you’ve outgrown, this episode will help you rethink how you use your time and how that choice directly impacts your bottom line.

Connect with Renee:
→ https://executivehelpnow.org/
→ https://www.instagram.com/executivehelpnow/
→ https://www.linkedin.com/company/executive-help-now/
→ https://www.facebook.com/ExecutiveHelpNow
→ https://www.tiktok.com/@executivehelpnow

Watch more podcast episodes here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5WTE9D35Qv2n46vqCoM7nW3EHd-ZuD5Z&si=ovaqJ3OsW-o3GGvv   

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Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs

We want to hear from you! Send us a message.

---

My name is Stephanie Smith, owner of New Light Financial Solutions, and we help business owners walk the one clear path to generating more cash in their business. To learn more, visit us online at https://newlightfs.com/

Sign up for our newsletter for more great tips on how to keep the cash flowing in your business: https://newlightfs.com/newsletter/

Need help generating more cash in your business? Book a right fit call with us today: https://newlightfs.com/rightfit

---

Want to be a guest on Getting to the Bottom Line: Conversations to help business owners maximize revenue, profit, and cash flow? Send Stephanie Smith a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/newlightfs

Looking to be on more podcasts this year? Check out PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/newlightfs