Inside BS Show

What You Need to Know About Your Business Finances

On this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo Interviews Carlos Sava, a fractional CFO and advisor to business owners. Carlos and Dave have a lively discussion about the finances of a business and what you need to know to run your business efficiently.

00:00 What You Need to Know About Your Business Finances
01:12 How did Carlos become an outsourced CFO?
03:25 What is Carlos Sava's competitive advantage?
04:40 What are the differences between an interim CFO, a financial consultant, and a fractional CFO?
06:20 Who does a CFO need to connect with in order to help companies?
08:34 How does a fractional CFO's schedule work?
10:27 How did Carlos deal with the pandemic?
12:31 What do CFOs wish their CEOs knew about their financials?
19:17 Who is the perfect client for a fractional CFO?
22:39 Which clients aren't a suitable fit for fractional CFO?
23:41 How does a CFO collaborate with an accounting firm?
24:46 What is the competitive market like for fractional CFOs?

Carlos Sava
Principal and CFO
Pro CFO Partners
(608) 338-5112
[email protected]
https://procfopartners.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpsava/

About Carlos Sava
Carlos is a Principal and CFO with ProCFO Partners, serving as a fractional CFO and advisor to mid-sized businesses between $5 - $50 million in revenue. In particular, Carlos works with companies that are focused on building long-term value through business acquisitions and/or a planned sale/succession transaction.
Carlos Sava has more than 15 years of experience in accounting, financial, and investment roles. He is a founder, advisor, and strategic operator – working with companies across many sectors, including professional/business services, financial services, and IT.
His areas of expertise include strategic planning, financial reporting and forecasting, cash flow management, team development, and M&A. Working with sole-proprietors, family businesses, private equity firms, and publicly traded companies, Carlos understands how to manage stakeholders, determine and create value, and get deals done. By working internally, as an investor, and as an advisor, he understands key metrics, qualitative considerations, and valuation. Carlos takes a long-term approach to build sustainable value by focusing on business strategy, return on investment, and process development and efficiency.
He founded Clarendon Capital Management (investment management firm), Clarendon Search Partners (search fund), and was a founding member of an artificial intelligence investing service. Carlos began his career in investment banking, where he completed nearly $2 billion in capital raising and M&A transactions. Carlos earned his BBA in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and is a CFA charter holder.

Is It Too Late to Plan for Your Financial Future? We answer that question and many of the pressing questions of the day as Dave Lorenzo interviews Financial Advisor Michael Resnick on this episode of The Inside BS Show.

00:00 Is It Too Late to Plan for Your Financial Future?
01:04 How did Michael become a Certified Financial Planner?
02:21 What is the process of becoming a Certified Financial Planner?
04:04 What drives people to seek the services of a Financial Planner?
08:31 How can Financial Planners assist clients with Tax Planning?
11:44 Why should you hire a financial adviser instead of investing or trading if you inherit money?
14:07 How might a CFP assist with portfolio balance to help limit risk?
19:51 What is the importance of Time Horizon in Investment?
20:37 Is it wise to invest in Bitcoin and NFTs? 

Michael Resnick
Certified Financial Planner
Alera Group
(847) 457-3206
[email protected]

About Michael Resnick:
Michael Resnick's business experience extends from the financial markets and risk mitigation to financial planning for business owners and families. At Alera Wealth Services, his focus is on helping families and business owners grow and protect their wealth in a tax-efficient manner, helping to allow the transfer of that wealth to future generations. Always the entrepreneur, Michael has built businesses on the trading floors of Chicago as well as in the fast-paced world of hedge funds. His practice at GCG is built around relationships with his clients that extend beyond the products used to implement the financial strategies. His philosophy is that the plan itself is paramount to the success of his clients.

A Great Coach Can Change Your Life

On this episode of the Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews Life Engineer Linda Brennan. Linda and Dave discuss many important issues for entrepreneurs. Linda even helps Dave think through a couple of challenging issues he is facing.

You don't want to miss this show. Join us!

Chapters
00:00 The Difference a Great Coach Can Make in Your Life
01:16 What is a Life Engineer?
02:47 The struggle of having work/life balance
06:18 How to say NO to some things?
07:18 Dave's making tough choices between family or business
12:14 How to be fully present for family
14:45 How do coaching and consulting differ?
18:20 How to fill our lives with people who energize us and make us happy
29:07 What is the danger of comparing ourselves to others
32:26 Is it natural for humans to be ethical or unethical?
37:51 A case study: How can we remind ourselves of our values in crucial times?

Linda Brennan
Life Engineer
478-461-2690
[email protected]
https://brennanphd.com/

Linda’s career has spanned management and engineering positions at Philip Morris, IBM, the Quaker Oats Company, and The Coca-Cola Company; consulting in dozens of industries, and teaching leadership, management, and strategy to audiences from undergraduates to executives.
 
Her passion is to help others to help themselves for maximum impact.  Working with ambitious and dedicated professionals, she stresses the importance of working toward a clear vision with intentionality and accountability in all aspects of life.  Aligning time investments with personal and professional goals enables clients to perform at their best.
A seasoned professional and creative problem solver, she is a widely published author. She completed her Ph.D. from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and her bachelor’s from the Georgia Institute of Technology. A Six Sigma Black Belt, she earned her professional engineering license in Georgia and has been a certified Project Management Professional. 

How to Fall in Love with EBITDA

If you have ever been confused by the financial information in your business, this is the show for you. In this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews financial expert, fractional CFO, bookkeeping company owner, and entrepreneur, Jennifer Yousem.

00:00 How to Fall in Love with EBITDA
01:21 The story behind Jennifer’s website's unique name
02:16 What does Jennifer do to help people?
02:54 What can a client do to get connected with Jennifer and her firm?
05:37 When should a company need Jennifer's services?
13:08 When should a controller or a CFO be hired?
15:46 What areas of business can a fractional CFO's work significantly impact?
21:36 How you should book income for work in progress?
23:22 What is the significance of cash versus accrual in business?
24:42 How can Jennifer prevent a potential problem with financial statements?
27:54 Who should we connect with Jennifer?
30:12 What causes most business owners to be confused about their financial statements?

Jennifer Yousem
(310) 991-4298
[email protected]
www.iheartebitda.com

About Jennifer Yousem
Jennifer started her career in equity research but pivoted into corporate finance for media companies after business school and for 15 years led teams in business development and strategic and operational finance at Sony, Paramount, Viacom, Clear Channel & Daily Mail. She helped launch Verizon Hearst Media Partners in 2016 and as their CFO, led the merger with Complex to form Complex Networks, a multi-platform digital lifestyle brand owned by Verizon and Hearst. Jennifer founded I Heart EBITDA in 2019 to bring her enterprise-level finance and operational expertise to the mid-market through fractional CFO services and purchased Supporting Strategies Queens to service the entire finance function by providing outsourced bookkeeping and controller services

Insider Secrets to Fundraising

On this episode of the Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews Chad Paris, the CEO of Parisleaf, a firm that helps nonprofit organizations fundraise.

Today's show is an inside look at how fundraising works from a true expert in the field.

00:00 Insider Secrets to Fundraising
00:51 What do Chad and his company do?
01:43 How does Chad assist non-profit organizations with fundraising?
06:08 How did Parisleaf begin?
08:58 What is the difference between assisting with a fundraising campaign and managing a global corporation's marketing?
15:07 What is a Board Member's role in fundraising?
17:39 How vital is a Branding and Marketing Agency to a nonprofit organization?
20:41 How to craft a brand promise and articulate it in 30 seconds
26:07 Examples of ways to obtain fundraisers?

Chad Paris
Principal & CEO
Paris Leaf
(352) 377 5560
[email protected]
www.parisleaf.com

About Chad Paris:
Principal & CEO of Parisleaf. Chad is a human acting like a professional, not the other way around. The perfect marriage of consultant, strategist, coach, & rainmaker. Chad loves connecting good people with other good people and has dedicated his career to brands that are changing the world.
“If we’re the right fit, I’ll be the first to let you know. If we’re not, I’ll be the first to let you know.”
About his firm, Parisleaf:
Parisleaf is the brand & digital partner behind some of the largest (and smallest) fundraising campaigns. We predominantly specialize in medium-to-large-sized campaigns for medium-to-large-sized nonprofits in the following sectors: Education, Healthcare, Arts & Culture, and Rights (Human, Social, Environmental). As a result, we have helped our partners raise over $4B through working on campaigns of all shapes and sizes. Why? Because we believe money is mission fuel in the right hands. We’re here to be the right hand to the right hands.

The Guy You Call When You Don't Know Who to Call

If you are an attorney and you need the services of a private investigator, you call Bill Belmont. If you're a company and you need a security assessment, you call Bill Belmont. If you are in trouble and you don't know who to call, you definitely need to call Bill Belmont.

On this episode of the Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews investigations and security expert, William (Bill) Belmont.

00:00 The Guy You Call When You Don't Know Who to Call
01:49 Bill’s interesting background
04:50 How to make sure you investigator is covered by attorney/client privilege
06:59 What types of cases does Bill's team work on?
10:00 What is Opposition Research?
11:35 How do Private Investigators deal with fake video cases?
15:40 Bill explains Due Diligence
22:20 Why Does the Average Professional (Attorney, CPA) Hire Bill's Firm?
26:59 What is a Lawful Source of Funds Investigation?
29:01 How does a Private Investigator help a criminal defense attorney with sourcing funds?
30:58 How does a security consulting firm work?

William Belmont
Investigative Attorney
(212) 695-0086
[email protected]
http://Thebelmontgrp.com

About William Belmont
The Belmont Group was founded by investigative attorney William B. Belmont. Mr. Belmont 
has over 30 years of experience in the investigation, due diligence and security field. In addition 
to having worked as a law enforcement officer and trial attorney, Mr. Belmont served as Director 
of Operations for the New York office of Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations.
Mr. Belmont has overseen the management of hundreds of corporate investigations involving 
fraud, workplace misconduct, brand protection and theft of trade secrets. Additionally, he has 
managed hundreds of investigations for national and international law firms. Also, he has 
developed and implemented due diligence protocols for dozens of financial institutions to ensure 
the integrity of their investments. He provides clients with pre-incident consulting, including 
vulnerability surveys, threat assessments and crisis management plans and procedures.
Furthermore, Mr. Belmont provides security consulting services to clients for personal and 
private events.

Mr. Belmont oversees the implementation of increased security measures for many corporate 
clients. He serves as a member of crisis management teams, assisting with contingency plans for 
critical occurrences, such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, computer network penetrations, 
business interruptions and incidents of workplace violence. Mr. Belmont is also a frequent 
speaker on post 9/11 corporate security issues and appeared on Fox News following the World 
Trade Center attack.

Belmont has managed numerous litigation investigations for national and international law firms, 
including: a national identity theft for a Fortune 500 corporation, fraud at a large real estate 
company, and numerous domestic and international intellectual property investigations.
With a background as a trial attorney and investigative attorney, Belmont has considerable 
experience investigating civil and criminal matters in a wide range of industries including 
finance, fashion, entertainment and real estate.

In addition to his experience as an attorney, Belmont served as a police officer in Mesa, Arizona. 
He received his B.A. in criminal justice from The George Washington University and his J.D. 
from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Belmont’s community service activities include serving as President of the Lynbrook School 
Board and volunteering as an assistant varsity football coach, as well as a youth coach for boys And girls sports.

We need attorneys like Ken Levinson to make sure insurance companies do what they are supposed to do. Ken represents victims of the negligence of others.  Join Dave Lorenzo as he interviews trial lawyer, Ken Levinson.

00:00 Who Keeps Insurance Companies Honest?
01:51 How did Ken become an Injury Lawyer?
03:56 How the Personal Injury Case Process Works
06:12 How can you protect your interests in the event of an accident?
08:06 Is it advisable to seek medical attention quickly following an accident if you have a legal case?
09:40 What does Ken Firm focus on?
11:34 What leads Truck Cases to Ken's firm?
12:30 What distinguishes a Truck Case from other types of cases?
16:43 Ken's advice on growing his firm throughout the years
18:10 What do people want to know about Personal Injury or Truck Accidents?
20:57 How does Ken help Lawyers with the presentation strategy in Juries?
22:05 What is the procedure for forming a Federal Jury?
24:43 The importance of likability in building a connection with the person you're arguing with.

Ken Levinson
Founding Partner
Levenson & Stefani
(312) 376.3812
[email protected]
https://levinsonstefani.com

About Ken Levinson:
Kenneth H. Levinson is the founding partner of Levinson and Stefani Injury Lawyers, a Chicago firm concentrating in representing families in wrongful death and serious injury matters arising out of truck and auto crashes. Ken co-authored the current edition of Litigating Major Automobile Injury and Death Cases, published by AAJ Press/Thomson-Reuters, as well as numerous legal articles Ken was named by Illinois Super Lawyers as one of the top attorneys in Illinois for 2010–2022 and made the list of the Super Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers in Illinois in 2012, 2016, 2019,2020, 2021, and 2022. Ken was also recognized by Leading Lawyers in 2017-2022. He is currently the Chair-Elect for the American Association for Justice (AAJ)Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, the Co-Chair of AAJ’s Jury Bias Litigation Group, and the past Chair of AAJ’s Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway Section. Ken currently serves on the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Board of Managers. He is also an invited speaker and faculty member at various trial lawyer programs throughout the country

How to Emotionally Engage People with the Written Word

Do you want to improve your writing?
Do you want to discover new ways to emotionally engage the readers of your content?
Do you want to get to know an outstanding writer/editor?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, this is the Inside BS Show for you. Join Dave Lorenzo as he interviews Lauren Hauptman. 

00:00 How to Emotionally Engage People with the Written Word
01:01 What makes Lauren the BEST in her field?
05:12 How do we make sure our writing will connect with people?
07:26 How does a ghostwriter write in a client's voice?
09:39 How Dave gets into the head of the reader
12:41 How to ensure you deliver on clients' expectations
14:31 What is the importance of editing?
19:09 How to make sure the content "hangs together"
23:10 What is the most difficult thing for Lauren to edit?
26:37 What is an excellent example of truly high-quality writing?
32:41 How to Use Headlines to Engage Readers
37:43 How can people work with Lauren?

Lauren Hauptman
Lauren Hauptman, Ink.
Editorial and Creative Services Consultant
(415) 994-9424
[email protected]
https://www.laurenhauptmanink.com/

About Lauren Hauptman
Building better business stories through words and pictures: Lauren Hauptman Ink provides editorial and creative services consulting to clients of all sizes and industries.
Services include marketing communications, copywriting & ghostwriting, editing & proofreading, publications & magazine consulting, branding and design. We specialize in translating business speak to people speak and marrying verbal and visual communications.
We create everything from brochures and newsletters, to PowerPoint presentations and website content, to client success stories and articles, to fund-raising and sales promotions, handling projects from conception to fruition, on time and within budget.

How can you make employee benefits a competitive advantage for your business? Listen to this episode of the Inside BS Show to find out.

00:00 How to Make Employee Benefits a Competitive Advantage
00:58 The Interesting Background of Mark Shore
03:22 What are the common misconceptions with Benefits Consultants?
06:52 How has working from home influenced Mark’s work?
08:07 Is the future bright for employee benefits?
09:44 What is Open Enrollment Period?
10:54 What are the different benefit tiers available?
16:50 How much does Disability Insurance usually cost?
18:58 What has made Mark so successful?
20:23 What is the future of the benefits industry?
24:24 Mark's Great Advice for start-up business

Mark Shore
President
Employee Benefits Consultant
(908) 228-2466
[email protected]
www.atlasconsultingllc.com

Mark Shore graduated the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, in May 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science. He has worked in the insurance industry for the past 30 years in various capacities, including but not limited to underwriter, actuarial consultant, sales representative, and insurance broker. In August, 2010, Mark founded Atlas Consulting Services, LLC where he continues to develop, implement and manage Employee Benefit insurance programs for his clients.

On today's Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews Family Law Attorney Christine Fitzgerald. This is What you Need To Know Before You Get Divorced.

Chapters:
00:00  What You Need to Know Before You Get Divorced
01:26  How did Christine become a Family Law Attorney?
02:12  What does Christine like and dislike about her work?
03:12  What is the pandemic's impact on Divorce Lawyers?
05:09  What should you look for in a Divorce lawyer?
07:10  What parents should know about the divorce process, consequences,
and effects on children’s wellbeing?
10:16  Is Divorce really just an emotionally charged negotiation?
13:29  Christine's Divorce Success Story
18:21  How does Christine get her clients?
19:29  What should clients know before hiring Christine as a divorce lawyer?
21:19  What is the process of becoming a Fellow for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers?

Christine Fitzgerald
Family Law Attorney
(908) 324-5400
[email protected]
www.seidenfamilylaw.com

About Christina Fitzgerald:
Christine is an experienced and compassionate family law attorney practicing in Northern New Jersey.  She knows that there is no one size fits all for families and approaches each case with a unique strategy that is right for her client and their family.  Christine is active in the Hudson County Bar Association as the current Treasurer and the Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association as a member of its Executive Committee and will be sworn in as Secretary in May 2022.  She is the 2018 recipient of the Family Lawyer of Year Award given by the Hudson County Bar Association.