No Se Habla Taxes®

Send Me Your Questions!

If you’ve ever found yourself transferring money from your business account to your personal one “just this once,” this episode is for you. 

I get this question all the time—“How do I pay myself from my business the right way?” And honestly? It’s one of the most misunderstood parts of being a solopreneur. 

In this episode of No Se Habla Taxes, I’m walking you through: 

✨ Why your business account is not your personal piggy bank 
✨ The real danger of treating your biz like your backup wallet 
✨ How I (a single-member LLC) pay myself consistently and cleanly every month 
✨ The system I use in QuickBooks Online to automate my owner distributions—without the chaos 

And because I love a good workflow, I’ve got a free step-by-step guide for you: 

📥 Download “How I Pay Myself Like a Pro” here: https://steadyhandaccounting.myflodesk.com/xf47l1ku5f 

So if you’re ready to stop playing ATM roulette with your business account and start paying yourself like the grown-up CEO you are, this episode is your permission slip. 

👀 Want more behind-the-scenes confessionals and clean bookkeeping systems? 

👉 Subscribe to No Se Habla Taxes wherever you listen, and follow me for updates on my upcoming DIY bookkeeping mentorship program. 

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

In this episode of No Se Habla Taxes, I’m confessing something that every solo business owner has probably thought about: giving yourself a raise the moment new money hits the bank. 

But before I could celebrate my new client wins with a little extra payout, I had to pump the brakes and take a hard look at what’s actually smart for my business right now. 

We’re talking about: 

• 💸 Why I pay myself via distributions (not salary) as a single-member LLC 
• 🧾 How that 0% interest credit card I’ve been floating is about to turn into a pumpkin 
• 💰 The unglamorous magic of setting aside cash for taxes and emergencies 
• 🙅🏽‍♀️ Why “just because you can” doesn’t mean “you should” — especially when it comes to paying yourself 

This isn’t about being stingy. It’s about making intentional money moves as the CEO of your business—even if you’re the only one on payroll. 

✨ Bonus reality check: If you’re not saving at least 25% of your net income for taxes… this one’s for you. 

📥 Subscribe to No Se Habla Taxes and get more behind-the-scenes financial confessions, smart bookkeeping tips, and permission to not have it all figured out. 

Until next time: watch that credit card clock, save your receipts, and pay yourself like the boss you are. 

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

In this episode of No Se Habla Taxes, I’m spilling the tea on how I set up my business so I never have to chase another invoice again. Yes, even as a solo CPA doing my own books. 

I’m walking you through: 

💸 Why every client—project-based or monthly—signs an agreement with autopay built in 
📅 How predictable cash flow has saved my sanity (and maybe my rent) 
🤔 Common objections from service providers (and how to lovingly dismantle them) 
🚫 The messy consequences of “send now, pay later” billing 
✅ What tools I use to automate payments and protect my peace 

If you’ve ever waited too long to get paid—or avoided setting up systems because you didn’t want to “seem pushy”—this one’s for you. 

You’re not too small for structure. You’re smart enough to build it. 

🎧 Subscribe to No Se Habla Taxes wherever you get your podcasts. 

Until next time—secure the bag, automate the process, and keep your receipts. 

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

In this episode of No Se Habla Taxes, I’m sharing the billing fix I didn’t know I needed—until I hit a wall with clunky invoices, awkward follow-ups, and manually tacked-on credit card fees. 

Fresh off the Bridging the Gap conference here in Denver (yes, I only pulled it off because it was local), I got exactly what I came for: tool recommendations from smart, scrappy peers who get it. 

The standout? Anchor—an all-in-one platform for proposals, engagement letters, and seamless payments. 

I tried it. It worked. 
The first invoice was scheduled and paid automatically. 
No chasing. No duplicate invoices for card fees. Just clean, modern billing. 

And the best part?
It’s not just for CPAs—it’s for YOU. 
If you’re a service-based solopreneur still emailing random PDFs and hoping for the best, this tool will change your cash flow life. 

In this episode, I cover: 

• The real reason I went to an accounting conference in year one 
• Why Anchor solved my payment headaches 
• How automation can protect your time and your sanity 
• The one-liner that’ll make you stop sending PDFs for good 

💸 Want $50 to try Anchor?
Click my referral link (https://join.sayanchor.com/D6iBrT)  and get a $50 credit applied to your account when you sign up. Modern billing has entered the chat. 

🔗 Resources Mentioned: 

• Anchor: https://join.sayanchor.com/D6iBrT  
• Bridging the Gap Conference: https://www.btgconference.com/ 

🎧 Subscribe & Review
Love what you're hearing? Subscribe to No Se Habla Taxes and leave a quick review—it helps other solopreneurs find their way out of bookkeeping chaos too. 

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

I Refused to Accept Credit Cards—and Slowed Down My Cashflow

In this episode of No Se Habla Taxes, I’m coming clean about a hill I used to die on: refusing to accept credit card payments from clients. Yep, I said no to the easiest way to get paid—because I didn’t want to eat the 2.9% fee.

I told myself I was protecting my margins. I was wrong.

Here’s the truth: every time I resisted credit card payments, I made it harder for clients to pay me. And that friction? It cost me in ways I didn’t expect—slower cashflow, delayed invoices, and lost time.

Tune in for:

💳 My full confession and what finally changed my mind
 🔄 The cashflow lesson I learned while paying my own vendor
📈 How to build credit card fees into your pricing (without eating the cost)
🧾 Options for passing down fees or setting minimums
📊 Tools that make it easy (like QuickBooks Online and Stripe)

If you’ve been dodging credit card fees like they’re financial quicksand, this one’s for you. Spoiler: the real risk is slowing your money down to avoid a minor fee.

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe, and send this episode to a fellow founder who still only takes checks (bless their heart).

💌 Want more real talk about DIY bookkeeping? I’ve got a newsletter and a bookkeeping bootcamp launching soon. Stay tuned!

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

Welcome to No Se Habla Taxes—the podcast where a CPA does her own bookkeeping, spills all the beans… and then counts them. I’m Melissa Armstrong, your fractional controller and financial translator, here to share the real talk behind the receipts.

In this episode, I’m confessing a classic bookkeeping blunder: using my business card for personal expenses. Yep—Target runs, Amazon orders, late-night DoorDash (for "business stamina," of course)… I’ve done it all. And like many early-stage founders, I told myself I’d “fix it later.” Plot twist: I did. But not before my P&L looked like it had a double life.

Listen in as I walk you through:

• Why mixing personal and business expenses is more than just messy—it’s risky
• The legal and tax implications of commingling funds (hi, corporate veil 👋)
• The exact step-by-step process to clean up your books and prevent future slip-ups
• How separating your money Marie Kondo–style can save your sanity and your strategy

💡 If your business card is pulling double duty for client lunches and cat food, this episode is your friendly (and slightly sassy) intervention.

🎧 Like what you hear? Hit subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a fellow founder who’s still Venmoing their way through bookkeeping limbo.

✨ And don’t forget—my DIY bookkeeping mentorship program is launching this fall. Subscribe for more updates, more confessions, and fewer uncategorized transactions.

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

Welcome to No Se Habla Taxes—the podcast for founders fluent in business, but maybe not so fluent in bookkeeping. I’m Melissa Armstrong, CPA, fractional controller, and your financial translator-in-chief, sharing the behind-the-scenes of doing my own books (and cleaning up my own messes).

In today’s episode, I’m confessing my payables chaos:
 ✅ Zelle payments with zero paper trail
 ✅ Venmo emoji transactions that made my accountant (ME!) cry
 ✅ A brief but horrifying flirtation with handwritten checks

Spoiler: I eventually got my life together and switched to QuickBooks Online Bill Pay—and let me tell you, it’s giving clean books, less chaos, and no more "who the heck is Maria S. and why did I pay her $1,200?" vibes.

You’ll learn:

• Why Zelle and Venmo aren’t sustainable bill pay solutions for real-deal businesses
• What makes QBO Bill Pay actually work for solopreneurs and early-stage founders
• How the new AI feature helps you drag, drop, and auto-fill bills like a boss
• Why centralizing your payments can save your sanity (and your audit trail)

💡 If you’ve been duct-taping your payment process together across five apps, this is your sign to simplify. QBO Bill Pay isn’t just convenient—it’s a full-on grown-up move for your back office.

🎧 Listen in, laugh at my chaos, and walk away with a smarter system. If you love it, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your favorite founder who’s still Venmo-ing their web designer.

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

Welcome back to No Se Habla Taxes—the podcast where a CPA confesses the kind of stuff that would’ve made her audit professor sweat.

In this episode, I’m airing out one of the messiest (and most relatable) money habits I’ve had as a founder: paying for business expenses with my personal credit card… repeatedly, on purpose, and sometimes with a side of cinnamon almonds.

Here’s what I share:

• Why I didn’t apply for a business credit card right away—and the story I told myself that kept me stuck
• What finally pushed me to make the switch (spoiler: tax season chaos and 137 Amazon orders)
• Five solid reasons you need a business credit card, even if you're just starting out
• How keeping your books clean isn’t just about compliance—it’s about clarity and confidence

💡 Whether you're DIYing your books or just tired of playing “business or personal?” with your expenses, this episode is your sign to stop co-mingling and start building smarter systems.

🎯 Bonus: Here's a referral link for a business card with 0% interest for a year. Treat your business self (but maybe skip the cat treats). https://www.referyourchasecard.com/21s/ZYGFUP2WV8

🎧 If this episode hit a little too close to home, hit like, subscribe, follow—whatever your platform of choice calls it—and share it with another founder who deserves better than spreadsheet chaos.

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

Welcome to No Se Habla Taxes—the podcast where a seasoned CPA does her own bookkeeping… and lives to tell about it.

In this very first episode, I’ve got a confession: I recently sat down to do my own books and could not find the reconciliation screen in QuickBooks Online. Cue the three-tab meltdown (YouTube tutorial, QBO Help Center, and a glass of wine). It was humbling—and hilarious—but also a wake-up call.

This episode is for every founder who's felt overwhelmed by bookkeeping tech, behind on the backend, or just plain embarrassed by their chart of accounts. I’ll walk you through what I did next (hello, recertification!) and why it’s never too late to get back to bookkeeping basics.

You’ll also get:

• A simple, repeatable month-end close checklist (the exact one I’m using now)
• Permission to be imperfect—but consistent
• A reminder that you’re not alone in this

🎧 Listen in, laugh with me, and grab your free month-end checklist here: https://steadyhandaccounting.myflodesk.com/nosehablataxeschecklist

💡If this episode made you feel seen, hit that like, subscribe, or follow button—wherever you're tuning in—and share it with a fellow founder who’s drowning in uncategorized transactions. Your future self (and your accountant) will thank you.

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/

Send Me Your Questions!

What happens when a CPA does her own bookkeeping and spills the real tea along the way? Welcome to No Se Habla Taxes, the podcast where finance meets founder life in the most honest (and occasionally messy) way.

Hosted by Melissa—fractional controller, solo practice owner, and financial translator for early-stage founders—this show is for solopreneurs doing their own books, not by choice… but by necessity.

Every other week, tune in for short, practical episodes packed with:

• Behind-the-scenes wins and fails
• DIY bookkeeping tips
• Real talk about cash flow, categorizing chaos, and staying tax-ready without losing your mind (or your money)

This isn’t your typical accounting podcast. It’s part confessional, part crash course, and 100% judgment-free.

🎙️ Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen, and learn how to make your numbers make sense, save your sanity, and grow a business with receipts.

Let's connect!

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armstrongmelissacpa/

Website: https://steadyhandaccounting.com/