Past the Balance Sheet

Episode 13: Three months in. Thirteen episodes deep. One messy, honest milestone.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy pause to reflect on the first 90 days of the podcast: why they started, what they’ve learned, what has changed, and what has happened behind the scenes.

From financial strategy and leadership pressure to cash flow chaos, hard conversations, public speaking fears, partnership dynamics, and a few very real bloopers, this episode pulls back the curtain on building something in public.

Kash and Sassy talk about the foundation behind the show, the feedback that helped shape its direction, the shift from scripted episodes to more natural conversations, and the lessons they are learning as business owners, leaders, and friends.

They also share what is coming next, including deeper conversations around ROI, EBITDA, balance sheets, budgets, forecasting, tax strategy, company culture, leadership, guests, audits, and future listener Q&A.

This episode is reflective, honest, funny, and very much in the messy middle — exactly where real growth tends to happen.

If you’ve been here since day one, thank you. If you’re just finding us, welcome to the conversation.

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with another business owner or leader who is building something real.

Episode 12: The Messy Middle: Why Feeling “Behind” Might Mean You’re Right Where You Should Be

There’s a version of business growth that looks clean from the outside. Clear milestones, steady progress, and a straight path forward. But real businesses rarely move that way.

Most of the time, growth happens in what we call the messy middle—the space between what used to work and what needs to work next.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy unpack what that actually looks like in real businesses: systems that stop scaling, processes that break under growth, and the uncomfortable reality that what got you here won’t get you where you’re going.

They talk through the tension business owners face when things aren’t clearly “failing,” but they’re no longer working efficiently—when cash doesn’t match expectations, when decisions feel reactive, and when there’s no clear playbook for what comes next.

The conversation also dives into the less visible side of growth—comparison to other businesses, evolving leadership expectations, and the pressure to have answers before you actually do.

This episode is for business owners who feel like they should be further along, more confident, or more in control—but aren’t.

Because the messy middle isn’t a sign that something’s gone wrong. It’s often a sign that something is changing.

And learning how to move through it is what allows a business to keep growing.

If this episode resonates, follow Past the Balance Sheet, share it with another business owner, and leave a rating or review to help more leaders find these conversations.

Episode 11: Hard Decisions That Saved the Business

There’s a version of business advice that makes hard decisions sound clean and obvious. See the problem, make the call, move forward. But real leadership rarely works that way.

The decisions that often save a business usually feel heavy in the moment. They feel risky, emotional, and uncertain. They come with consequences you can’t fully predict, and they often require choosing long-term stability over short-term comfort.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy unpack the hard calls business owners face every day: cutting profitable but unsustainable revenue streams, delegating control, letting go of people you care about, saying no to growth opportunities your business isn’t ready for, and absorbing short-term pain to reduce long-term risk.

They also explore the emotional side of leadership that doesn’t get talked about enough—guilt, fear of judgment, second-guessing your instincts, and the responsibility that remains even after the decision is made.

This conversation is for every owner carrying the weight of a decision they know needs to happen but haven’t made yet.

Because sometimes the right decision feels wrong at first. And clarity often comes after commitment, not before.

If this episode resonates, follow Past the Balance Sheet, share it with another business owner, and leave a rating or review to help more leaders find these conversations.

Episode 10: The Contrast of the CFO and CEO Relationship

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy break down the real differences between how founders, CEOs, and CFOs see the same numbers—and why those differences can either drive growth or create friction inside a business.

From revenue concentration and hiring decisions to pricing, margins, and “bad” sales, they unpack what’s actually happening behind the scenes when leadership teams feel out of sync. You’ll hear real examples from both the CFO and CEO seat, including the pressures, blind spots, and decision-making tradeoffs that don’t always get talked about.

This isn’t about calling anyone out—it’s about expanding perspective.

Because the goal isn’t to pick sides.

It’s to build a business where strategy, operations, and financial clarity are working together—not against each other.

If you’ve ever felt tension between growth and sustainability…

Or wondered why your numbers say one thing but your gut says another…

This episode will give you the lens you’ve been missing.

Episode 9: Growth sounds good—until it isn’t.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, we’re talking about what happens when a business scales faster than its systems, cash flow, and leadership can support. Because more revenue doesn’t automatically mean more stability—and in many cases, it creates more pressure.

We dig into the reality behind rapid growth, why it can break what used to work, and how to recognize when your business is expanding beyond what it can actually sustain.

If things feel heavier even though you’re growing, this conversation will hit home.

Episode 8: The Cost of “Good Enough” Financials

Most business owners aren’t aiming for perfect financials. They just want their numbers to be “good enough” to keep things moving.

But over time, “good enough” becomes expensive.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash Rocheleau and Sassy talk about the hidden cost of tolerating incomplete, outdated, or unclear financial information. From delayed decisions and missed opportunities to unnecessary stress and risk, small inaccuracies in the numbers can quietly compound into much bigger problems.

They explore why many leaders accept “good enough” financials, how that mindset develops during busy seasons of growth, and what changes when businesses move from reactive bookkeeping to true financial clarity.

Because the real cost of “good enough” isn’t just in the numbers. It’s in the decisions those numbers are shaping.

If you're a founder, operator, or leader responsible for the financial health of a business, this conversation will challenge how you think about the role your financials play in growth.

Links: How to Easily Load a Dishwasher: Tips from a Fun Commercial | TikTok

Episode 7: Every business reaches a moment where staying the same is no longer an option.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, we talk about pivoting — what it really looks like in real time, and why the hardest part isn’t the decision itself… it’s recognizing when the shift is needed.

Pivoting isn’t failure. It’s awareness. It’s the willingness to adjust when something no longer fits — whether that’s your strategy, your systems, or how you’re leading.

We also share our own pivot with the podcast — why we moved away from structure and scripts, and how that decision reflects a bigger truth in business: growth requires flexibility, not rigidity.

This conversation walks through how to recognize when a pivot is needed, why ignoring those moments gets more expensive over time, and the role your financials play in guiding better decisions. We also talk about what it actually looks like to move forward with clarity and intention instead of hesitation.

If you’ve been feeling the pull to change something in your business but haven’t acted on it yet, this episode is for you.

Follow, like, and subscribe to Past the Balance Sheet so you don’t miss what’s next.

Link: I'm an Accountant

Episode 6: Profit on Paper, Panic in Real Life

Your financial statements say the business is profitable… but your bank account tells a different story.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash Rocheleau and Sassy unpack one of the most confusing experiences for business owners: showing profit on paper while still feeling constant financial pressure in real life.

They explore the critical difference between profit and cash flow, why profitable businesses can still struggle to pay bills, and how timing, growth, and operational decisions can create hidden cash strain. The conversation also dives into the emotional side of this disconnect — the stress, confusion, and self-doubt many founders experience when the numbers say one thing but reality feels very different.

Because financial clarity isn’t just about whether a business is profitable. It’s about understanding how money actually moves through the business.

If you’ve ever wondered why a profitable company can still feel financially fragile, this episode will change how you look at your numbers — and what it really means to run a healthy business.

Episode 5: When Growth Breaks Your Systems

Growth is supposed to feel like success. More customers. More revenue. More momentum. But for many business owners, growth is the exact moment things start to feel harder instead of easier.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash Rocheleau and Sassy break down what really happens when a business begins to scale faster than its systems can support. From cash flow tightening despite higher sales to decision fatigue, leadership pressure, and processes that once worked suddenly breaking down, growth often exposes the gaps that were easy to ignore when the business was smaller.

Together, they explore why growth can feel chaotic, why those breakdowns are not a sign of failure, and how leaders can use those moments as signals to build stronger systems, clearer structure, and more sustainable businesses.

Because scaling a business isn’t just about more revenue — it’s about more pressure, more decisions, and more complexity.

Episode 4: Payroll is one of the biggest expenses in most businesses — and one of the most emotionally charged.

But it’s not just about cutting checks. It’s about structure, sustainability, and the responsibility of leading people well.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash Rocheleau and Anna Bissell go beyond tax tables and direct deposits to talk about what payroll really represents: trust, timing, cash flow pressure, hiring decisions, and the weight of carrying other people’s livelihoods.

We unpack the common payroll mistakes growing businesses make — from hiring too fast to misclassifying workers, ignoring true labor costs, or running payroll based on bank balance instead of forecasts. We also talk about the leadership mindset required to scale responsibly and create compensation structures that don’t suffocate the business.

Because payroll isn’t just an operational task.

It’s a reflection of your financial clarity and your leadership maturity.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure of making payroll, questioned when to hire, or wondered whether your compensation structure is helping or hurting your growth — this conversation is for you.

Come with us as we go past the balance sheet and into what payroll really means for the future of your business.