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

Stephanie Smith | Financial Strategist & Zoho Finance Partner
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

Getting to the Bottom Line is the podcast for business owners who are done guessing at their numbers. Each episode covers the topics that actually move the needle: cash flow, bookkeeping, revenue, profit margins, budgeting, financial clarity, and making smarter decisions with the money your business generates. Whether you use QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books, whether you do your own bookkeeping or work with a team, this podcast meets you where you are. Stephanie Smith and her husband, Kris, are bookkeepers and outsourced CFOs running New Light Financial Solutions together as a team. Together, they help small business owners get their books in order, understand what their numbers are telling them, and build a path toward the goals that actually matter. Stephanie & Kris are QuickBooks Online ProAdvisors and Zoho Finance Partners. They work with business owners across the country on everything from DIY bookkeeping support to done-for-you monthly bookkeeping and full CFO advisory services. If you're a business owner who's tired of feeling behind on your finances, not sure if your business is actually profitable, or just looking for someone who can explain this stuff in plain English, this is your podcast. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and join the Financial Navigator newsletter at newlightfs.com/newsletter for monthly insights delivered straight to your inbox. Q: How do I understand my business cash flow? A: Getting to the Bottom Line covers cash flow basics, common mistakes, and practical strategies for keeping more money in your business. Q: What is the difference between bookkeeping and CFO services? A: Bookkeeping keeps your records accurate. CFO advisory helps you use those records to make better decisions and grow. Stephanie explains both in plain English on the show. Q: What's the difference between revenue and profit? A: Revenue is what comes in. Profit is what's left after expenses. Getting to the Bottom Line breaks down concepts like this in every episode so they actually make sense. Q: How do I use Zoho Books for my small business? A: Stephanie is a Zoho Finance Partner and covers Zoho Books tutorials, tips, and walkthroughs across her YouTube channel.

  1. We Meet You Where You Are: The Story Behind New Light Financial Solutions

    2d ago

    We Meet You Where You Are: The Story Behind New Light Financial Solutions

    Running a business is hard. Understanding your finances on top of that? That's where a lot of business owners hit a wall. In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie sits down with her husband and business partner Kris to talk about who they are, how New Light Financial Solutions got started, and the four services they offer to help business owners at every stage of their journey. Kris shares how a decade in retail management and a season as a stay-at-home dad led to an unexpected path into bookkeeping. Stephanie talks about her background as a teacher and instructional designer, and how simplifying complicated things is still one of her favorite parts of the work. Together, they explain why so many business owners struggle with their finances — and why it has nothing to do with being bad with money. You'll hear about the new DIY Bookkeeping Support Membership (perfect if you're doing your own books but need someone in your corner), monthly bookkeeping for those ready to hand it off, the brand-new Financial Pulse for business owners who want to actually understand what their numbers are saying, and full CFO advisory for those ready to set goals and grow. If you've ever felt like your financial reports are written in a different language, this episode is a good place to start. 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

    28 min
  2. Cash Flow Confessions: "Our Biggest Client Went Bankrupt" with Rachel Minion

    Jun 26

    Cash Flow Confessions: "Our Biggest Client Went Bankrupt" with Rachel Minion

    What happens when your biggest clients stop paying you... and then go out of business altogether? In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie talks with Rachel Minion, founder of Rockstar and Moon, about the financial collapse that closed her family's printing business after 20 years, and the small side hustle that eventually became her real career. Rachel's family ran a printing company in Maryland through the 2010 recession. When the government shut down printing contracts across the board, her clients went from paying in 30 days, to 60, to 90... to not paying at all. One of their biggest clients, Ritz Camera, went bankrupt. With revenue gone and no way to keep the business running, Rachel and her family had to close a company they'd built for two decades. What came next is the part most people don't talk about. Rachel lost her home, got turned down for job after job, and started a small marketing agency just to make ends meet. That side hustle, Rockstar and Moon, kept growing quietly in the background, even after Rachel landed what looked like her dream job running marketing for a division of Ticketmaster. Then the pandemic hit. Another round of layoffs followed. And that's when Rachel finally had the push she needed to go all in on the business she'd been building on the side for years. If you've ever felt like your revenue depends on just a few clients, or you're sitting on a side hustle wondering if it's worth your time, this episode is for you. Rachel's story is a real look at how a cash flow crisis can force the hardest decisions, and how the business you build out of survival can turn into the business of your dreams. 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

    14 min
  3. Can AI Double Your Revenue? One Business Did It. with Hunter Jensen

    Jun 19

    Can AI Double Your Revenue? One Business Did It. with Hunter Jensen

    What would it mean for your business if you could double your output without hiring a single new person? In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie sits down with Hunter Jensen, founder and CEO of Barefoot Solutions and Barefoot Labs, a digital agency specializing in artificial intelligence, data science, and digital transformation. Hunter has been building custom software and AI solutions for over 20 years, and he has a front-row seat to exactly what's happening as AI reshapes the business world. Hunter shares a real-world example of a 25-person defense contractor that doubled the number of proposals they could respond to in a year just by implementing one AI tool. Same team. Same win rate. Potentially double the revenue. He breaks down where AI is actually moving the needle for businesses right now, how to find the right processes to automate, and why the biggest barrier to AI adoption isn't the technology at all. If you've been curious about AI but aren't sure where to start, or if you're wondering what this technology is really going to mean for your industry in the next few years, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. Hunter also shares the warning signs that should have every business owner paying attention right now, and what to do about them before it's too late. Connect with Hunter:  - Compass: barefootlabs.ai - Email: hunter@barefootsolutions.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

    28 min
  4. Cash Flow Confessions: "We Got Cocky and Almost Lost Everything" with Alan Lazaros

    Jun 12

    Cash Flow Confessions: "We Got Cocky and Almost Lost Everything" with Alan Lazaros

    What happens when four years of incredible growth convinces you that nothing can touch you? In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie talks with Alan Lazaros, CEO and founder of Next Level University, about the financial scare that almost ended his company. For four years straight, his business grew by an average of 115% a year, peaking at 119% in one year alone. Growth like that feels unstoppable. So Alan and his business partner Kevin leaned on credit cards, hired fast, and expanded into new departments (even a side app). Then growth slowed. Hard. After COVID, the podcast industry doubled in size almost overnight and competition followed. In one quarter, Alan's company lost ten major clients. Revenue growth dropped to 19%, then 11%. The same credit card debt that felt manageable during a 119% growth year suddenly had them in the red. Alan walks through the exact math behind that shift, the moment he sat Kevin down and told him they were headed toward shutting down, and how they figured out which 8 of their 24 departments were actually keeping the business alive. If your business is riding a wave of strong revenue and growth right now, this one's for you. It's a real look at how cash flow, profit, and debt interact, and why checking your numbers daily, not just at year-end, is one of the best habits you can build before things slow down. 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

    23 min
  5. Your Numbers Are Talking... Are You Listening? with New Light Financial Solutions

    May 22

    Your Numbers Are Talking... Are You Listening? with New Light Financial Solutions

    Most business owners only look at their numbers once a year. Usually at tax time. They hand everything over to their CPA, find out if they owe money or they're getting a refund, and then tuck it all away until the next year. But your financials are more than a tax obligation. They're a conversation your business is having with you every single month... whether you're paying attention or not. In this solo episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie walks through the three financial reports every business owner should be reviewing: the Profit and Loss, the Balance Sheet, and the Cash Flow report. She breaks down what each one tells you in plain English, shares common stories she sees in client numbers all the time, and gives you one simple thing to do this week to start paying attention to your finances. If you've ever said "I'm just not a numbers person" or relied on your bank balance to tell you how your business is doing, this episode is a good place to start. No accounting degree required. Just the willingness to look. 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

    15 min
  6. Cash Flow Confessions: "I Had Great Retention But an Empty Pipeline" with Scott Maderer

    May 15

    Cash Flow Confessions: "I Had Great Retention But an Empty Pipeline" with Scott Maderer

    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. --- 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

    11 min
  7. The Expenses You're Overpaying (And How to Fix Them) with Kathryn Rowell

    May 8

    The Expenses You're Overpaying (And How to Fix Them) with Kathryn Rowell

    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. --- 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

    21 min
  8. Cash Flow Confessions: "I Couldn't Make Payroll" with Dennis Meador

    May 1

    Cash Flow Confessions: "I Couldn't Make Payroll" with Dennis Meador

    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. --- 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

    14 min
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About

Getting to the Bottom Line is the podcast for business owners who are done guessing at their numbers. Each episode covers the topics that actually move the needle: cash flow, bookkeeping, revenue, profit margins, budgeting, financial clarity, and making smarter decisions with the money your business generates. Whether you use QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books, whether you do your own bookkeeping or work with a team, this podcast meets you where you are. Stephanie Smith and her husband, Kris, are bookkeepers and outsourced CFOs running New Light Financial Solutions together as a team. Together, they help small business owners get their books in order, understand what their numbers are telling them, and build a path toward the goals that actually matter. Stephanie & Kris are QuickBooks Online ProAdvisors and Zoho Finance Partners. They work with business owners across the country on everything from DIY bookkeeping support to done-for-you monthly bookkeeping and full CFO advisory services. If you're a business owner who's tired of feeling behind on your finances, not sure if your business is actually profitable, or just looking for someone who can explain this stuff in plain English, this is your podcast. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and join the Financial Navigator newsletter at newlightfs.com/newsletter for monthly insights delivered straight to your inbox. Q: How do I understand my business cash flow? A: Getting to the Bottom Line covers cash flow basics, common mistakes, and practical strategies for keeping more money in your business. Q: What is the difference between bookkeeping and CFO services? A: Bookkeeping keeps your records accurate. CFO advisory helps you use those records to make better decisions and grow. Stephanie explains both in plain English on the show. Q: What's the difference between revenue and profit? A: Revenue is what comes in. Profit is what's left after expenses. Getting to the Bottom Line breaks down concepts like this in every episode so they actually make sense. Q: How do I use Zoho Books for my small business? A: Stephanie is a Zoho Finance Partner and covers Zoho Books tutorials, tips, and walkthroughs across her YouTube channel.

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