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

Stephanie Smith | Financial Strategist & Zoho Finance Partner
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • 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. 6h ago

    Cash Flow Confessions: "I Spent Money I Didn't Have on a Business With No Clients" with Dave Fiore

    A new website. Printed brochures. A toll-free number so people could call from anywhere in the country. Everything was ready to go... except the clients. In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie sits down with Dave Fiore, founder and owner of Fiore Communications, a full-service marketing firm in Tallahassee, Florida, now in its 25th year. Back around 2008 and 2009, Dave was what he calls a glorified freelancer. He owned a job more than a business. So when email marketing started taking off, he decided to niche down and launch an email-only business. Dave is honest about the two mistakes that followed. First, he narrowed his services without the research or the clients to back it up. Second, he spent money he didn't have building out the whole operation as if it were already big, before he had any proof that people would buy. The business didn't last long, and he still has boxes of brochures from 2009 that never got handed out. What turned things around was a conversation over bagels with a business advisor who asked one simple question: why? Together they sketched out a new plan on a napkin. Dave went back to offering a wider range of services, chased bigger clients, started hiring, and grew from there. He also shares why getting the right outside help (including handing off his bookkeeping) made such a difference. If you're thinking about a new offer, a new niche, or a big spend to grow your business, this conversation is a practical look at how to protect your cash flow and your profit by proving the demand first. Connect with Dave online at fiorecommunications.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

    Cash Flow Confessions: "I Spent Money I Didn't Have on a Business With No Clients" with Dave Fiore

  2. Oct 23

    5 Financial Things Business Owners Push Off (and Shouldn’t) with Stephanie Smith

    “I’ll worry about that later.” “When things slow down.” “Once I get more clients.” Every business owner has a few money tasks they keep pushing to someday. The problem is that someday usually shows up as a crisis... a hire you can’t afford, a tax deadline with messy books, or a cash crunch with no way to cover it. In this solo episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie shares five financial things business owners often put off, and what waiting can cost your profit and cash flow. It all started on a conference panel last week, when she overheard a business owner say pricing could wait until they had more clients. Stephanie walks through why you should price your services as if you’re already paying someone else to do the work, why paying yourself consistently matters more than taking whatever’s left over, and how knowing which products or services actually make money can change where you spend your time. She also explains why the best time to get a line of credit is before you need it, and why clean books matter long before a lender, a buyer or tax season forces the issue. You don’t have to fix all five overnight. Pick one, take a small step, and start getting your business finances ready before “the right time” turns into the last minute. Learn more about what we do and sign up for our newsletter at newlightfs.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

    5 Financial Things Business Owners Push Off (and Shouldn’t) with Stephanie Smith

  3. Oct 16

    Cash Flow Confessions: "I Was $150,000 in Debt in Six Months" with Dr. Angela Mulrooney

    What happens to your cash flow when the business depends on you... and suddenly you can't show up? In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie talks with Dr. Angela Mulrooney, a former dentist turned serial entrepreneur and founder of Unleashing Influence, Inc. Angela built a thriving dental practice in Calgary that specialized in patients who were terrified of the dentist. Other dentists referred their most anxious patients to her. Then an injury ended her career overnight. Her revenue went from fully booked to almost nothing. A team member told patients she'd be back in a month (she wouldn't be), so most of them waited. Angela kept her whole team on full time anyway. Within six months, the savings were gone and she was $150,000 in debt, just one week away from handing her keys to the bank. The practice did recover. It got back to almost her pre-injury numbers. But Angela stayed in survival mode for two and a half more years, holding on because everyone around her told her to, while her gut was telling her it was time to get out. This is an honest conversation about cash flow, fear, and what happens when you stop listening to yourself. Angela shares what she'd tell any business owner whose numbers are heading the wrong way: go back and look at what you were doing (and how you were thinking) when the business was working, and calm down enough to see the opportunity in front of you. If you've ever made financial decisions from a place of panic, this episode is for you. Connect with Dr. Angela Mulrooney online: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamulrooney/ - Website: https://www.unleashinginfluence.com/ - The Unleashing Influence System: https://app.unleashinginfluence.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

    Cash Flow Confessions: "I Was $150,000 in Debt in Six Months" with Dr. Angela Mulrooney

  4. Oct 9

    What It Really Takes to Make Your Marketing Pay Off with Tashana Thompson

    Have you ever posted on LinkedIn, waited a few days, heard nothing back, and decided marketing just doesn't work for your business? You're not the only one. In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie sits down with Tashana Thompson of Beyond Business Solutions. Tashana has been in marketing for over 20 years and will hit 20 years in business for herself this January. She helps small businesses and nonprofits get clear on their message so the right people understand why they should work with them, buy from them, donate, or partner with them. Tashana and Stephanie talk about marketing as one of the biggest drivers of revenue, profit, and cash flow, and how much of your revenue it makes sense to put toward it. Tashana shares her baseline number, when that number should go up, and why so many owners expect a return from marketing that no investment could realistically deliver. They also get into the practical side of business growth. Why Tashana starts with the relationships you already have before chasing new leads. Why one LinkedIn post (or one channel of any kind) is never enough. What to look for when you hire a marketing partner so you don't get burned. And why you can't hand everything off and disappear once you do. If you're a business owner who's ready to grow but has only relied on word of mouth so far, this conversation will help you think about marketing as a real investment in your business... and give you permission to start before everything is perfect. Connect with Tashana: • On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashanathomas/ • Beyond Business Solutions: https://beyondsolutions.biz/ • Conversations Beyond the Brand podcast: https://beyondsolutions.biz/podcast/ 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 It Really Takes to Make Your Marketing Pay Off with Tashana Thompson

  5. Oct 2

    Cash Flow Confessions: "Our Slow Season Lasted Half the Year" with Steve Barton

    What do you do when your revenue disappears for half the year? In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Stephanie talks with Steve Barton, a coach, author, and creator of the Game of 10, about the 30 years he spent running his family's flower shop in Portland, Maine. Steve was three days away from leaving for Europe to study floral design when his father had a stroke. At 22, he was suddenly running the business. And like a lot of seasonal businesses, the flower shop had a problem: the big holidays brought in the cash, but there was a long, quiet stretch between Mother's Day and Christmas. So Steve asked a simple question. What do people buy flowers for during that gap? Weddings. He built relationships with the biggest wedding venues in Maine, earned their referrals, and grew wedding work to about 20% of the shop's revenue. Steve also talks about holding his prices when customers pushed back, why he drove to Boston at 3 a.m. every Wednesday for the best flowers, and how the shop cut waste on a product that has a shelf life of days. He also shares the mindset that carries business owners through the first hard years, and why learning from a mistake beats beating yourself up over it. If your business has slow seasons, uneven cash flow, or customers who question your pricing, this episode will give you a practical way to look at where the money is and how to go get it. Connect with Steve online: stevebartoncoaching.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

    Cash Flow Confessions: "Our Slow Season Lasted Half the Year" with Steve Barton

  6. Sep 26

    What's Driving Your Profit... and What's Draining It? with Stephanie Smith

    When you want more profit in your business, what's the first thing you think of? For most business owners, it's "I need to sell more." Selling more can help. But it's one lever out of many. In this solo episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie grabs her cup of coffee and walks through 5 things that drive your profit and 5 things that can eat away at it without you noticing. She keeps it practical, with simple dollar examples you can apply to your own business right away. If your revenue looks fine but your cash flow feels tight, or you're just not sure where the money is going, this episode will give you a clear place to start. Pick one thing, look at your numbers this week, and see what you find. 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's Driving Your Profit... and What's Draining It? with Stephanie Smith

  7. Sep 18

    Cash Flow Confessions: “I Had 60 Days to Raise Over $300k” with Jullion Cooper

    Here's the thing about real estate investing: most people imagine you save up, buy local, and watch the property yourself. Jullion Cooper did none of that. He built a six-property portfolio from overseas. He's only seen one of them in person. And his latest deal was an apartment complex worth over a million dollars that he needed to close in 60 days. The problem? He didn't have $345,000 sitting in the bank. In this episode of Cash Flow Confessions, Jullion walks us through how he actually pulled that off. What he learned about capital raising is worth hearing whether you're thinking about real estate, expanding a business, or just understanding how money actually moves when it's real. He talks about bridge loans, due diligence that paid off (he negotiated $100k off the deal), and why people invest in you as much as they invest in the opportunity. He also breaks down why getting attached to a process beats getting attached to closing one specific deal. If you've ever wondered what raising capital actually looks like, or you're thinking about doing it yourself, this one's practical and honest. Connect with Jullion online at propertiesbyjmc.com  Grab Jullion's free guide, "Busy Professionals Guide to Passive Investing" at propertiesbyjmc.com/invest 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

    Cash Flow Confessions: “I Had 60 Days to Raise Over $300k” with Jullion Cooper

  8. Sep 11

    Before You Spend a Dollar on Ads, Run the Numbers with Jeremy Yang

    Ever handed money to someone to run ads for your business and had nothing to show for it? You're in good company. A lot of small business owners spend five or ten thousand dollars on paid ads, watch it disappear, and walk away wondering where it all went. In this episode of Getting to the Bottom Line, Stephanie sits down with Jeremy Yang, founder of Digital Goliath, a Sydney-based ads agency that manages around $450,000 a month in ad spend for small and medium businesses. Jeremy started out as an antenna installer, went back to school later in life, and stumbled into paid ads because it was the one kind of marketing that actually moved fast. Jeremy pulls the mystery out of paid advertising and turns it into simple math. He explains the calculator he uses to show an owner exactly what they stand to make before they spend a cent, the fee-to-ad-spend ratio most people never think to check, and why running ads before your business is ready just amplifies the holes you already have. He also gets honest about where AI fits in, why it can get you to average but not much further, and the two platforms every small business should focus on. If cash flow is tight and every marketing dollar has to count, this conversation gives you a clear way to think about paid ads before you spend. Jeremy's whole approach comes down to one idea: know your numbers first, and advertising stops being a gamble. 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

    Before You Spend a Dollar on Ads, Run the Numbers with Jeremy Yang
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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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