Beyond the Bottom Line

Miguel Alexander Centeno

Beyond the Bottom Line is a podcast for founders and business owners who want practical insight they can actually use as they grow. Hosted by Miguel Alexander Centeno, founder and CEO of Centurion Firm, the show features in-depth conversations with industry experts, clients, and business owners about how they think through tax, cash flow, operations, and the decisions that come with running a real business. We focus on how things really work when you’re scaling, what challenges tend to come up, and how other founders, experts, and operators have dealt with them. If you’re building or growing a business (often somewhere between $500K and $25M+ in revenue), this show is designed to help you make smarter financial and operational decisions and keep more of what you earn.

Episodes

  1. 11H AGO

    How to Put Your Idle Cash to Work

    Most business owners have cash sitting in a checking account earning nothing. They assume treasury strategy is too complicated, too risky, or only worth it once the numbers get big enough. Meanwhile, inflation is quietly eroding their buying power every month. In this episode, Miguel sits down with Mike Dombrowski of Rho to break down what treasury strategy actually is and how founders at any stage can start putting idle cash to work. Mike’s framing is simple - every dollar in your business is an invisible employee. If it’s sitting in a checking account earning nothing, it’s not showing up to work. Other insights from this episode include: Why treasury strategy used to require a full CFO function and a Wall Street relationship and how technology has changed thatWhy being too conservative with your cash is itself a risk, and why Mike thinks of treasury as an insurance policy rather than an investmentThe investment options worth knowing, including FDIC sweep products, treasury bills, and money market funds How the “reverse sweep” automates your cash flow so your operating account never runs dry without you watching it every dayWhy certificates of deposit can look attractive but leave you unable to access your cash when you need itHow rising and falling interest rates should affect the duration of your investments, and why most small businesses shouldn’t be trying to game the rate environmentStacking three strategies (treasury yield, 2% cash back on business spend, and R&D tax credits) and what the combined number can look like for a $2 million businessAbout Our Guest Michael Dombrowski is the Corporate Treasury Advisor at Rho - a financial platform that gives businesses of all sizes access to treasury management, business banking, and automated cash flow tools. Visit rho.co to learn more about Rho Treasury and the full platform. Connect with Miguel on LinkedIn or reach out at media@centurionfirm.com

    53 min
  2. FEB 17

    How to Design a Vacation Rental That Actually Makes Money

    Most vacation rental owners buy a property, throw in some furniture, and hope for the best. Then they wonder why the bookings are inconsistent and the nightly rate never reaches what the numbers promised. But what if you could incorporate a design strategy that changed your business for the better? In this episode, Miguel sits down with Erica Dike, principal designer at Erica O Designs, to walk through her Designing for Dollars formula. After leaving a career at NASA, Erica has gone on to design over 78 vacation rentals while bringing a business-analyst mindset to every property. Other insights from this episode include: Why designing for “everyone” is the fastest way to attract no one and how to identify your ideal guest before you buy a single piece of furnitureThe Designing for Dollars formula: a data-driven approach to knowing exactly where to save and where to splurge in your budgetThe design trap that makes your property blend into every other listing in your market, and how “timeless design” helps create properties that “stop the scroll."Why your budget conversation has to happen before you close on the property, not afterCommon design mistakes that quietly kill your occupancy rate - including TV placement, seating capacity, and underestimating the work-from-home travelerThe one small kitchen appliance that can directly influence your bookings (and it’s not what you’d expect)About Our Guest Erica Dike is the principal designer at Erica Ooh Designs, specializing in vacation rental design for investors and busy professionals. With a background in Management Information Systems and experience as a business analyst at NASA, Erica brings a systems-first approach to interior design - one focused on ROI, not just aesthetics.  Visit ericaooh.com to schedule a consultation, request a pricing estimate, or book a design audit. You can also follow Erica on Instagram at @ericaoohdesigns for design tips, guides, and before/after reels. Connect with Miguel on LinkedIn or reach out at media@centurionfirm.com

    57 min
  3. FEB 3

    AI Search Strategy for Business Owners

    AI Search Strategy for Business Owners Many business owners are watching their website traffic drop without understanding why. Miguel experienced this firsthand when Tax Hack's blog traffic plummeted from 88,000 to 3,000 unique visitors.  The culprit? AI overviews are changing how people find information online. In this episode, Miguel sits down with Ryan Russell, founder and CEO of BizIQ, to get answers. If you're seeing similar drops or wondering how to stay visible as AI changes search, this episode breaks down what's actually happening and what to do about it. Ryan Russell, founder of BizIQ, shares findings from asking AI platforms directly where they source their business recommendations and the answers point to clear actions you can take. Other insights from this episode include: Where AI platforms actually get their business information (spoiler alert: your Google Business Profile matters more than you think)Why AI search and traditional search work together, not against each otherThe ranking factors that determine if you show up in AI recommendationsPractical tactics for optimizing your Google Business Profile, including the underutilized Products & Services sectionContent strategy in the AI era: quality vs. quantity and what's actually workingThe truth about using AI-generated content on your websiteThree actions you can take this week to test and improve your AI visibilityAbout Our Guest Ryan Russell, Founder & CEO of BizIQ, a search optimization expert whose team researches how businesses can adapt to AI-driven discovery. Visit biziq.com/contact for a free audit or consultation Connect with Miguel on LinkedIn or media@centurionfirm.com

    55 min

About

Beyond the Bottom Line is a podcast for founders and business owners who want practical insight they can actually use as they grow. Hosted by Miguel Alexander Centeno, founder and CEO of Centurion Firm, the show features in-depth conversations with industry experts, clients, and business owners about how they think through tax, cash flow, operations, and the decisions that come with running a real business. We focus on how things really work when you’re scaling, what challenges tend to come up, and how other founders, experts, and operators have dealt with them. If you’re building or growing a business (often somewhere between $500K and $25M+ in revenue), this show is designed to help you make smarter financial and operational decisions and keep more of what you earn.