Built by Margin

Laurie Chen, CPA, MBA
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Built by Margin is the podcast at the intersection of risk × numbers × decisions — for founders who want profits and peace. Hosted by Laurie Chen, CPA, MBA (Fractional CFO + CPA + Author of Risk Worthy), you’ll get financial strategy, decision frameworks, and investor-ready thinking to scale without burning out. Build margin. Take better bets. 

  1. 3D AGO

    Real Estate Investing: Insights with Jaben Makings of Onnix Investments

    In episode 26 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Jaben Makings, the founder of Onnix Investments, as he shares his journey of disrupting the real estate investing world by redefining how agents and investors collaborate. Risk Worthy isn’t reckless — it’s calculated. In this episode, Jaben Makings breaks down how he evaluates off-market deals, builds a team, and makes decisions that compound. Tune in to discover how strategic financial decisions can drive profitability in your business. TIMESTAMPS [00:01:05] Real estate career pivot. [00:04:01] Profit margins and business growth. [00:08:08] AI's impact on business operations. [00:10:15] Team building and accountability. [00:14:27] Revenue versus profit differentiation. [00:19:15] Risk-taking in business growth. [00:22:31] Recommended leadership books. [00:26:38] Shiny object syndrome in business. [00:28:38] Unfocused Thinking in Business. [00:32:55] Instagram collaboration and growth. QUOTES "The biggest thing I've learned since hiring people is that you teach people how to treat you." - Jaben Makings"But when you own a business, especially in the first couple of years when you're still a startup, and you're still scaling, there's going to be a lot of risk with a lot of the decisions that you make." - Jaben Makings"You need to make sure you're filling your mind with positive stuff because if you let your mind wander and think for itself, it's typically gonna side with fear and anxiety." - Jaben Makings SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Jaben Makings LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaben-makings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaben_makings/ Onnix Investments: https://onnixinvestments.com/

    30 min

  2. JAN 14

    Navigating Corporate Finance and AI: Insights with Fahim Talukdar

    In episode 25 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Fahim Talukdar, VP of Finance at Praetorian, as he shares his unique career journey, starting from commercial and personal banking to his current role in a cutting-edge cybersecurity company.  Tune in to learn more about Fahim's experiences and the evolving landscape of finance in the corporate cybertechnology space. TIMESTAMPS [00:01:17] Career path in finance. [00:05:05] Startup finance and forecasting. [00:10:16] Remote work culture challenges. [00:14:00] Tools for finance and accounting. [00:17:22] Upgrading ERP systems. [00:23:47] AI opportunities in finance. [00:27:42] AI in financial modeling. [00:30:24] Human judgment in financial metrics. [00:34:57] Key performance metrics for CEOs. [00:37:21] Importance of networking in finance. [00:41:34] Insights into income. QUOTES "You have to be able to adapt. You have to be able to be real with stakeholders and provide them with... guardrails to end up with an overall plan that makes sense." - Fahim Talukdar"What we don't want to do is just be kind of stuck in how we do things, and then there's something out there on the market that's a game change,r and we didn't know that." - Fahim Talukdar“If you do good work, if you make good connections, that those connections tend to open doors for you down the road.” - Fahim Talukdar SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Fahim Talukdar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahimtalukdar/  WEBSITES Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Praetorian: https://www.praetorian.com/

    39 min

  3. JAN 12

    Best Possible Future - Risk Worthy Insights with Laurie Chen

    In episode 24 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. — In this episode, Laurie breaks down one of the core ideas from Risk Worthy: your Best Possible Future — and why it’s the missing filter most people need when making high-stakes decisions. You’ll learn the difference between Best Self and Best Possible Future: Best Self is about the thoughts, energy, and character you bring into the world, while Best Possible Future is about the outcomes and life vision you’re building toward — your “vision board fulfilled.” Laurie explains how your Best Possible Future helps you evaluate risk through a simple, grounding question: even with uncertainty, does this move me closer to my long-term vision? From there, she connects the concept to real decisions with real consequences — building a life-changing product, investing $100K into a startup, or choosing the right business partner — and introduces the idea of qualitative ROI: when a decision is aligned with your Best Self and Best Possible Future, you can trust that the logistics and numbers tend to resolve over a long enough horizon. Finally, Laurie challenges the timeline assumptions behind your goals, drawing from Peter Thiel’s “Why can’t you do this in 6 months?” and Benjamin Hardy’s argument for compressing timelines to force focus, simplification, and 80/20 thinking. The episode closes with a powerful question: Is your Best Possible Future ten years away — or six months away? And what would change if you had to find out? Key themes: Best Possible Future framework, qualitative ROI, risk-worthiness, 10x vs 10-year thinking, timeline compression, simplifying for vertical progress, decision-making under uncertainty. QUOTES "The question that both Peter Thiel and Benjamin Hardy lead me to ask is: is our best possible future 10 years away or is it 6 months away? Cutting the time leads to more honest and more critical assessments about achieving the best possible future." - Laurie Chen SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ WEBSITES Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

    7 min

  4. 12/22/2025

    The Power of Mindset and Strategy: Scaling an E-Commerce Brand with Sean Travis

    In episode 23 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Sean Travis, a former firefighter-paramedic turned entrepreneur and founder of Ecom for Heroes, based in Hermosa Beach, California, as he discusses the challenges he faced, including burnout and personal loss, that led him to take a leap of faith into entrepreneurship. Tune in to hear valuable insights on entrepreneurship and the intersection of passion and purpose in business. TIMESTAMPS [00:01:06] Transitioning from firefighting to entrepreneurship. [00:04:39] Teaching and coaching first responders. [00:09:56] Overcoming imposter syndrome. [00:11:41] Imposter syndrome in entrepreneurship. [00:16:01] Daily habits for creativity. [00:20:46] Financial growth and strategy. [00:23:08] Cash flow forecasting importance. [00:26:26] Client contract strategies. [00:32:49] Client contracts and communication. [00:35:01] AI's impact on business growth. [00:39:19] AI product discovery dashboard. [00:43:26] Optimizing treatment protocols with AI. [00:45:12] AI tools for business efficiency. [00:48:43] Google Gemini integration benefits. QUOTES "Believing in reminding myself daily that I am enough." -Sean Travis"You cannot find the solution with the same mindset that gave you the problem." -Sean Travis"If you're going to pick one, pick one that integrates the most with your life."-Sean Travis SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lauriechencpamba LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Sean Travis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomforheroes/?hl=en   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecomforheroes/  WEBSITES Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

    51 min

  5. 12/03/2025

    Building Trust and Community: The Secrets Behind Let Kelly's Success with Kelly Jedele

    In episode 22 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Kelly Jedele, the owner of a multi-million dollar residential cleaning company based in Austin, Texas, as she discusses her company's growth, her financial A-team, the importance of community engagement, and her unique customer acquisition strategies, including the power of word-of-mouth referrals and goodwill advertising.  Tune in to gain insights on building a profitable business while maintaining flexibility and prioritizing family. TIMESTAMPS [00:01:19] Starting a business after firing. [00:07:30] Company cars for business efficiency. [00:10:41] Biggest risks in business ownership. [00:12:34] Betting on Yourself. [00:16:32] Employee recognition and morale. [00:22:01] Tax strategy for business growth. [00:25:36] Revenue model and pricing strategy. [00:32:03] Future growth and strategy. [00:34:06] Favorite book influences life. [00:36:45] Dog ownership and rescue. QUOTES "I would say one of the biggest risks is just starting and planning." -Kelly Jedele"I truly believe looking at my employees in the eyes and recognizing them in the morning when they're here is important." -Kelly Jedele"I am just looking at what I want to do next in my life for what would warm my spirit and speak to my soul." -Kelly Jedele SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Kelly Jedele Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyjedele/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyjedele/  WEBSITES Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

    38 min

  6. 12/01/2025

    Unlock High-Performance in Business and Life with Fraser Bayley

    In episode 21 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Fraser Bayley, the founder of Elite Nutrition, as he shares his incredible journey from struggling with mental health issues to becoming a sought-after performance strategist for high-achieving entrepreneurs, executives, and athletes.  Tune in for an engaging conversation that promises to bring value to your personal and professional life. TIMESTAMPS [00:02:30] Mental health transformation journey. [00:05:39] Human optimization and health. [00:09:50] Change your mindset, change life. [00:11:17] Mindset and health transformation. [00:17:09] Energy management as you age. [00:20:29] Energy management strategies for wellness. [00:23:17] Step count and movement benefits. [00:27:08] Hydration's impact on health. [00:29:15] Sleep optimization strategies. [00:33:23] Insulin resistance and ADHD connection. [00:39:00] High-level coaching and support. [00:42:10] Transformation through personalized coaching. [00:46:00] Importance of tracking KPIs. [00:47:48] Transitioning from physical to online. [00:52:25] Intuition vs. Data in Health. [00:54:54] Insights into income. QUOTES "If you can learn and master your energy, you can honestly achieve almost anything." -Fraser Bayley"You can give someone a good plan, but it's as good as their ability to integrate it into their life." -Fraser Bayley SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Fraser Bayley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fraser-bayley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraserbayley/   WEBSITES Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

    55 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    Two Fractional CFOs Chat: How Purpose Drives Fractional CFOs with Jim Emerich

    In episode 20 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Jim Emerich, Founder of Backbone CFO, as he reflects on the invaluable lessons learned while helping others build their enterprises and emphasizes the importance of taking risks to achieve one's own entrepreneurial dreams. Tune in to learn about the challenges and rewards of starting a business and how Jim's experiences have shaped his approach to financial strategy. TIMESTAMPS [00:01:02] Entrepreneurial journey of Backbone CFO. [00:04:24] Fractional CFO services framework. [00:10:57] Simplifying client tech stack. [00:13:43] Financial roadmap for business growth. [00:17:06] Client communication frequency. [00:20:10] Faith's impact on business. [00:25:33] Starting a business risk. [00:27:31] Business scaling and reinvestment. [00:32:19] Raising the floor concept. QUOTES " So we go through a particular financial control framework, we call it. So we talk about cash, profit, people, systems, and position, and we really coach our clients in those five areas of their business on a continuous basis. Now, what becomes unique is every client has their own challenges and opportunities and issues that they're solving, right? So in that way, every client. Engagement can be a little bit different because the CFO is solving different problems, helping the client tackle different opportunities, but we're using the same framework, the same process to do it." - Jim Emerich" And you also really have to assess what the client's needs are, right? Because, you know, most construction manufacturing companies are not very tech savvy. You know, it's very different if you're working with like a software AI company, right? They might want a little bit more sophisticated system. But like for my clients, you know, it really depends on who they are, you know, how tech savvy are they? Are they fine with just Google Sheets? Are they fine with Excel or a little bit more of a cloud FP&A system like Causal or Jirav? " - Laurie Chen SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Jim Emerich Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backbonecfo/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesemerich/  Backbone CFO: https://backbonecfo.com/  WEBSITES Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

    35 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    Scaling Smarter: The Future of Accounting with Joe Dunaway

    In episode 19 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Joseph Dunaway, Founder of VICI Financial, as he discusses how technology and AI are transforming the accounting landscape, allowing for more personalized and efficient services. Tune in to hear Joe’s insights on building a business with integrity and the importance of adapting to the future of accounting. TIMESTAMPS [00:01:04] Future of accounting services. [00:06:06] Investment in accounting services. [00:10:27] AI in tax planning strategies. [00:13:34] Real estate tax strategies. [00:16:10] R&D tax credit complexities. [00:21:20] Bookkeeping services offered. [00:27:06] Strategic planning in accounting. [00:28:37] Investment in accounting services. [00:32:07] Slack as a communication tool. [00:37:15] Favorite workout: box jumps. [00:40:50] Scaling smarter and harder. QUOTES "I wanted to build something that I could continue to help people, which is the core of what we do." -Joe Dunaway"Your accountant should be an investment, not a sunk cost." -Joe Dunaway“The first one to three years makes or breaks any new business." -Joe Dunaway SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS Laurie Chen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/ Joe Dunaway Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejoedunaway/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-dunaway  VICI Finance: https://www.vicifinance.com/ WEBSITES Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/ Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/ Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

    43 min
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About

Built by Margin is the podcast at the intersection of risk × numbers × decisions — for founders who want profits and peace. Hosted by Laurie Chen, CPA, MBA (Fractional CFO + CPA + Author of Risk Worthy), you’ll get financial strategy, decision frameworks, and investor-ready thinking to scale without burning out. Build margin. Take better bets. 

Information

  • Creator
    Laurie Chen, CPA, MBA
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Built by Margin
  • Show Website
    Built by Margin