The Finance Cafe

The Finance Cafe
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Welcome to The Finance Cafe, Canada's leading business podcast for women entrepreneurs that breaks through the money taboo and explores what’s behind the numbers. Join your hosts, Shannon Pestun, Financial Expert and Shauna Frederick, Chartered Professional Accountant and CFO On the Go, founders of the financial learning platform designed by women entrepreneurs, for women entrepreneurs as they dive into conversations about business and finance with women entrepreneurs and the experts that support them. Thank you to our sponsors Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and TD Women in Enterprise

  1. 1D AGO

    Building Consistent Financial Habits As a Busy Entrepreneur

    In this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, host Shauna Frederick is joined by Shanakay Hall to explore what it really looks like to build consistent financial habits as a busy entrepreneur. The conversation focuses on what it means to stay connected to your finances in a way that is realistic, sustainable, and supportive of everyday business life, especially when capacity is limited and demands are high. Shanakay Hall is a web developer, business owner, and founder of Kaylo Digital, a web design and development studio that works with mission-driven organizations, brands, and businesses. With a background in marketing and communications, she brings a thoughtful and practical approach to building digital experiences, with a strong focus on accessibility and impact-driven design. Through her experience as an entrepreneur, she has also developed a grounded and evolving approach to managing business finances in a way that supports clarity and long-term growth. In this episode, Shanakay shares how consistency with money does not have to be complicated or time-consuming. One of the key habits she has built is setting aside 10 to 15 minute financial check-ins, which allow her to regularly review her numbers, stay aware of cash flow, and make more informed decisions without feeling overwhelmed. These small, consistent practices have helped her build confidence in her business finances and feel more secure as she grows. The conversation ultimately highlights that financial stability is not about perfection, but about creating simple, repeatable habits that make it easier to stay engaged with your business and support sustainable growth over time. Connect with Shanakey Website:www.kaylodigital.com Instagram:@kaylodigital

    38 min

  2. APR 7

    How Our Personal Finances Intersect With Our Business Finances

    In this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, co-founders Shauna Frederick and Shannon Pestun shift the conversation to focus on something just as important as business performance: your personal income. At The Finance Cafe, the work has never been just about the numbers themselves, but about the connection between those numbers and the way we experience them in our everyday lives. This conversation builds on that foundation by exploring how personal and business finances intersect, and how your business is ultimately meant to support your life. They walk through the concept of a personal income statement in a clear and practical way, starting with the numbers themselves. There is real value in removing emotion at the outset and simply looking at what is coming in, what is going out, and what is actually available. From there, the conversation naturally expands to acknowledge the emotional side of money, recognizing that clarity is not just about knowing your numbers, but understanding how they impact your sense of stability, stress, and choice. By grounding the discussion in both the practical and the personal, Shauna and Shannon introduce three simple questions to help bring focus and direction: what do I have, what is flowing in, and what options do I have. These questions are designed to cut through overwhelm and create a clearer picture of where you stand, while also opening the door to more intentional decision-making. This conversation is about creating space to understand your numbers, your reactions to them, and how the two work together. When you have that clarity, your business becomes a stronger, more supportive foundation for the life you are building. If you have not yet taken a clear look at your personal finances, this is your starting point. Join our newsletter this month to access our Personal Income Statement tool, designed to help you organize your numbers, understand your cash flow, and make decisions with greater clarity and confidence. https://mailchi.mp/4d3896909da6/l02md0jdpd And check out the courses we offer here: https://thefinancecafe.ca/women-entrepreneurs/

    43 min

  3. MAR 24

    Why Money Stress Is Often a Visibility Problem, Not a Discipline Problem

    On this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, we are digging further into our theme of the month, Money Mindset, and the ways women entrepreneurs can start to shift their relationship with their numbers. Host Shauna Frederick is joined by Stefanie Beharry for a conversation about how getting more connected to your finances can change the way you feel about running your business. Together, they explore how understanding your numbers can help move entrepreneurs from feeling uncertain or overwhelmed to feeling more confident and in control of their decisions. Stefanie Beharry is the Owner, Founder, and Fractional CFO of REI Finance. After spending more than a decade working in corporate finance, Stefanie decided to take a leap into entrepreneurship in search of greater flexibility, purpose, and the freedom to build a life she did not feel the need to retire from. Inspired by her two young children, she set out to create a business centered around what matters most to her: family, freedom, and meaningful impact. During her corporate career, Stefanie held progressively senior roles in Financial Planning and Analysis. She supported C-suite executives with investor relations insights, led cross-functional forecasting initiatives, and managed multi-million-dollar divisional budgets. She also helped streamline reporting and planning processes across multiple departments. Today, she brings that experience to the entrepreneurs she works with, helping real estate investors and service-based business owners turn financial overwhelm into clarity, strategy, and opportunity. In this conversation, Stefanie shares how building a stronger connection with your numbers can create a real sense of confidence and stability in your business. When the financial side of things is organized and understood, entrepreneurs can spend less time worrying and more time thinking about where they want their business to go. Shauna and Stefanie also talk about the reality that many entrepreneurs try to do everything themselves. Stefanie explains why building the right support team, especially when it comes to finances, can make a huge difference. With the right help in place, entrepreneurs can focus more on the bigger picture and step fully into their role as the visionary behind their business. Connect with Stefanie: Website: https://reifinance.ca/ Linkedin Looking to change your mindset around money - join the newsletter to gain access to our free March tool - The Financial Wellness Loop Worksheet! Join Now

    43 min

  4. MAR 10

    How Money Thoughts Become Patterns

    In this episode, co-hosts Shauna Frederick and Shannon Pestun explore what is really happening when a woman entrepreneur says, “I’m just bad with money.” Is it truly about discipline? Or is there something deeper underneath the surface? This conversation dives into the concept of financial safety and how our earliest experiences with money shape the beliefs we carry into adulthood. From what was modeled in our homes, to what was never talked about, to the cultural and systemic messages we absorbed, our money story begins long before we open our first business bank account. For women entrepreneurs especially, financial stress is often framed as a need to be more disciplined, more organized, or more careful. But Shauna and Shannon unpack how financial stress is often less about willpower and more about safety. They explore how unpredictable income, carrying too much alone, and navigating entrepreneurship without adequate support can reinforce patterns of avoidance and scarcity. When we believe money is unstable, or that we are not good with numbers, those beliefs quietly shape our decisions. They can lead to underpricing, overworking, holding tightly to cash in the name of being responsible, or avoiding the numbers altogether. Over time, those patterns become habits that impact cash flow, profitability, and burnout. The episode also introduces the Financial Wellness Loop: how thoughts influence feelings, feelings drive behaviours, behaviours create patterns, and patterns solidify into habits. Every decision in your business carries a financial outcome. The way you perceive those outcomes can either reinforce old beliefs or help you build new ones. If you are a woman entrepreneur who has ever felt behind, anxious about cash flow, or stuck in financial patterns that do not serve you, this conversation is for you. Ready to get started? Join the newsletter to get the free Financial Wellness Loop Worksheet! Join the Newsletter

    34 min

  5. FEB 24

    Building Economies: The Influence of Women Entrepreneurs

    In this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, host Shannon Pestun is joined by Dr. Wendy Cukier, one of Canada’s leading voices in entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusion, for a timely conversation about what women entrepreneurs need to know as they head into a new year. Together, they unpack the data, research, and real world insights shaping the future of women owned businesses across the country. Dr. Wendy Cukier is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Ted Rogers School of Management, the Founder and Academic Director of the Diversity Institute and the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, and the Academic Research Director of the Future Skills Centre. She has spent decades working at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, leading national initiatives that influence how entrepreneurship is supported in Canada. Wendy is the co author of the bestselling book Innovation Nation: Canadian Leadership from Java to Jurassic Park and has published more than 200 works focused on innovation, disruptive technologies, and inclusive growth. The conversation centres on Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, launched in 2018, and the role of the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub in collecting and analyzing data on the acceleration, opportunities, and barriers facing women entrepreneurs. Wendy shares key findings from the 2025 State of Women’s Entrepreneurship report and offers insight into what women across Canada should be aware of as they start and grow their businesses. Shannon and Wendy also explore how women can become more involved in shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem and highlight projects currently moving forward to support women entrepreneurs and strengthen access to resources. While acknowledging that women continue to face fundamental barriers, this episode reflects the progress that is being made and the momentum building across the country. With continued advocacy, collaboration, and confidence in their business acumen, women are driving meaningful change. Websites Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub Diversity Institute Future Skills Centre Reports The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Canada: 2025 Barriers and Enablers of Northern Businesses and Entrepreneurship MindFrame Connect Greenification of SMEs: Green Skills Competency Framework Bridging the AI Gap in SMEs in Canada Article Who will build it? WEKH founder Dr. Wendy Cukier makes the case for a gender lens on Canada’s to-do list AI Skills Development Opportunities AI Competency Framework: DI has developed a competency framework for AI skills across disciplines and levels and sectors with a focus on small and medium organizations. DI delivers AI training through its work-integrated learning programs including:  ADaPT for Black Youth: supports Black youth aged 15 to 29 across Ontario to develop skills for success, including those to build digital and professional competencies and help secure work. Program training includes a strong focus on AI.  Newcomer Employment and Entrepreneurship Skills Hub (NEESH): NEESH is a skills development and work placement program for newcomers in the Greater Toronto Area that provides training in critical in-demand job skills, including AI, and wraparound supports to help newcomers build their essential skills, improve their employment readiness and connect them to employers with opportunities to access paid work placement.  Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub (WE-Hub) is a skills-based training program designed to support women entrepreneurs in the Greater Toronto Area. WE-Hub provides participants with over 40 hours of entrepreneurship training led by industry professionals, business mentorship, access to networking opportunities, low-risk market testing and information and referrals as needed. Useful AI Tools ChatGPT:  Microsoft CoPilot:  Google NotebookLM:  Grammarly:  Notion AI:  Otter.ai:  Jasper   Rippling:  Storydoc:  Runway:

    49 min

  6. FEB 10

    Financial Management That Supports Your Life

    Money can feel heavy, stressful, and deeply personal, especially when you’re building a business and carrying more than just the numbers. This episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast with Shauna Frederick and Shannon Pestun talk about our connections with money, and why it sometimes feels so hard or overwhelming to be better with money.  This conversation invites you to step away from discipline-based money advice and instead look at financial management through the lens of financial wellness. You’ll explore how your relationship with money is shaped by safety, security, and freedom of choice, and how those feelings are influenced by lived experience, systemic barriers, and the stories you’ve carried with you long before you became an entrepreneur. If you’ve ever found yourself overworking, underpricing, avoiding your numbers, or constantly feeling behind even when revenue looks “fine,” this episode helps you understand why. These patterns aren’t failures, they’re survival responses. And until safety is present, making clear, confident financial decisions can feel impossible. We encourage you to reflect on your own money story: where it came from, how it shows up in your business, and how it may be quietly influencing decisions around pricing, debt, growth, and planning. Financial management is reframed not as pressure or another to-do, but as a supportive tool that can create clarity, reduce panic, and help you trust yourself with money. This episode is for you if you want to stop trying harder, start feeling safer engaging with your finances, and build a business that truly supports your life, not just your revenue.

    23 min

  7. JAN 27

    Investing in Skills to Improve Profitability and Sustainability

    In this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, host Shannon Pestun welcomes Laura McDonough, Associate Director of Insights & Knowledge Mobilization at the Future Skills Centre. Laura leads national research and knowledge-sharing efforts that help shape evidence-informed policy and practice across Canada’s skills ecosystem. With a background in research and evaluation at United Way Greater Toronto and a deep commitment to making data accessible and actionable, Laura brings a unique lens that bridges research, lived experience, and real-world workforce development. The conversation focuses on why skills development has become a critical growth lever for small and medium-sized businesses. Laura unpacks what it means to be future-skills ready, emphasizing both in-demand technical skills and the often-overlooked soft skills that are essential for effective leadership, strong management, and high-performing teams. She challenges traditional SME mindsets around productivity, encouraging business owners to invest in their people, develop managers’ capabilities, and move away from burnout-driven approaches or over reliance on technology alone. Shannon and Laura also explore how skills development intersects with equity, highlighting programs that support women and diverse communities in building transferable, high-value skills. The episode closes with a look at the growing role of AI, and why building skills and confidence around AI now can help businesses stay agile and resilient as the workforce continues to evolve. This episode is a must-listen for SME leaders and women entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses by investing smarter in skills, people, and the future of work. FSC Bluseky: https://bsky.app/profile/fsc-ccf.bsky.social FSC LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/fsc-ccf/ FSC Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/fsc_ccf/ Future Skills Website: https://fsc-ccf.ca/ Finance Cafe Courses  https://thefinancecafe.ca/women-entrepreneurs/

    47 min

  8. JAN 13

    Financial Goals Every Women Entrepreneur Should Focus on in 2026

    Starting a new year as a woman entrepreneur is not about hustle or vague intentions. It is about making clear, intentional financial decisions that support both your business growth and your long-term wealth. In this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, co-hosts Shauna Frederick and Shannon Pestun kick off 2026 with a practical conversation about financial goal setting for women who are running revenue-generating businesses and are ready to scale with confidence. This episode focuses on building clarity, consistency, and momentum without financial jargon or intimidation. Shauna and Shannon walk through five foundational goals to start the year strong: creating a simple 90-day cash flow plan, scheduling a monthly money date and actually putting it in your calendar, building a lending readiness folder so you are prepared before you need it, reviewing pricing and margins for 2026 to ensure you are not leaving money on the table, and paying yourself something consistent, even if it is small. Beyond the tactics, this episode gives permission to build wealth intentionally and to develop personal and business strategies that support both financial security and a life you want to live. It is a reminder that scaling is complex, learning is ongoing, and women belong in every financial conversation. This episode is for women entrepreneurs who want to start 2026 with clarity, confidence, and a financial foundation that supports sustainable growth. The Finance Cafe Courses: https://thefinancecafe.ca/ WEOC: https://weoc.ca/

    56 min
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About

Welcome to The Finance Cafe, Canada's leading business podcast for women entrepreneurs that breaks through the money taboo and explores what’s behind the numbers. Join your hosts, Shannon Pestun, Financial Expert and Shauna Frederick, Chartered Professional Accountant and CFO On the Go, founders of the financial learning platform designed by women entrepreneurs, for women entrepreneurs as they dive into conversations about business and finance with women entrepreneurs and the experts that support them. Thank you to our sponsors Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and TD Women in Enterprise

Information

  • Creator
    The Finance Cafe
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    152
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Finance Cafe
  • Show Website
    The Finance Cafe

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