In this inaugural episode of Zen Money Monday, we talk about how the financial professionals in your life see your business.

Episode in a Nutshell:

In this episode, Liz welcomes to the podcast author, financial consultant, and CFO, Pam Prior. Pam’s in-depth experience and relationship-focused approach have allowed her to assess businesses and assist her clients in a myriad of ways. Pam and Liz talk about the importance of navigating the politics of business, paying yourself as a business owner, and honest communication about financials. Finally, Pam shares some of her experiences working with clients ranging from six to eight figures.

In detail, we covered:

02:02 – Pam’s business background
03:54 – The unique role of CFO, Chief Financial Officer 
06:53 – Navigating the politics of business 
10:25 – Building a story as a business owner 
11:55 – Common mistakes business owners make 
13:29 – Tools available to help entrepreneurs  
15:00 – The importance of paying yourself first 
16:31 – Entrepreneurial breakpoints that Pam has witnessed 
19:23 – The mental and physical toll of entrepreneurship 
21:45 – The importance of trusting those handling your finances 
25:53 – Hallway Pam  
27:08 – How Pam handles clients who aren’t willing to engage in financial conversations 
30:53 – Growing Broke  
33:35 – Fears entrepreneurs have about bringing in a CFO or financial coach 
38:19 – What Zen Money means to Pam
40:10 – Pam leaves the audience with one key takeaway from this episode 
43:39 – Where listeners can find Pam

Sound Bites:

• “I always loved being the number two. In fact, I thrived on it.” (04:31) 
• “Politics is getting people to do what they need to do despite themselves, in my humble opinion, in corporate America.” (07:59) 
• “There’s something about that seven figure mark that makes it very clear that you’ve crossed from a consultant or a coach into a business.” (17:26) 
• “You really have to choose to reinvent yourself at each stage of a successful business.” (20:37) 
• “You can’t be a ‘Yes Person’ in a CFO role. But, on the other hand, I never lead with ‘No.’” (35:36) 

About Pam

Pam Prior is a Best Selling Author, Host of the "Cash Flow with Pam Prior" Podcast, Financial Executive, CPA, Speaker, Teacher and “Cash Flow Quarterback.” An experienced CFO, she assesses businesses quickly and thoroughly – defining a clear-cut road map for putting your financials to work for you, fully aligned with your strategies. Although her methodology is time-tested and replicable, specific solutions are tailored directly to her clients and represent how they think about their businesses.

To learn more about Pam's work, visit www.pamprior.com! And you can also connect with Pam via email or on social media here: 

Email     Linked In     Facebook     Instagram     Twitter

Join the Zen Money Conversation!

My favorite part of recording a live show every week is the conversation we get to have on social media, with comments posted here, and messages I get from listeners.

With that in mind, this week's question is:

Is your current money management giving you useful data to inform your decisions?

If you're a new listener to the Zen Money Monday show or a long-time fan, I'd love to hear from you! Hop on over to the Contact page and let me know how you liked this episode and what topics you'd find most meaningful to hear about next!

Fun Free Stuff

Check out these resources we discussed in this episode:

Pam's Book: Your First CFO: The Accounting Cure for Small Business Owners

#ZenMoneyFirstSteps: www.zenmoneymap.com/steps - A free copy of Liz's 2nd book Zen Money Map plus a brand new video case study on how to put more money in your pocket as an entrepreneur in growth mode.