308. Beyond the Bottom Line - A Fancier Spreadsheet is NOT the Solution, You Are!

Speaker A: Well, hello, my friend. I'm your host, Koniggraf. Thank you so much for allowing me back into your ears. So I'm a little bit nervous because today I want to do something a little bit different. I want to pull back the curtain and give you a real honest picture of what it's actually like to work with me, what happens in the calls, what we work on, what shifts in you as a client, and why it's different from anything you might have experienced before. And the reason why I'm a little bit nervous is you might think this is meant to be a promo reel for my services, but in a way, that's really not my intention. Now, of course, um, I would love to, um, inspire you to want to become my clients, but the reason why I'm recording this is because I had a conversation the other day with a person, and that person was telling me they really don't understand what I'm doing or how I'm helping my clients, that they were confused. And so I thought if that person is confused, maybe more people are confused that don't understand what I'm doing. Because I also recognize that it might not be so obvious because maybe I don't talk about it in a, uh, clear enough way. What happened after that conversation is I went on a deep dive and on, uh, an internal journey to kind of find the right words to. To describe what I'm actually doing or how I'm helping my clients. And in the process, I decided I'm gonna create a podcast episode. So I hear myself speaking these words out loud, and also a little bit in the hope that if you hear it and you're still confused, that you would let me know and maybe write a DM or an email and saying, connie, I'm still confused. So. I know. Um, but, yeah, so that's actually the reason what I'm talking about or why I'm talking about today, um, how it is or how it's like to be my client. And again, not meant as a promo reel. So let's start with the kind of clients actually work with. Um, because there are different phases that I have identified, um, over the years where certain business owners are with their finances and whether or not I'm the right person to help them. So I identified four phases, but actually there is a fifth one. And the fifth one is the one where the people don't see a value in finances and they're just preferring to stay. It stays a chaos because they don't want to deal with it. And so that is not the client for me. I'm not here to convince you that finances in a business are important. Um, I mean, you either believe that or not. If you're not, then bless you and you go on your way. But if you do understand that finances are important in business and also in private life, but we're talking about our businesses here right now, right? So if you do understand and you do also agree that finances are important for a business, but you're struggling with them, then I'm your girl. I can help you. Right, so then let's start with phase one. And I call that phase the chaos and avoidance phase. And that's where the finances really still feel like a threat and give you sleepless, um, nights. Um, you're often avoiding looking at your numbers because you're afraid of what you're finding. And often the business and personal finances are still all tangled together because you're maybe, um, just self employed and your business doesn't have its own identity, it's not incorporated. There is also often no tracking and no systems. And it's also often where Peter robs Paul or the business robs your, your savings, uh, and vice versa, just in order to get by. And this is kind of like the survey survival, um, day by day. Ph, right. And I do have clients in this phase. I did have clients that were in this phase when they found me. And I can totally help you. But you really want to be eager to move on to the next phase. You don't like. Um, I don't, I don't think it's healthy to stay in this phase. If you want to have a business, um, you need to understand your finances and you have to manage your finances to a degree. I'm gladly helping you to get out of this chaos, but you have to do your part of the work too, so that you can move into phase two. And phase two, I call the financial fog phase, um, it's where you're doing something already with your finances and with your money, but it's not consistent. You may track and then you forget again. Um, you may have a rough sense of what's coming in and what's going out, but not a real clear picture. The picture might still be blurry and like I said, inconsistent. But you kind of know in the back of your mind that if you would be more consistent and if you would understand your finances better, you would also make better decisions. But you're not quite sure how to move on, move forward, and you're not quite sure how to understand what Your numbers are trying to tell you and how to act from, from that. Right. And so this is really the phase where a lot of clients find me. They have some momentum already and they're really eager to move to the next phase, um, which is phase three, the clarity zone. And, um, they come to me and I help. And then when they get into the clarity zone, or maybe you are already in the clarity zone, that is when you do have systems, you do track your revenue and your expenses consistently. Um, but there might still be a gap between having the numbers in front of you and knowing what exactly to do with them, how to make decisions based from them, how to strategically, um, address them, or also, if the numbers aren't reflecting the picture, you would like to see how to dig deeper and find out what the reasons are. Right. So you do understand part of it, but just still not the whole picture. And that's actually where I shine. Right. I love doing that. I love helping you learn the language of understanding what the numbers are trying to tell you. And by doing so, um, you can move into the next phase, which is the, the peace and profit phase, I call it. This is where the business actually really runs on clear systems and decisions are made from up to date data. Ah. Rather than from some drama or anxiety or, or without looking at the numbers or without understanding the numbers. And there is also enough spaciousness in, in your business and in your day to day that you can actually, um, make intentional decisions based on your finances because everything is kind of running smoothly. Right. So again, most of my clients find me somewhere in the middle, somewhere between phase two and phase three. I did have clients finding me between phase three and phase four, and I also had clients that were already in phase four, but still, um, came up to a roadblock and needed more professional help. Yeah. So now that we covered, um, who I help and in what phase, my clients usually are, let me start by something that I really feel strongly about before we move on, and that is that the corporate finance world has traditionally been built on very particular kind of energy, which is cold and numbers only, and often aggressive growth at all cost. It's mostly male dominated, men dominated. At least that's how it was when I was in the corporate world. And when I also had my many corporate clients, I was often the only woman in the room. Right. And I had to adapt to their kind of energy. I had to adapt to their kind of, um, cold, pragmatic, linear, aggressive way of looking at business and numbers. But ever since I ventured out on my own over 30 years ago. I actually use and choose a different approach. And so what I offer to my clients is also a little bit different. It is not less precise or less rigorous around the numbers. I will absolutely look at your numbers and tell you exactly what they mean and what they're telling you about your business, good or bad. Um, I'm very strategic, I'm very professional, I'm very knowledgeable. But my approach to it all is more holistic. I look at it more cyclical rather than linear. Meaning I understand that business and life moves in cycles, seasons in its ebb and flow, and that fighting against that or expecting constant linear upward growth is both unrealistic and exhausting. And another core part is that I'm very attentive to the whole person in front of me because you cannot separate the business from the human that is running it. But most traditional financial advice does, doesn't even try to understand the individual person that's running the business. Right. It's all about the cold, um, hard facts of the numbers. And that's not how I work. I think of it more like a feminine approach to business and finance. Not because it's only for women, but because it's rooted in a fundamentally different set of values. First and foremost in the value of both and rather than either or. And as women, we may understand that more deeply than men, not wanting to be negative towards men, but I think women, they often juggle so many balls in the air that they do, um, see more that it is all about both and rather than either or so the both and is I combine the intuitive and the analytical and the strategic and the soulful. And I focus on sustainable growth rather than scale at any cost. And I focus on how my client ticks, what his or her dominant element is and in what stage of life they are in and what goes on in their private life, and so on and so on. And that's how I work. It's the numbers and the person behind the numbers, both together. I'm a unique hybrid. I am part fractional CFO and business strategist, yes. But I'm also part executive coach and part mindset coach and part accountability partner and ally. So it's not uncommon that in a single call with a client, we move from reviewing the bookkeeping entries, so the finances, to talking about their inner critic, their bully in their head. And then from there we pivot into analyzing their pricing structure. Or then I help them with some team member issue, or I help them, um, understand why they're so exhausted and, um, I help them see their situation, um, in a, in a more in, in a kinder way than the harsh way they see it. And so this can be all happen in one single call because again, the person can't be separated from the business and, and from the numbers. And so this all has room in, in every single call. Let me give you some examples that maybe help you understand even better. One of the hardest things about being a small business owner is the loneliness of it. And I have experienced that myself. Right. I'm, um, a business, I own my own business since 1998. And back then we didn't have a lot of support. Like you could hire now a coach, you can hire a business consultant. All this, you can hire a mentor. It wasn't so common back then. And so it can be very lonely, like, especially if you're solopreneur. But even if you have a small team, you can't really, um, be honest and raw about what's going on with your team because you're the leader, right? And it's not fair to put that on them. And so there is really very few people that you can be complex, completely raw and honest about what's going on and would actually would also understand what you're talking about. They would have to be a business owner themselves. Um, they would have to see into your business, and most aren't. Or, for example, if you go home to your partner and you're trying to talk with them, they are trying their very best, but it might not always be the right sounding board for you, especially if it's a romantic partner. There might be some, um, friction that comes with that. Um, and again, unless they are working with you in the business, they don't see the whole picture. And so this is why a lot of leaders and business owners are walking around carrying this invisible weight with, um, nobody to really, um, talk to or not able to put it somewhere, voicing it somewhere without being judged or told what to do or whatever. So, and that's where I come in. So when you work with me, you get a safe space to be completely authentic to say, I'm exhausted, I don't know what to do. Um, the low balance in my bank account scares me, for example, or I feel like I'm the bottleneck in my own business. If you have a team and they're constantly waiting on you, you can come with anything or everything to me. And you will have in me someone who can hold all the, all that tension with you and help you find a way through on the Way forward. So this fluidity and this variety that we can cover in these calls is not being scattered. It's actually exactly what you as a small business owner needs but almost never gets from any person. This following statement is actually based on feedback from my clients. I was told that I was actually the one constant in their week that, like the grounding pole where they can hold on to when business gets crazy. Right. Okay, so let's move on. So another, um, way I help my clients is I help them keep the overview. Or better off, I keep the overview. So, uh, if they're losing the overview. And early in my career already, when I was very young, 25 or 26, I often already got the compliment that I can keep the overview. While I also am able to dig deep into the details of finances. Right. So I don't let you get lost in the details of your finances when you can't see the forest for the trees. Right. Um, but I know, on the other hand, I also don't let you overlook important details when you're focused on the big dream and the big picture and want to rush ahead with, um, with some tactic or with some strategy without even having it based in the details. Right. So the skill goes ways, and I'm really blessed to have that skill. And, um, help my clients when they're getting three steps ahead of themselves and get stressed out about things in the future that are not even relevant now. I can bring them back and say, okay, well, let's dial it back and let's look at what actually is relevant right now and not worry about what comes after, if it even ever comes. I'm also the one who remembers what happened in January when you have already completely forgotten by November, because I track the arc of the whole year, and I kind of keep tabs on what you're all dealing with. And that means you don't have to carry that cognitive load alone. You have somebody to bounce it off if you have a hard year. We can reflect and we can put it in perspective together. You don't have to ruminate that in your brain and in your head over and over and over, all by yourself. And so the third thing that comes out of that is that I actually help you hear yourself more clearly. And you may or may not notice how your very critical inner voice is often talking about, uh, to you in a way that you would never allow anybody else to talk to you. And so when I hear that and hear it between the lines or I hear it clearly when that bully comes out, how I Call it. I can actually point. Point this out, and I. We can talk about it, and I can put it into, um, perspective. I can help you understand that this voice isn't you. That this voice. We all have this voice. And it's an insane voice oftentimes. And when we try to listen to that voice, um, we never feel satisfied with what we're doing. It's always like the goal post gets, um, moved ahead every time we arrive somewhere. It's almost like the carrot in front of the donkey or whatever that metaphor is, right? And so that's when we get really exhausted and think we need to do more, more, more, more, more. Because that's what the inner critic tells us. And this is also where I can help and. And, um, part of my job is to name that voice then and give it a label and whole and. And help you stop mistaking this for the truth. Because I, um. I can see how it's not the truth. It's kind of like a behavior pattern that comes from our childhood oftentimes. And if we're not aware of it, we're playing this pattern over and over and over without even noticing it. And that's where I can come in and can say, oh, wait a second. Um, who's talking here? Is it really you talking, or is it maybe this critical voice that comes from the past? And I want to say something very important right here. So I do understand that a regular coach would exactly help you with that, too, helping you hear yourself more clearly and helping you putting that critical voice into perspective. But the unique part, if you work with me, is that I, as the fractional CFO of your business, I know your finances, your processes, your leadership and your team issues. I know your business, and so I can address your negative thoughts and your negative mindset and that critical voice, the bully, with way more understanding than if you had just some other, um, coach or some other consultant to talk to, right? Because I know your business, like, from my clients. I know their business inside and out. I don't know more than they do about their business, but I do know so much that I can actually. I'm on the same level, right? I can talk with them on the same level because I know the same amount or almost the same amount. And so that's when I actually also can put that voice in perspective and can say, no. What your inner bully is telling you is B.S. that's not true. Um, the finances or the numbers speak a different language. Um, the other day I had to tell someone. Um, they were not happy with their revenue. And I said, yeah, but wait a second. The revenue is higher than what you had in your budget. And back then, when we did the budget, you said, I'm just happy if I reach these numbers. And now you exceed these numbers, but the bully tells you it's not good enough. So this is like, like, let's pause for a second and be grateful and celebrate that we're actually above budget, that we exceeded the budget. This, this inner critic that where it's never enough and never enough, it, it needs some counterweights. And that's where I come in. And then in addition, this connects to something else that is core to how I work, and that is I use elemental frameworks as practical business tools. And again, this is core on how I work, but it's also weaved into my work. It's the lens through which I operate from. And you don't have to believe in astrology, um, I still come from that place automatically, um, if you're open to it. And once you know whether you are fire, earth, air or water, it will give you instant relief because suddenly your patterns make sense to you and you understand your strengths and your weaknesses so much better, and you stop fighting against yourself and how you tick. And because I understand, are you fire, earth, air, water? And from that I get this picture of how you fundamentally are wired. Whether you are a fire type who drives on quick things but often outpaces your own systems. Whether you're an earth type who plans beautifully but struggles to get started, uh, to take action. Or whether you're an air type whose ideas often outrun their implementation pace. They can't even keep up with their own thoughts. And, um, lastly, whether you're a water type who feels everything so deeply and sometimes lets that flood of emotions, um, interfere with their decision making. So now when I look at you through that lens, this adds to the strategic and linear and professional, uh, experience and point of view that I have in finance. Right. So it's very important, um, to understand also that again, you don't need to believe in astrology. You can think that is vu wish and out there, that's no problem. It works anyways. You just know that I may come from that lens, I may come from that angle. And you, the only thing you need to be is open to being seen and being understood in a way that maybe somebody else never did. And in between, you might get amazed. I had clients that were amazed that I seem to know things about them, um, without them telling me these things. Right. Yeah. So I want to come to an end. I'm talking way too long already. I thought this becomes a 10 minute episode now. I'm talking for half an hour. Oh my God. Okay, so to cut, to summarize everything. So practically speaking, what I wrote down and what I distilled it into one sentence, um, how it is to be my client is I help overwhelmed, capable business owners get out of survival mode and back into the driver's seat by combining financial clarity, emotional grounding, and strategic thinking in, in one trusted relationship. And I'm, um, walking with you the path as an ally and a partner. My clients don't just hire a fractional CFO and coach. They hire a strategic partner and ally that helps them move from chaos to peace. In their money and systems and most importantly, in themselves. By understanding themselves better and better, and by understanding yourself better, you make better decision, you're a better leader in your business and you enjoy your business more. I have this sentence that floats around in my head. I have said it before, but I'm, um, intending to say it more. That is by knowing your roots, you get the wings, right? So, meaning by understanding who you are, you actually can take off and succeed. And this is for solopreneurs and for small business owners that seek peace of mind and more profits. Because when you combine financial precision with genuine understanding of the human nature, I believe something shifts. Not just the spreadsheets and the numbers shift, but the person too. I hope I could articulate a little bit better than in the past how I actually help and who I help and in what phase they are when they find me and how I can help them move the next phase. Okay, my friend, if that resonates with you, and if you too are tired to carry everything alone and you want someone who will look at both your numbers and your whole self. Since I talked about it for half an hour, I might as well end like this. If you want to experience to be my client, then you can book a free 30 minute bring your cares to me call where we look at where you are, what's going on in your life and in your business, what gets in your way, and whether working together would feel like a genuine fit. And there is no pressure, it's just a real conversation. And even if we decide mutually that this is not, we're not working together, you will still walk away with more clarity and most likely first steps on how to move on. Okay, my friend, that's it for this week. Thanks for bearing with me all the way to the end. And listening to how I help and who I help. And thanks for being a supporter of the podcast. Have a wonderful week. Talk to you next time. Time. Bye for now.