CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Welcome to CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success, the ultimate podcast for Fractional CFOs and Accounting Firm owners who are eager to land more high-paying clients and elevate their businesses to new heights. Hosted by James Donovan from Nine Two Media, we specialize in helping financial professionals achieve their goals through innovative and effective marketing strategies. In each episode, we dive deep into the world of finance and marketing, interviewing industry leaders who share their insider secrets and success stories. You'll gain access to unique marketing tactics specifically designed for Fractional CFOs and Accounting Firms, covering everything from lead generation and client acquisition to branding and digital presence. Whether you're looking to refine your marketing approach or seeking inspiration from top financial experts, CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success is your go-to resource for actionable insights and proven strategies. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind thriving financial practices and help you unlock the full potential of your business. Tune in and transform the way you attract and retain clients, one episode at a time.

Episodes

October 16, 2025 32 mins

You’ve done the work. You’ve climbed the ladder. So why does the CFO title still feel out of reach?

Kevin Appleby, COO of GrowCFO and mentor to hundreds of finance leaders, reveals:

• The 3 invisible blockers keeping smart finance pros from stepping up
• Why “imposter syndrome” shows up right after your promotion
• What most people get completely wrong about becoming CFO
• The mindset shift that separa...

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“Are you a real  CFO?”

That’s the question clients are now asking,  because not all “fractional CFOs” are created equal.

In this episode, Brett Frevert (Founder of CFO Systems, Inc. and 9-time Inc. 5000 awardee) breaks down:

• Why “bookkeeper to CFO in 90 days” is hurting the industry
• The 4 levels of business conversations and why most pros are stuck at level one
• Why your newsletter ...

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$40,000,000. That’s how much Dan Lake’s clients have saved on taxes and most people have never even heard of the strategy.

In this episode, Dan reveals how he helps CPAs and high-net-worth individuals shrink tax bills using solar tax equity deals most pros overlook.

You’ll learn:

• Why mortgages are one of the worst financial tools
 • How W-2 earners can legally offset massive tax burdens
 • The strategy that turned a $2M tax ...

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She sold her firm for 7 figures with just 56 clients. Here's how she did it.

Jackie Meyer, CPA, founder of TaxPlanIQ and leader of the proactive accounting movement, is done watching firms burn out and undercharge.

In this episode, she breaks down:

• The ROI method that turns tax advice into a 5-figure service
 • How to quote tax planning with confidence (even if you hate sales)
 • What’s killing firms from the inside and...

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He scheduled his wedding around payroll. That’s when he knew something had to change.

Jaime Rodriguez, CEO of Bookkeepers.com, has helped over 17,000 students turn their skill into a scalable business. In this episode, he shares the real lessons that most freelancers and early-stage business owners miss:

• The two personality types that sabotage their own growth
 • The SOP mistake that stalled his own firm
 • Why most freelan...

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AI isn’t coming for accounting, it’s already here. And it’s quietly rewriting who wins and who falls behind.

In this episode, Daniel Moshe, CEO of TechGuru, breaks down how smart firms are already using AI, cybersecurity, and modern tech stacks to:

• Attract better-fit clients (and actually land them)
 • Add capacity without burning out staff
 • Win more proposals by proving security and compliance
 • Automate the admin, ...

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Working 7 days a week. No vacations. $36K a year. Then a CFO stepped in and changed everything.

In this episode, Daniel Dickeson, founder of Atlas CFO Solutions, breaks down how he turned a struggling salon into a 6-figure business without scaling chaos or hustle culture.

You’ll learn:

  • Why cash flow beats profit, every time
  • How to spot silent killers in your pricing and expenses
  • The shift from financial chaos to true clarity
  • How foun...
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Scaling doesn’t kill companies, confusion does. And most founders are flying blind.

In this episode, Jack Weinstein, fractional CFO and former Fox exec, shares what he’s learned advising 50+ entrepreneurs, from zero to $25M in revenue:

• The hiring trap that derails scaling teams
 • What financial firepower really means (and why most businesses don’t have it)
 • The difference between a controller and a real CFO
 • Why gr...

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Losing one hire can cost you 4+ months of productivity and most founders never see it coming.

In this episode, Rhamy Alejeal, CEO of People Processes, breaks down the blind spots killing your team's efficiency and what elite companies do differently:

• Why your onboarding is leaking revenue
 • The math behind a single bad offboarding
 • How to design people processes that scale without drama
 • Why "employee exp...

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You're making money. So why are you always chasing cash?

Mike Milan aka Cash Flow Mike has built 14 businesses and now teaches accountants and business owners how to stay cash-rich and debt-free.

In this episode:
 • Why 90% of businesses don't have 3 months of cash on hand
 • How growing fast nearly bankrupted him
 • The money rule that separates the broke from the stable
 • The single shift that helps accou...

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Most firms wait to adapt, Gary DeHart built a media empire by doing the opposite.


As the publisher of Insightful Accountant and founder of the Top 100 ProAdvisor Awards, Gary shares:

  • What 10+ years of ProAdvisor data reveals about firm success
  • How small firms can punch above their weight at industry events
  • Why AI is not optional (and where to start if you’re behind)
  • Leadership lessons from military training that apply to accou...
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Losing $100K/month and didn’t know it.
Until Sonny Grappone showed up.

In this episode, the founder of Precision Accounting & Consulting breaks down the real reason most businesses stall financially (hint: it’s not marketing or sales).

🎧 What you’ll learn:

  • The $500K payroll spike a client missed
  • Why 75% of contractors can’t track profit per job
  • The #1 red flag Sonny sees on balance sheets
  • How he used ERC to build a 7-figure...
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If your team disappeared tomorrow, would your business survive?


 Most founders build fast, but not to last. Sharrin Fuller, founder of Glass Wallet Ventures, joins CFO Chronicles to share why even successful businesses stall (or collapse) when leadership ignores the endgame.

Inside this episode:
 • How Sharrin rebuilt everything after firing 10+ team members
 • Why documentation, not hustle, determines whether you scale<...

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You’re not broke, but you might be bleeding.


What if your biggest profit leak isn’t your pricing or marketing… but the decisions you’re not even tracking?

🎙 In this episode, fractional CFO Tom Schultz (48+ clients, $1M - $80M businesses) breaks down:


 • The hidden cost of founder “gut calls”
 • What really happens when you scale without financial structure
• Why money in the bank ≠ a healthy business
• The mi...

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Rachel Phillips isn’t guessing. She built a remote-first accounting firm that now supports 40+ employees and most of them are moms.


 Before remote work was normal, Rachel Phillips owner of Fully Accountable made it essential. In this episode, she unpacks how her team’s flexibility has become their unfair advantage and why the office is never coming back.

What you’ll learn:

  • Her strategy for sourcing elite part-time and full-ti...
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88% of buyers start on Google, but if your firm isn’t showing up, you don’t exist.⚠️


 Referrals won’t scale. SEO alone won’t save you. And “trying out” paid ads without a strategy? That’s just burning cash.

In this episode of CFO Chronicles, we’re joined by Jeremy Estey of Amber Sky Marketing, a Google Ads strategist helping firms across North America get seen, clicked, and hired. We unpack the hard truths firms need to hear in ...

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Growth ≠ scale, and too many founders learn that the hard way.

In this episode, I sit down with Michael Straza of Straza Consulting to unpack what actually holds back firms from reaching the next level and why more sales won’t fix a broken structure.

They dive into:

  • The difference between running a business and truly being in control
  • Why poor delegation crushes growth (and team morale)
  • How Straza helped firms jump from $5M to $15M, ...
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2,600 CFOs. 100+ interviews. One framework every advisory-first firm should know.

Jack McCullough, founder of the CFO Leadership Council and host of the globally ranked Secrets of Rockstar CFOs podcast, shares what the best financial leaders do differently, and how to position your firm for where the industry is going.

This episode covers:

  • The CREATE Framework: 6 traits great CFOs consistently show
  • Why strategic thinking now matter...
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4.5 years in federal prison. $0 to 7 figures. One of the most powerful growth stories you’ll hear this year.

In this episode, Dr. Patience Jackson Rose breaks down the exact mindset and strategies that took her from wrongful conviction to running multiple businesses across the U.S.

What we cover:

  • 💰 How she doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled her revenue in 3 years
  • 📈 Took one client from $5M to $12M in just 90 days
  • 🧱 Built a no...
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97% of CFO consultants never crack 7-figures

Mark Gandy’s been breaking the mold since 2001. With a 98% close rate, 250+ podcast episodes. He’s living proof that the “fractional CFO” label is killing your growth.

In this episode, he shares:


 🔑 The #1 sales secret that closes more deals than any pitch deck
 ⚡️ Why recurring revenue might actually hurt your growth
 🚀 How referrals alone fuel his million-dollar business an...

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