Episode #589: The Financial Stability Number Every Creative Business Owner Needs to Know with Megan Hale

What if more revenue was never the thing standing between you and financial peace? In this episode I sit down with my friend Megan Hale, a former psychotherapist turned financial leader and the creator of Dream Money, a financial operating methodology and software platform built for solo CEOs. Megan and I get honest about the moment she opened a spreadsheet for the very first time, during one of the hardest seasons of her life, and how answering a few simple questions about what she actually needed and wanted changed everything.We dig into why you, the business owner, have to be the one who knows your numbers, and why a bookkeeper or accountant alone is not financial leadership. Megan walks us through her seasonal framework for growth, the three financial seasons every business moves through, and why most of us stay stuck in scale, scale, scale and underpay ourselves for years. She also breaks down the seven financial needs every business has to fund, including the two most people never track, and the one that adds meaning to every dollar that comes in. I'm also really open in this one about my own pivot, learning a new business model as I build Desire AI and the Wealthy Creative.In this episode, you’ll learn:[01:34] The hardest year that became the birthplace of Dream Money, and the one offer that funded a full year of stability[04:17] Why having a bookkeeper does not mean you have financial leadership[06:28] The first number every founder needs to know before anything else[08:53] The three financial seasons of a business, and how to tell which one you are in[10:57] The fortifying season most of us never give ourselves, and why it is where you finally get paid[14:49] Why “just enough” is a trap, plus the seven financial needs you have to fund (two of which almost nobody tracks)Here are the resources mentioned in the show:Follow @meganhaleco on InstagramFollow @dreammoneyco on InstagramLearn more about Dream MoneyJoin Desire AIJoin the Wealthy Creative SocietyThe Creative Frequency by Tracy MatthewsAre you enjoying the podcast? We’d be so grateful if you gave us a rating and review! Your 5 star ratings help us reach more businesses like yours and allows us to continue to deliver valuable content every single week. Click here to review the show on Apple podcast or your favorite platformSelect “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”Share your favorite insights and inspirationsIf you haven’t done so yet, make sure that you subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and on Apple Podcast for special bonus content you won’t get elsewhere.xo, Tracy MatthewsFollow on Social:Follow @Flourish_Thrive on InstagramFollow @iamtracymatthews  InstagramFollow Flourish & Thrive Facebook