How to Build a Company Budget That Drives Accountability

Budgeting season is here, and it’s more than just numbers in a spreadsheet. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Marcus Rien joins Chelsey Reynolds to walk founders and leadership teams through a practical, people-first approach to building a 2026 budget. From setting sales goals to holding teams accountable, Marcus shares how to create a process that inspires confidence and alignment across the company.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to evaluate this year’s results before planning for 2026Why collaboration between sales, operations, and finance leaders creates stronger budgetsThe risks of sandbagging and how to design incentive programs that motivate performanceHow fractional CPAs and CFOs can sharpen your budget and reduce blind spotsWhy your people, not just your numbers, should be the foundation of every budgetFollow Marcus on LinkedIn hereLearn more about getting part time help with budgeting from WavesCPAs hereGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.