Built by Margin

In episode 39 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen sits down with Myra D’Souza, founder of Autyn, an AI-native mortgage origination platform built for mortgage brokers. Myra shares how her background in software engineering, data science, fintech, and real estate investing led her to identify a major gap in the mortgage lending process: borrowers often feel left in the dark, while brokers are buried in manual workflows, PDFs, and admin-heavy processes.The conversation explores what it takes to build AI in a high-trust, highly regulated industry like lending. Myra discusses why explainability, reasoning, guardrails, and human oversight are essential when AI is supporting decisions that directly affect borrowers’ financial lives. She also breaks down the metrics that matter most as an AI startup founder, including net revenue retention, gross margins, AI spend per loan file, and the importance of building customer trust before scaling.Laurie and Myra also discuss the future of work, the role of women founders in shaping responsible AI, and why the next generation of lending should empower borrowers instead of keeping them dependent on gatekeepers. This episode is a grounded look at AI, risk, financial decision-making, and what it really takes to build technology that customers can trust.QUOTES"We're not just using AI for the sake of using AI, we're using it exactly where we need it." - Myra D’Souza"We have to be very careful about AI adoption and how we're thinking about that as well." - Myra D’Souza"You need good financials to build a good company." - Myra D’SouzaLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Myra D'SouzaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myradsouza/ Autyn: https://autyn.ai/

In episode 38 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen sits down with Johnny Terra, CPA, Partner at LPT CPAs and Advisors,  for a conversation about tax strategy, risk management, AI, leadership, and the personal growth that comes from taking bold professional risks.Johnny shares his journey from growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to coming to Texas on a basketball scholarship, building a solo accounting practice from a pantry office, and eventually merging into a larger CPA firm. He talks about the mindset shift required to move from solo practitioner to firm partner, including the responsibility of leading staff, serving more complex clients, and building a sustainable firm culture.A major theme of the episode is risk. Drawing from his background as a bank risk manager and auditor, Johnny reframes risk management as a tool that enables speed rather than prevents action. He compares risk controls to brakes on a car: the point is not to stop movement, but to give leaders the confidence to move faster without crashing. He also expands the classic risk formula by adding two modern factors: velocity, or how fast a risk hits, and persistence, or how long the pain stays in the system. Laurie and Johnny also dive into how AI is changing tax research, tax preparation, and firm operations. Johnny shares how he uses tools like Thomson Reuters’ AI research platform, NotebookLM, Gemini, and other AI systems to speed up complex tax research while still verifying sources and applying professional judgment. They discuss why AI can increase efficiency, but why trust, source quality, and context remain critical in tax and advisory work.QUOTES“Risk is having those parameters in place so you can move that car as fast as possible and still have the confidence to know that you're not going to crash.” - Johnny Terra"“It’s not about what might happen anymore. You have to add two more factors to it: how fast it hits and how long that pain stays in the system.” Johnny Terra“The coolest thing of it all is the person that you become in this journey.” Johnny TerraLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Johnny TerraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnyterracpa/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyterracpa/LPT CPAs and Advisors: https://www.lpt.cpa/

In episode 37 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen speaks with Rafael Fernandes, Co-Founder and CEO of Compass Health, a membership-based healthcare company launching in Tampa, Florida. Rafael shares how his background in operations, supply chain, and large-scale corporate growth shaped his leap into entrepreneurship, and how the Duke Fuqua network helped him move from idea to execution. Rafael explains the core problem Compass Health is solving: healthcare access is slow, fragmented, and difficult for patients to navigate. Compass Health was built around four major pain points — access, coordination, navigation, and trust — with a model designed to connect patients to best-in-class specialists within three to five business days while providing high-touch care coordination throughout the process. The conversation also explores how AI is changing healthcare and startup operations. Rafael discusses how AI can make healthcare more personal by helping patients understand their own data, while still preserving the essential role of physicians in diagnosis, treatment, and trust. QUOTES"Success for Compass Health means ensuring patients get timely access to quality care." - Rafael Fernandes"If you're not well, your company is not well." - Rafael Fernandes"It was about creating these connections and these relationships that really made me understand what exactly it is that we could build." - Rafael FernandesLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Rafael FernandesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecompasshealth/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaelfulton/ The Compass Health: https://www.thecompasshealth.com/our-team 

In episode 36 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen sits down with Landon Lynch, founder and principal of Motive, to explore what it really takes to build high-performing leaders and scalable organizations. Landon shares his unconventional path from nonprofit leadership into executive coaching and consulting, where he now works with founder CEOs, investor-backed companies, and leadership teams to strengthen their “people infrastructure.” The conversation dives into the realities of leadership development—why defining your personal version of success is foundational, and how effective coaching goes beyond frameworks into real behavioral change.A major theme throughout the episode is the intersection of leadership and AI.  Landon explains why AI adoption is less about technology and more about change management, and how leaders can use it to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and even improve personal relationships—like using AI to facilitate better financial conversations at home.Laurie and Landon also unpack: The challenges of scaling a service-based business beyond the founder  How to build and position a high-impact team  Why executive assistants can become profit centers when paired with automation  The power of weekly automation thinking (“What are you automating this week?”)  Risk-taking in business, including when it makes sense to work below market rate for the right opportunitiesLandon closes with a powerful leadership insight: the importance of embedding consistent feedback loops into everyday operations—not as a formality, but as a core system for growth, accountability, and performance.This episode is a deep dive into building companies that scale through people, not just processes—and how the best leaders combine strategy, self-awareness, and adaptability to win long-term.QUOTES"If you can lead volunteers, you can lead anybody, because you don't get to hang a paycheck over their head." - Landon Lynch"At the heart of the AI question, it's not primarily a tech question. It needs to be reframed first and foremost as a leadership and a change management question." - Landon LynchLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Landon LynchInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/landonclynch/ Motiv People Strategies: https://www.motivstrat.com/our-team WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 35 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen talks with Anekha Sokhal, founder of Moshi, an AI startup building an “AI super analyst” for financial investors. Anekha shares how her path from J.P. Morgan trader to machine learning researcher at Rice University led her to raise venture capital and launch a company at the intersection of finance, data science, and AI. They discuss how Moshi is using both classical machine learning and generative AI, why AI safety and data governance matter so much in enterprise environments, and what it takes to build a startup team that is truly bought into the mission. The conversation also dives into Anekha’s refreshing philosophy on risk: that the real danger is not taking the leap, but settling for a life that feels mediocre or misaligned. It’s an inspiring conversation about ambition, intuition, innovation, and building the future on your own terms.Tune in to discover insights from a trailblazing female founder and her vision for the future of financial analysis.QUOTES"For me, a risk is staying in something that you're frustrated in, and you're unhappy in." -Anehka Sokhal"Taking venture capital money has a different type of progression for the company and opens so many more doors compared to just running a company and bootstrapping it." -Anehka SokhalSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Anekha SokhalLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anekha/ Moshi Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moshi-space/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

In episode 34 of Built by Margin, Laurie sits down with Jennie Lopez, Founder and CEO of Intentional Unicorn, to talk about what it really means to bet on yourself, build in alignment, and make decisions rooted in authenticity rather than fear. Jennie shares her journey from a 23-year corporate career spanning chemical engineering, operations, and global talent leadership into entrepreneurship, motivational speaking, and authorship, explaining how intuition, intentionality, and bold risk-taking shaped her path. Together, Laurie and Jennie explore the realities of leaving stability behind, writing a book, scaling a coaching business, using AI as a modern entrepreneur, and defining success on your own terms — all through the lens of growth, impact, and building a life that feels fully aligned.Tune in for an inspiring discussion on how Jennie Lopez built an Intentional Unicorn, from chemical engineer to motivational speaker and founder, and leaving a favorite job to build a business.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:05] Leaving a favorite job to build a business.[00:02:04] Chemical engineer with a dual career.[00:04:42] Memoir exercise inspires Intentional Unicorn.[00:08:13] Authenticity plus intentionality equals impact.[00:09:35] Turning corporate truth into a book.[00:10:32] Writing every Saturday at Starbucks.[00:15:26] Risk of leaving corporate as a Latina.[00:18:23] There is no right or wrong decision.[00:21:04] Proof of concept before going all in.[00:24:31] App idea sparked during hospital wait.[00:30:19] Using Manus for deep research.QUOTES"I wanted to see how I can reach out to more and more people." -Jennie Lopez"Authenticity plus intentionality equals impact." -Jennie Lopez"You just create an ecosystem, a family, a community, a relationship that is so powerful that you want the person to choose to stay with you." -Jennie LopezSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Jennie LopezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionalunicorn/ TEDx Talk: The Lie of Fitting InWebsite: https://www.jennielopez.com/

In episode 33 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen sits down with Jynafer Yanez to explore what it really takes to turn a book into a business. Jynafer shares how she built Archimedes Books by thinking beyond publishing and focusing on audience ownership, brand development, intellectual property, and long-term ecosystem building. From author platforms to film projects, this conversation highlights how creators can treat storytelling as both an art and a scalable business.They also dive into the role of AI in publishing and entrepreneurship, including where it can create efficiency, where ethics come into play, and why human creativity still matters most. Jynafer offers thoughtful insight on using AI for research, workflows, and business operations without losing the originality that makes great storytelling resonate.The conversation closes with an honest look at founder decision-making, financial visibility, and the risks worth taking when building something bigger than yourself. Whether you are writing a book, building a brand, or scaling a business around your ideas, this episode offers a smart and inspiring perspective on strategy, creativity, and growth.QUOTES“You can really do pretty well when you treat it like a business and not just a passion or a hobby.” - Jyanfer Yanez“We get to own the relationship with the reader.” - Jyanfer YanezSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Jyanfer YanezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ynafer_roseWebsite: https://hello.archimedesbooks.com/

In episode 32 of Built by Margin, Laurie sits down with Won Choi to talk about burnout, alignment, entrepreneurship, and the kind of decision-making that blends both strategy and inner knowing. We unpack how burnout is often less about working hard and more about living out of alignment, how entrepreneurs can build trust in themselves while navigating uncertainty, and why some of the biggest life and business decisions require both data and intuition. It’s a grounded conversation for founders and professionals who want to build a business that is not just successful on paper, but fully aligned with who they are becoming.⁠Tune in and learn how to create lasting progress, build authentic relationships, and grow your business by focusing on what matters most: YOU.TIMESTAMPS[00:00:04] Introducing Laurie Chen and Won Choi[00:01:00] Huang’s corporate career and transition into entrepreneurship[00:02:15] The mentorship that sparked Huang’s transformation[00:03:49] Defining burnout and its impact on leadership[00:05:23] Huang’s coaching programs and methodologies[00:06:12] Leveraging AI tools for efficiency and growth[00:12:46] Top book recommendations for entrepreneurs[00:16:31] Decision-making frameworks—balancing data and intuition[00:19:21] The first 90 days of transformation for coaching clients[00:23:14] Huang’s entrepreneurial mindset and financial journey[00:29:44] Core frameworks: feeling feelings and setting boundaries[00:33:04] Energy management, peak productivity, and closing thoughtsQUOTES"When you actually surrender in life and let go of control, then you can build something much bigger than you could have ever dreamt of." – Won Choi"I believe decision-making is 50% knowledge and data, and 50% intuition—your inner knowing." – Won Choi"It's not about the how in terms of how to do taxes—it’s more around an identity shift to become a person that can manage money." – Won ChoiSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Won ChoiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wondailyshots/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wonwooc/ Won Daily: https://www.wondaily.com/ Decision Clarity Worksheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nU75vhV1mF0A3_7U978-jL-FgtKJdN46/edit

In episode 31 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen sits down with AI strategist and founder Andrea Palacio to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way service-based businesses operate, grow, and make decisions. Andrea shares her entrepreneurial journey from e-commerce and business acquisition to building an AI company born out of operational overwhelm, and explains how founders can use AI not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a strategic advantage. Together, they discuss the rapid evolution from basic automations to agentic AI, the biggest misconceptions business owners still have about implementation, how AI can support smarter decision-making, and why strong financial visibility remains essential alongside innovation. This conversation is a practical and forward-looking look at what it means to lead, adapt, and scale in an AI-driven business landscape.TIMESTAMPS[00:00:04] Welcoming Andrea Palacio & background as a founder[00:01:41] Turning overwhelm into AI-driven solutions[00:04:08] Staying ahead: How Andrea learns and implements rapidly changing technology[00:11:12] The anatomy of Andrea's client engagements & service packaging[00:13:47] Common mistakes and misconceptions business owners make about AI[00:18:13] Decision-making, risk tolerance, and using AI as your strategic advisor[00:22:41] KPIs, financial tracking, and lessons in business management[00:25:16] Tax planning, legal structure, and strategic investments[00:28:25] Using AI for financial dashboards and business growth strategies[00:32:18] The ONE AI action to take today for massive resultsQUOTES"It's a full-time job to be learning and keeping up with all the changes in AI." – Andrea Palacio"You want to get both angles on things. And then you just analyze it and make your own decision based on what you have in front of you." – Andrea Palacio"At the end of the day, I work with business owners as a fractional CFO and CPA. I always have to think about the numbers and how they affect people." – Laurie ChenLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Andrea PalacioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreapalacio/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapalacio/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP_Norvuawar9upnSxUwCQ 

In episode 30 of Built by Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy - decisions compound. Most people think of compounding only in financial terms, but the same principle applies to the choices we make every day—how we spend our time, what we prioritize, the risks we take, and the future we build through repeated action. This episode unpacks why small decisions are rarely small, and how their long-term effect often matters more than the immediate result.Drawing from her upcoming book Risk Worthy, Laurie breaks down the difference between short-term optimization and long-term alignment. She explores the idea of qualitative ROI—the return that comes from making decisions that shape your character, expand your capacity, and move you toward your best possible future, even when the payoff is not immediate or easily measurable. This episode is a reminder that the best decisions are not always the safest or fastest ones, but the ones that compound into the life and business you actually want.Whether you’re a founder, CEO, operator, or someone in a season of meaningful decisions, this episode will challenge you to think beyond isolated moments and start viewing your choices as part of a larger pattern. Because over time, your decisions don’t just affect your future—they create it.QUOTES" Because we live in a world of cause and effect, every decision we make will impact another person, another event, or another outcome. If you want to minimize risk in both life and in business, then you should consider how effectively you are using your time. What are you investing your time in and are those activities moving you towards your best possible future? " - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 29 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. — bold outcomes are rarely built through reckless leaps. Using startup failure data as the backdrop, Laurie breaks down why founders, angel investors, and venture capitalists still make asymmetric bets despite long odds and frequent losses. The deeper lesson is that risk becomes worth pursuing not when success is guaranteed, but when the path allows for learning, adjustment, and downside protection along the way.Laurie unpacks the principle of starting small and iterating fast through examples from business and entrepreneurship. Drawing on Eric Ries’ lean startup framework, she highlights the importance of testing hypotheses, measuring results, and knowing when to pivot versus persevere. She also walks through how Amazon began with books before expanding into broader retail, how Facebook scaled from Harvard to the world in stages, and how Chesapeake Bay Candle founder Mei Xu built a $75 million company by validating demand with low-cost experimentation and gradual operational refinement.The episode closes by connecting these lessons to the broader Risk Worthy framework: the best risks are not unmanaged risks, but risks with guardrails. Whether in startups, sports, or personal reinvention, meaningful progress often comes from choosing one measurable signal, defining success criteria early, and creating fast feedback loops that reduce costly mistakes. Laurie challenges listeners to think beyond upside alone and instead build decisions around experimentation, metrics, and disciplined iteration that make long-term success more likely.QUOTES"Choosing one signal you can measure within a short set of time, like 21 days, and defining the success criteria ahead of time, will lead to more effective and efficient experimentation." - Laurie Chen"The world celebrates the headline - the acquisition, the valuation, the championship, the breakout success. But what often gets missed is the structure underneath it: the small test, the early signal, the short feedback loop, the disciplined iteration, and the willingness to adjust before the cost of being wrong becomes too high." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 28 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. — Why Numbers Matter — numbers don’t drive the decision—but they absolutely protect it.  If Risk Worthy is about qualitative ROI, purpose, alignment, and growth, why do numbers still matter?Laurie walks through the four pillars—Best Self, Best Possible Future, Variance Engineering, and Start Small / Iterate Fast—to show where financial discipline, metrics, and constraints belong in values-led decision making. You’ll learn how numbers act as a dashboard (not a dictator): they prevent recklessness, reveal what’s compounding over time, help you cap downside risk, and improve the quality of your experiments when you’re testing a new direction.The episode closes with a simple, practical “10-minute Risk Worthy Numbers Check” you can apply to any decision (career, relationships, business, or health): define your budget (money/time/energy), name an acceptable loss, and choose one metric that signals you’re compounding in the right direction over the next 30 days.QUOTES"Design the systems that make the numbers work for you, and make the measurement of your success consistent and the success of your outcomes more attainable, perhaps even inevitable." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 27 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Dr. Greg Pursley, a business coach, author, and CEO, who discusses the pivotal moment that led him to transform his business into a sellable asset and how he now helps entrepreneurs break through mental barriers to achieve sustainable growth.Tune in for insights on gaining clarity, boosting income, and creating lasting impact in your business. QUOTES"If you don't have a strategy, then it turns into chaos." - Dr. Greg Pursley"Most people underestimate the potential of growth because they don't base it on data in the market; they base it on what they hope will happen." - Dr. Greg Pursley"Accepting is the part that a lot of people skip." - Dr. Greg PursleySOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Dr. Greg PursleyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgregpursley/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgregpursley1/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

In episode 26 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Jaben Makings, the founder of Onnix Investments, as he shares his journey of disrupting the real estate investing world by redefining how agents and investors collaborate. Risk Worthy isn’t reckless — it’s calculated. In this episode, Jaben Makings breaks down how he evaluates off-market deals, builds a team, and makes decisions that compound.Tune in to discover how strategic financial decisions can drive profitability in your business.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:05] Real estate career pivot.[00:04:01] Profit margins and business growth.[00:08:08] AI's impact on business operations.[00:10:15] Team building and accountability.[00:14:27] Revenue versus profit differentiation.[00:19:15] Risk-taking in business growth.[00:22:31] Recommended leadership books.[00:26:38] Shiny object syndrome in business.[00:28:38] Unfocused Thinking in Business.[00:32:55] Instagram collaboration and growth.QUOTES"The biggest thing I've learned since hiring people is that you teach people how to treat you." - Jaben Makings"But when you own a business, especially in the first couple of years when you're still a startup, and you're still scaling, there's going to be a lot of risk with a lot of the decisions that you make." - Jaben Makings"You need to make sure you're filling your mind with positive stuff because if you let your mind wander and think for itself, it's typically gonna side with fear and anxiety." - Jaben MakingsSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Jaben MakingsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaben-makingsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaben_makings/Onnix Investments: https://onnixinvestments.com/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 25 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Fahim Talukdar, VP of Finance at Praetorian, as he shares his unique career journey, starting from commercial and personal banking to his current role in a cutting-edge cybersecurity company. Tune in to learn more about Fahim's experiences and the evolving landscape of finance in the corporate cybertechnology space.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:17] Career path in finance.[00:05:05] Startup finance and forecasting.[00:10:16] Remote work culture challenges.[00:14:00] Tools for finance and accounting.[00:17:22] Upgrading ERP systems.[00:23:47] AI opportunities in finance.[00:27:42] AI in financial modeling.[00:30:24] Human judgment in financial metrics.[00:34:57] Key performance metrics for CEOs.[00:37:21] Importance of networking in finance.[00:41:34] Insights into income.QUOTES"You have to be able to adapt. You have to be able to be real with stakeholders and provide them with... guardrails to end up with an overall plan that makes sense." - Fahim Talukdar"What we don't want to do is just be kind of stuck in how we do things, and then there's something out there on the market that's a game change,r and we didn't know that." - Fahim Talukdar“If you do good work, if you make good connections, that those connections tend to open doors for you down the road.” - Fahim TalukdarSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Fahim TalukdarLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahimtalukdar/ Praetorian: https://www.praetorian.com/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 24 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. — In this episode, Laurie breaks down one of the core ideas from Risk Worthy: your Best Possible Future — and why it’s the missing filter most people need when making high-stakes decisions.You’ll learn the difference between Best Self and Best Possible Future: Best Self is about the thoughts, energy, and character you bring into the world, while Best Possible Future is about the outcomes and life vision you’re building toward — your “vision board fulfilled.” Laurie explains how your Best Possible Future helps you evaluate risk through a simple, grounding question: even with uncertainty, does this move me closer to my long-term vision?From there, she connects the concept to real decisions with real consequences — building a life-changing product, investing $100K into a startup, or choosing the right business partner — and introduces the idea of qualitative ROI: when a decision is aligned with your Best Self and Best Possible Future, you can trust that the logistics and numbers tend to resolve over a long enough horizon.Finally, Laurie challenges the timeline assumptions behind your goals, drawing from Peter Thiel’s “Why can’t you do this in 6 months?” and Benjamin Hardy’s argument for compressing timelines to force focus, simplification, and 80/20 thinking. The episode closes with a powerful question: Is your Best Possible Future ten years away — or six months away? And what would change if you had to find out?Key themes: Best Possible Future framework, qualitative ROI, risk-worthiness, 10x vs 10-year thinking, timeline compression, simplifying for vertical progress, decision-making under uncertainty.QUOTES"The question that both Peter Thiel and Benjamin Hardy lead me to ask is: is our best possible future 10 years away or is it 6 months away? Cutting the time leads to more honest and more critical assessments about achieving the best possible future." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 23 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Sean Travis, a former firefighter-paramedic turned entrepreneur and founder of Ecom for Heroes, based in Hermosa Beach, California, as he discusses the challenges he faced, including burnout and personal loss, that led him to take a leap of faith into entrepreneurship.Tune in to hear valuable insights on entrepreneurship and the intersection of passion and purpose in business.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:06] Transitioning from firefighting to entrepreneurship.[00:04:39] Teaching and coaching first responders.[00:09:56] Overcoming imposter syndrome.[00:11:41] Imposter syndrome in entrepreneurship.[00:16:01] Daily habits for creativity.[00:20:46] Financial growth and strategy.[00:23:08] Cash flow forecasting importance.[00:26:26] Client contract strategies.[00:32:49] Client contracts and communication.[00:35:01] AI's impact on business growth.[00:39:19] AI product discovery dashboard.[00:43:26] Optimizing treatment protocols with AI.[00:45:12] AI tools for business efficiency.[00:48:43] Google Gemini integration benefits.QUOTES"Believing in reminding myself daily that I am enough." -Sean Travis"You cannot find the solution with the same mindset that gave you the problem." -Sean Travis"If you're going to pick one, pick one that integrates the most with your life."-Sean TravisSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lauriechencpambaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Sean TravisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomforheroes/?hl=en  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecomforheroes/ WEBSITESBuilt By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

In episode 22 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Kelly Jedele, the owner of a multi-million dollar residential cleaning company based in Austin, Texas, as she discusses her company's growth, her financial A-team, the importance of community engagement, and her unique customer acquisition strategies, including the power of word-of-mouth referrals and goodwill advertising. Tune in to gain insights on building a profitable business while maintaining flexibility and prioritizing family.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:19] Starting a business after firing.[00:07:30] Company cars for business efficiency.[00:10:41] Biggest risks in business ownership.[00:12:34] Betting on Yourself.[00:16:32] Employee recognition and morale.[00:22:01] Tax strategy for business growth.[00:25:36] Revenue model and pricing strategy.[00:32:03] Future growth and strategy.[00:34:06] Favorite book influences life.[00:36:45] Dog ownership and rescue.QUOTES"I would say one of the biggest risks is just starting and planning." -Kelly Jedele"I truly believe looking at my employees in the eyes and recognizing them in the morning when they're here is important." -Kelly Jedele"I am just looking at what I want to do next in my life for what would warm my spirit and speak to my soul." -Kelly JedeleSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Kelly JedeleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyjedele/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyjedele/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

 In episode 21 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Fraser Bayley, the founder of Elite Nutrition, as he shares his incredible journey from struggling with mental health issues to becoming a sought-after performance strategist for high-achieving entrepreneurs, executives, and athletes. Tune in for an engaging conversation that promises to bring value to your personal and professional life.TIMESTAMPS[00:02:30] Mental health transformation journey.[00:05:39] Human optimization and health.[00:09:50] Change your mindset, change life.[00:11:17] Mindset and health transformation.[00:17:09] Energy management as you age.[00:20:29] Energy management strategies for wellness.[00:23:17] Step count and movement benefits.[00:27:08] Hydration's impact on health.[00:29:15] Sleep optimization strategies.[00:33:23] Insulin resistance and ADHD connection.[00:39:00] High-level coaching and support.[00:42:10] Transformation through personalized coaching.[00:46:00] Importance of tracking KPIs.[00:47:48] Transitioning from physical to online.[00:52:25] Intuition vs. Data in Health.[00:54:54] Insights into income.QUOTES"If you can learn and master your energy, you can honestly achieve almost anything." -Fraser Bayley"You can give someone a good plan, but it's as good as their ability to integrate it into their life." -Fraser BayleySOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Fraser BayleyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fraser-bayleyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraserbayley/  WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

In episode 20 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Jim Emerich, Founder of Backbone CFO, as he reflects on the invaluable lessons learned while helping others build their enterprises and emphasizes the importance of taking risks to achieve one's own entrepreneurial dreams.Tune in to learn about the challenges and rewards of starting a business and how Jim's experiences have shaped his approach to financial strategy.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:02] Entrepreneurial journey of Backbone CFO.[00:04:24] Fractional CFO services framework.[00:10:57] Simplifying client tech stack.[00:13:43] Financial roadmap for business growth.[00:17:06] Client communication frequency.[00:20:10] Faith's impact on business.[00:25:33] Starting a business risk.[00:27:31] Business scaling and reinvestment.[00:32:19] Raising the floor concept.QUOTES" So we go through a particular financial control framework, we call it. So we talk about cash, profit, people, systems, and position, and we really coach our clients in those five areas of their business on a continuous basis. Now, what becomes unique is every client has their own challenges and opportunities and issues that they're solving, right? So in that way, every client. Engagement can be a little bit different because the CFO is solving different problems, helping the client tackle different opportunities, but we're using the same framework, the same process to do it." - Jim Emerich" And you also really have to assess what the client's needs are, right? Because, you know, most construction manufacturing companies are not very tech savvy. You know, it's very different if you're working with like a software AI company, right? They might want a little bit more sophisticated system. But like for my clients, you know, it really depends on who they are, you know, how tech savvy are they? Are they fine with just Google Sheets? Are they fine with Excel or a little bit more of a cloud FP&A system like Causal or Jirav? " - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Jim EmerichInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/backbonecfo/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesemerich/ Backbone CFO: https://backbonecfo.com/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 19 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Joseph Dunaway, Founder of VICI Financial, as he discusses how technology and AI are transforming the accounting landscape, allowing for more personalized and efficient services.Tune in to hear Joe’s insights on building a business with integrity and the importance of adapting to the future of accounting.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:04] Future of accounting services.[00:06:06] Investment in accounting services.[00:10:27] AI in tax planning strategies.[00:13:34] Real estate tax strategies.[00:16:10] R&D tax credit complexities.[00:21:20] Bookkeeping services offered.[00:27:06] Strategic planning in accounting.[00:28:37] Investment in accounting services.[00:32:07] Slack as a communication tool.[00:37:15] Favorite workout: box jumps.[00:40:50] Scaling smarter and harder.QUOTES"I wanted to build something that I could continue to help people, which is the core of what we do." -Joe Dunaway"Your accountant should be an investment, not a sunk cost." -Joe Dunaway“The first one to three years makes or breaks any new business." -Joe DunawaySOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Joe DunawayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejoedunaway/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-dunaway VICI Finance: https://www.vicifinance.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 18 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. — This episode shares a never-before-read excerpt on why “Fail Fast” is essential to growth. Laurie reframes failure as deliberate experimentation: define your hypothesis, read the signal, and plan the next iteration you’ll start by Monday. QUOTES"Fail fast. It is better to experience failure than to not take any shots in life or in business, making decisions in the risk worthy framework in pursuit of the best version of yourself and your best possible future does not mean that you won't experience failure along the way." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 17 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. She discusses risk, regret minimization, and decisions that compound—covering practical risk tolerance (why many successful founders start as side hustles), lowering uncertainty through iteration, and using your “80-year-old self” as a filter, echoed by lessons from Jeff Bezos and Dharmesh Shah.QUOTES"You won't know all the answers, but you can move closer to the answers. You move closer to the answers by taking the action risk and minimizing regret. What would your 80 year old self say? One question that we must ask ourselves when it comes to assessing risk and uncertainty, is whether or not making the decision will lead to more regret in the long term." - Laurie Chen"We don't have to live in fear of uncertainty or live in the fear of chaos, because we do smart things to lower risk and become the best version of ourselves in the process." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

 In episode 16 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares key insights from her upcoming book Risk Worthy. She explains how to define your best possible future, focus on meaningful returns—not just quantitative returns—and take intentional steps to make your vision inevitable. She also offers a simple action prompt and invites listeners to join her early reader list.Tune in for valuable strategies to grow your business intentionally and effectively!TIMESTAMPS[00:01:18] Best Possible Future Defined.[00:05:33] Die With Zero concept.[00:07:31] Accumulating money vs. life fulfillment.QUOTES"Just knowing that I had the best possible future and that I was working towards it with intention made all the difference in the world." - Laurie Chen"Human beings are pulled forward by the future we're most committed to." - Laurie Chen"The Die With Zero theory illustrates how accumulating the most money in retirement or getting the best quantitative return on investment is not the most important result in life." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

In episode 15 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Nnamdi Oparanozie, a strategic CFO and purpose-driven entrepreneur, who shares how he integrates faith, fitness, and finance into both business and life, and why serving others is at the core of his mission.Tune in to discover how to build a profitable business while staying true to your core values.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:58] F5 core values framework.[00:05:06] Transition from corporate to ministry.[00:07:48] Stewardship in financial management.[00:10:44] Entrepreneurship and fitness journey.[00:15:33] Financial clarity and health.[00:19:51] Building long-term business value.[00:22:03] Purpose, impact, and freedom.[00:25:08] Scripture shaping leadership approach.[00:27:56] Scaling smarter and efficiently.QUOTES "The foundation is my faith, which ultimately says, you know, love God and love and serve people." -Nnamdi Oparanozie"When you're faithful with little, you'll be faithful with much." -Nnamdi Oparanozie "Cost is not an expense, but an investment." -Nnamdi Oparanozie"Oftentimes, your good thing that you're looking for is on the other side of hard." -Nnamdi OparanozieSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Nnamdi OparanozieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/obk.fitness/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nnamdioparanozie/ OBK Fitness: https://www.obkfitness.com/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 14 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Kelsey Daingerfield, a Powerhouse in Operations and a Fractional COO, as she shares her journey across industries—from aerospace to higher education—and how she discovered her passion for operations and change management.Tune in to discover insights on how to work smarter, not harder, and the value of operational excellence in driving business growth.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:13] Operations and process optimization.[00:04:06] Fractional COO considerations.[00:09:21] Tools for business operations.[00:12:24] Custom GPTs for branding content.[00:17:08] Human risk and communication gaps.[00:18:41] Force versus flow in decision-making.[00:25:21] Biggest risk in entrepreneurship.[00:26:30] Risk-taking and personal growth.[00:30:42] Embracing career pivots.[00:34:43] Who not how approach.[00:38:54] Voice note conversations for connection.QUOTES"I help people just reel it in, get focused, put a strategy in place, get our operations and our processes moving along." -Kelsey Daingerfield "It's about the best version of yourself, the 10.0 version, or it's about your best possible future." -Laurie Chen"When you make the decision, you make that jump, and you're committed to being that best version, and you're committed to your best possible future, then it will come." -Laurie Chen"Embrace the squiggle in your career." -Kelsey DaingerfieldSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Kelsey DaingerfieldInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseydaingerfield/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseydaingerfield/ Kelsey Daingerfield: https://www.kelseydaingerfield.com/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 13 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares insights from her upcoming book, "Risk Worthy", emphasizing the importance of making choices that align with the best version of oneself and prioritizing qualitative returns on investment over purely quantitative measures.Tune in for valuable strategies on becoming your best self and making risk-worthy decisions.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:33] Best version of yourself.[00:04:54] Financial metrics tracking.[00:07:15] Turning insights into income.QUOTES"You must activate the best version of yourself if you are making decisions that are risk-worthy."  - Laurie Chen"Deciding to become the best version of myself led to visible changes in my body, but it was a lot of discipline and commitment to become that person."  - Laurie Chen"If you're proactively tracking the financial impact of your decisions, then you are actively becoming the best version of yourself."  - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriechencpambaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 12 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares insights from her upcoming book, "Risk Worthy", exploring the concept of risk beyond just numbers. Discover how to evaluate risks in your life and business through a new framework that emphasizes qualitative outcomes.Tune in to discover how to navigate the complexities of risk and make smarter financial decisions.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:18] Evaluating risks in decision-making.[00:03:46] Risk-worthy decision-making framework.QUOTES“Risk Worthy is a type of action that we can all aspire to as we navigate the complexities and uncertainties of our lives.”  - Laurie Chen“Sometimes the investments we make will cost more time and money, but it would have been worth it if it still lead us to our best possible selves and our best possible futures.” - Laurie Chen“Decisions shouldn't be driven by fear of loss or feel of failure.” - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 11 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen welcomes tax strategist Tony Hoong, the Founder and CEO of The CPA Dude, as he shares insights into the biggest misconceptions about taxes, emphasizing that they don’t have to be a dreaded obligation. Instead, he explains how taxes can be used strategically as a wealth-building tool.Tune in for valuable insights on how to navigate tax season and make smarter financial decisions for your business.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:21] Tax misconceptions and wealth building.[00:04:48] Ideal clients for tax strategies.[00:06:44] Decision-making and risk framework.[00:10:35] Investing in coaching programs.[00:14:11] Powerful tax strategies for clients.[00:18:50] Common tax strategy mistakes.[00:20:47] Value of investing in quality.[00:25:26] Relationship building in finance.[00:28:56] R&D expenses tax reversal.[00:34:09] Taxes as a financial weapon.[00:35:40] Reasonable compensation and audits.QUOTES"The tax is actually going to be like a weapon if you know how to use it." -Tony Hoong“That human aspect of working between the client and the tax strategist or tax planner is a key piece of what they're paying for.” -Laurie Chen“A lot of real estate folks, and after a while, like once they kind of get good at it, it also becomes like a game to them, just like entrepreneurship.” -Tony HoongSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Tong HoongInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecpadude_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecpadude The CPA Dude: https://thecpadude.com/ WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/ 

In episode 10 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen shares exciting updates about her journey, including her upcoming book titled "Risk Worthy," set to be published in 2026. Laurie dives into the complexities of decision-making in life and business, introducing her unique risk-worthy framework that goes beyond conventional wisdom.Tune in for insights that can help you make smarter financial choices and move forward confidently in your entrepreneurial journey.TIMESTAMPS00:00:04 - Introduction to Built by Margin00:00:27 - Episode 10 and Guest Acknowledgements00:00:49 - Upcoming Guests for July00:00:59 - Mid-Year Reflection00:01:11 - Announcement of Upcoming Book: Risk Worthy00:01:32 - Overview of Risk Worthy Framework00:02:04 - Conventional vs. Risk-Worthy Approach00:02:27 - Defining Risk-Worthy00:02:49 - Subscribe and Follow the Journey00:03:00 - Closing RemarksQUOTES"What makes something risk-worthy is its ability to create the best version of yourself and your best possible future." - Laurie Chen“The conventional wisdom is that what makes something risk-worthy is that the potential upside justifies the uncertainty.” - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 9 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Samuel Crane, President & CEO at Desert Rivers Credit Union, and Franchise Owner of Cinch I.T., as he highlights the importance of financial planning, the lessons learned from startup capital, and the balancing act of growth versus profitability.Tune in to learn about the intersection of finance, technology, and community impact.TIMESTAMPS[00:02:25] Startup capital for new businesses.[00:06:39] Growth vs. scaling in business.[00:10:33] Custom core software in credit unions.[00:15:01] Tough business decisions with friends.[00:19:22] Hiring a CPA early on.[00:24:28] Global expansion.[00:27:17] Mind shift in business growth.[00:32:31] Underrated financial growth metrics.[00:35:01] Love for the backcountry.QUOTES"Always get more startup capital than you think you're going to need… And so you have to learn how to balance risk with what regulators are comfortable with." - Samuel Crane"It takes a lot of time to troubleshoot. So... You've got to buy back your time as the founder or the CEO, and you want to spend your time on the things that actually makes the business money." - Laurie Chen"And talk about a mind shift. If you're ready for it, I would just say, be open-minded about some of the concepts because sometimes the whole idea around scarcity versus abundance, that one took me some time to get around." - Samuel CraneSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriechencpambaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Samuel CraneInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/samuelcraneceo/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sam.crane.35/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-crane/Desert Rivers Credit Union: https://www.desertriverscu.com/Cinch I.T.: https://cinchit.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 8 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Byron Wolfe, a Certified Public Accountant and Founder of The CFO-AF, as he shares his insights on the importance of combining tax strategy with Fractional CFO services, emphasizing how understanding both sides can lead to significant savings and increased business valuation.Tune in for insights on optimizing cash flow and navigating the complexities of financial strategy.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:07] Tax strategy insights from experience.[00:05:34] Tax strategy and fractional CFOs.[00:10:15] Fractional CFO's relationship building.[00:14:13] Maximizing startup valuation strategies.[00:17:13] Augusta rule tax strategy.[00:19:14] Tax strategies for business owners.[00:22:23] Tax strategies for business owners.[00:27:03] Tax strategy vs. prep and file.[00:31:31] P&L vs. Balance Sheet Importance.[00:33:36] Smart business growth insights.QUOTES“Everything is manual. You've got to understand that from the ground up. And so it's about the level of commitment, the level of insight that you have into everything that's running in the background so that you can inform the strategic direction of that company that you're working with.” - Laurie Chen"It's amazing how much you will learn from a business failure over a business win… The wins are way more enjoyable, of course, but you learn a lot from things that don't go well, and you learn what not to do." - Byron Wolfe"Everybody should be aware of the exit or the potential exit, because if you're ready for the best exit, you probably are operating at the highest level of profitability and efficiency possible." - Byron WolfeSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Byron WolfeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cfoaf/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ByronAnthonyWolfeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byron-a-wolfe-cpa/CFOAF: https://www.cfoaf.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 7 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Sharleen Cheung, a Nutrition and Perimenopause Health Coach, to discuss the importance of improving energy through healthy habits, the link between founder health and business success, and the mindset shifts that led her to measure the KPIs and financial metrics that actually helped to reenergize her profits.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:15] Nutrition coaching origin story.[00:05:24] Strength training for women’s health.[00:07:40] Nutrition mistakes among high achievers.[00:11:14] Importance of protein-rich breakfast.[00:14:43] Business growth in service industry.[00:20:41] Measuring business financial success.[00:23:10] Energy management for entrepreneurs.[00:25:59] Meal planning for busy lives.[00:30:01] Online grocery shopping benefits.[00:34:10] Taking risks in business.[00:36:06] Take risks for progress.QUOTES"Once you start feeding your body consistently, your hunger hormones are going to get back up. And it starts to trust you. And that's when your energy kind of stabilizes and your metabolism actually starts to work for you, not against you." - Sharleen Cheung"I just really help high-achieving women break free from that dieting cycle and balance the hormones and just start to menopause with a holistic blend of macronutrition, strength training, and a lot of mindset coaching and just the personalized functional support as well with my team." - Sharleen Cheung"Being able to protect your energy and offload things to an assistant, or your staff member or someone that's more of a specialist in a particular area, is key to growing the business and scaling and making sure that you're doing the things that you enjoy doing and not wasting your time or burning yourself out." - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Sharleen CheungInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smcheung16/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharcheung/Designed By Shar: https://designedbyshar.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 6 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Antonio Green, Author, Public Speaker, and Director at James H. Cole Home for Funerals. From modernizing operations to navigating the financial complexities of building a new location, Antonio reveals the lessons he learned about financial discipline and the importance of relationships in business.Tune in to discover how effective financial strategies and innovative thinking can lead to substantial business growth.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:38] Family business succession strategy.[00:04:48] Financial lessons in business.[00:09:02] Millennial mindset in business.[00:12:10] Pandemic's impact on funeral business.[00:16:39] Internal controls to detect fraud.[00:21:19] Profitability versus growth strategies.[00:24:34] AI tools for financial planning.[00:27:36] Ethics in business decisions.QUOTES"I had to earn their respect and get them to understand that I knew how to run the business. So literally working shoulder to shoulder with everybody in every department really helped me garner that respect over the years." - Antonio Green"If you are in a family business or if you're even if you're just young and coming into a business you can't have that persona of I know everything you've got to be willing to learn you've got to eat a little crow sometimes and be willing to take a step back." - Antonio Green"Definitely having controls to detect fraud is something that a lot of businesses overlook, especially when it comes to the finance and accounting function.” - Laurie ChenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Antonio GreenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/millennialguy/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMillennialExpertLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millennialguy/Antonio Green: https://bizcoachantonio.com/James H. Cole Home for Funerals: https://www.jameshcole.com/SUBSCRIBE AND AVAIL THE BOOK HERE!Talk To Me: Understanding The Millennial Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYSTHSL/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 5 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Breanne Benson, a Digital Creator, also known as The Coupon Queen, as she discusses her journey in building a successful affiliate marketing business through social media. Breanne also talks about her evolution from teaching others how to save money through couponing to coaching women on monetizing their social media without needing to create their own products.Tune in to learn how Breanne empowers women to achieve financial independence through smart money management and social media strategies.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:52] Business growth through affiliate marketing.[00:04:44] Financial organization for entrepreneurs.[00:10:00] Financial independence for women.[00:12:21] Delegating tasks for business growth.[00:16:34] Batch creating content saves time.[00:21:45] Empowering women's financial independence.[00:25:14] Overcoming fear in entrepreneurship.[00:26:26] Overcoming fear in entrepreneurship.QUOTES“Definitely keeping your business and your personal bank account separate. I think that's a rookie mistake that a lot of people they don't do when they start out. Any potential audits save you a lot of headaches down the road.” - Laurie Chen"I've always wanted to work with women and help them just be able to have that choice and be able to make their own money and be financially independent." - Breanne Benson"It doesn't matter what you do. There's going to be someone who loves you, and there's going to be somebody who doesn't. And that's OK. As long as you're doing it for a reason and you have a purpose behind it, then you're good to go." - Breanne BensonSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Breanne BensonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/breecouponqueen3/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breanne.benson.565111#Bree The Coupon Queen: https://www.breecouponqueen.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 4 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Kim Sutton, the Principal at Vintage Sign & Light, as they explore the importance of having a solid financial foundation, the impact of processes on business scalability, and the significance of understanding your numbers.Tune in to learn how the right coaching can inspire new perspectives and strategies for financial success.TIMESTAMPS[00:02:02] Coaching for business growth mindset.[00:06:01] Lack of processes in business.[00:11:21] Real estate tax strategies.[00:16:56] Key metrics for business tracking.[00:19:15] Business challenges and recovery.[00:24:13] Financial strategy and debt management.[00:26:58] AI's impact on business strategy.[00:30:58] Social media marketing strategies.[00:34:47] Accountability in business growth.QUOTES"It's not just about getting new clients. It's about being your best self, sharing that with the world." - Laurie Chen"Not knowing my numbers and then the lack of processes are probably the two things that have caused me the most grief over a 45-year, approaching certainly, you know, really 50-year span." - Kim Sutton"We've got to stay ahead. We have to iterate. We've got to be able to pivot. And, you know, I like to kill sacred cows. It's just because something's been done that way. I have no interest in keeping doing it that way." - Kim SuttonSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Kim SuttonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vintagesignandlight/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-sutton-916a0725a/Vintage Sign & Light: https://wwww.vintagesignandlight.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 3 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Alexander Mair, Founder and CEO at Fabricant Ops, as he discusses the common challenges startups face and the importance of templatizing solutions to alleviate pain points for future leaders. Tune in to hear valuable insights on entrepreneurship and financial lessons learned along the way.TIMESTAMPS[00:02:43] Revenue operations challenges explained.[00:05:58] Bootstrap funding decision.[00:08:19] LLC benefits for entrepreneurs.[00:12:40] Evolving pricing strategies for startups.[00:18:22] Evolving definition of success.[00:20:35] Financial mistakes as a new entrepreneur.[00:26:28] Revenue operations transition effectiveness.[00:28:11] French influence in branding.QUOTES"I do recommend that most business owners start out with an S-Corp as soon as possible. As soon as they're making revenue, making bank, it's definitely gonna help you save on your self-employment taxes." - Laurie Chen"One of the core beliefs that I have about fractional employees... is that they also take the mental load of those things that you just don't know how to do." - Alexander Mair" My hope is that any business that takes over a revenue operations department built by Fabricant will have a very quick transition period and will allow RevOps leaders to more quickly and effectively transition from remediation to acceleration. If we do that, that's a pretty good outcome." - Alexander MairSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Alexander MairLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderpmair/Fabricant Ops: https://www.fabricantgtm.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In episode 2 of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen interviews Robyn Penner Thiessen, a Leadership Coach and the Founder of RPT Consulting, as she discusses her vision of supporting leaders to effectively lead their teams and the challenges she faced while navigating the world of entrepreneurship. Tune in to hear insights on building a profitable business and making smarter financial decisions.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:18] Jumping into entrepreneurship.[00:06:40] Hiring a virtual assistant.[00:09:11] Business planning without a formal plan.[00:12:04] Co-creating business with the universe.[00:17:39] Tax account percentage recommendations.[00:22:00] Finding the right tax accountant.[00:24:01] Leadership and personal growth.[00:27:28] Benjamin Hardy's impact on goals.[00:30:40] Inspiring books for personal growth.QUOTES“I absolutely do think having that first hire be your VA is very crucial to allowing you to have more time to focus on the things that you're passionate about in your business.” - Laurie Chen“Now I really need to make sure everything like I'm building that team around my business, because I do want to build it to be continuing to grow and really strong in the future.” - Robyn Penner Thiessen“Being around these authors who are writing really amazing books, I think that also is part of shaping the kind of business person or how you run your business.” - Robyn Penner ThiessenSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/Robyn Penner ThiessenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyn.penner.thiessen/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robyn.p.thiessenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynpennerthiessen/RPT Consulting: https://robynpennerthiessen.com/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

In this first-ever episode of Built By Margin, Laurie Chen, a Certified Public Accountant and the Founder of Advanced CFO, shares her journey from CPA to working with startup founders and small business owners, revealing how her passion for numbers and strategy has helped countless entrepreneurs achieve profitability and peace of mind. Tune in to discover the inspiration behind the podcast's name and learn about the core focuses of financial strategy, profitability, tax planning, and sustainable growth.TIMESTAMPS[00:02:32] Sustainable, profitable growth strategies.[00:04:20] Strategies for profitable business growth.QUOTES“Being a business owner myself has taught me so much about the game of life and the game of business. I absolutely love what I do, working with numbers and working with people to grow startups and businesses to profitability.”"You don't have to be a financial expert in order to run a wildly profitable business. You just need the right strategies."SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSLaurie ChenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriechencpambaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/WEBSITESRisk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/Advanced CFO: https://www.advancedcfo.co/Built By Margin: https://www.builtbymargin.com/

Built By Margin is the no-fluff, straight-talking financial podcast for entrepreneurs who are ready to go beyond revenue and start building real profit. Hosted by Laurie Chen, Fractional CFO and Tax Strategist, each episode pulls back the curtain on the financial strategies that actually drive business growth.From mastering cash flow and decoding your financial statements to uncovering hidden tax savings, Laurie makes the numbers make sense—without the jargon or overwhelm.Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, startup founder, or scaling CEO, Built By Margin gives you the tools to make smarter decisions, keep more of what you earn, and build a business that’s built to last.Stay tuned—because profit isn’t optional, it’s essential.