Financial Fitness Blog — Financial Fitness Coaching

Financial Fitness Coaching

Posts in Small Business Finance

How to Build Wealth While Growing Your Small Business

How to Build Wealth While Growing Your Small Business

Why, when you look at your personal finances, does it sometimes feel like there’s not much to show for it? This is one of the biggest frustrations I hear from my financial coaching clients. Driven, successful business owners making great money but still feeling like personal wealth building is stuck in neutral.

It’s not because you’re bad with money or because “you need to budget better.” (Ugh. Who wants to hear that?) It’s because building wealth as a business owner takes a different approach. The rules are a little different when you are the business. But with a few shifts, you can absolutely grow both your business and your personal wealth and feel great doing it.

Let’s talk about how.

6 Smart Money Strategies for Business Owners with Irregular Income

6 Smart Money Strategies for Business Owners with Irregular Income

Have you ever checked your bank account and thought, "Wow, I'm rich!" only to remember all that money needs to last until... who knows when? Welcome to the rollercoaster of variable income.

As a financial coach working with successful entrepreneurs, I've seen firsthand how irregular cash flow can make even the most successful business owners break into a cold sweat.

Business, Business Growth, Profit, Small Business, Small Business Finance, Strategy, IncomeKristen RicuperoMay 28, 2025finance, financial coaching, Pittsburgh Financial Coach, North Carolina Financial Coach, small business finance, small business coach, small business, seasonal business, business income, business strategy, Budget

Turn Slow Business Months Into Smart Business Moves This Summer

Turn Slow Business Months Into Smart Business Moves This Summer

Slow seasons are part of the game. But that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and “ride it out,” crossing your fingers and hoping that business will pick back up in the fall. That’s not a strategy. It’s a gamble. But, if you play your cards right, summer can be one of the most strategic seasons for your business. It’s a chance to pause, pivot, and prepare for the future without the frantic pace of your busier months.

Business, Business Growth, Profit, Small Business, Small Business Finance, StrategyKristen RicuperoApril 15, 2025finance, financial coaching, Pittsburgh Financial Coach, North Carolina Financial Coach, small business finance, small business coach, small business, business goals, business success, seasonal business

Am I Too Small to Need Systems? The Importance of Strategic Structures From Day One

Am I Too Small to Need Systems? The Importance of Strategic Structures From Day One

When you wear seventeen hats and race to meet client deadlines, creating systems feels like a luxury reserved for businesses with fancy offices and HR departments.

But here's the truth bomb I'm dropping today: Your business is never too small for systems. In fact, the smaller your business, the more critical solid systems become.

Why Winging It Won’t Work: The Importance of a Business Plan in Your Success

Why Winging It Won’t Work: The Importance of a Business Plan in Your Success

A solid business plan is your roadmap to success, guiding your decisions and helping you stay on course.

Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs skip this step when establishing their business, thinking it’s just paperwork; however, a business plan is an essential tool that can make a significant difference in your company’s growth, funding opportunities, and overall success.

Business, Business Growth, Profit, Small Business, Small Business Finance, StrategyKristen RicuperoFebruary 14, 2025finance, financial coaching, Pittsburgh Financial Coach, North Carolina Financial Coach, financial wellness, small business finance, small business coach, small business, business goals, business success

Funding a Small Business: How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Funding a Small Business: How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Saving, finding investors, or taking a loan—how you choose to fund your small business depends on what’s right for you. With a solid financial plan in place, you can allocate your resources wisely, avoid unnecessary debt, and set your business on a sustainable path from the very beginning.

The Profit First Model: 6 Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

The Profit First Model: 6 Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Many people try Profit First on their own and hit some major roadblocks. And when it doesn’t work as expected, they’re left scratching their heads, wondering if it’s the system’s fault or theirs.

Here are the top six reasons people fail at the Profit First model on their own—and suggestions for how to dodge these pitfalls like a pro.

Small Business, Small Business Finance, Business, Business Growth, Strategy, Profit First, ProfitKristen RicuperoDecember 9, 2024financial coaching, Pittsburgh Financial Coach, North Carolina Financial Coach, small business coach, small business finance, small business, profit first, profit first professional, profitability

Financial Planning for Business: Is a Financial Coach Your Best Strategy?

Financial Planning for Business: Is a Financial Coach Your Best Strategy?

Running a small business means wearing many hats, from overseeing operations and marketing to delivering exceptional customer service, all while keeping a close eye on finances.

However, for many small business owners, financial management can feel overwhelming or easy to push aside in the whirlwind of daily tasks. This is where financial coaching comes in.

How to Promote Your Small Business Without Spending a Fortune

How to Promote Your Small Business Without Spending a Fortune

Running a small business can feel like you’re constantly spinning in different directions. There’s always so much to do! Between managing clients, keeping up with your team, and ensuring everything is running smoothly, marketing can sometimes feel like a luxury you don’t have the budget for.

5 Things Your Accountant Wishes You Were Doing Now for Next Year’s Taxes

5 Things Your Accountant Wishes You Were Doing Now for Next Year’s Taxes

As fall rolls in and the leaves start changing, you might be thinking about cozy sweaters, pumpkin patches, and holiday plans. But your accountant? They’re thinking about taxes. Believe it or not, autumn is the perfect time to get ahead on tax prep, and your accountant definitely has a wishlist of things they wish you were doing now to make tax season less stressful.

From organizing paperwork to making smart financial moves, here are five things your accountant wants you to tackle before the year ends to set yourself up for a smooth tax season next year.

5 Tips on How to Have a Winning Hiring Strategy

5 Tips on How to Have a Winning Hiring Strategy

Employees are the backbone of any business—they’re the driving force behind a business’ operations and long-term success. They’re trusted individuals who are skilled, creative, and dedicated, enabling a business to forge ahead, innovate, and grow.

As a small business owner, you know that the hiring process—knowing how, when, and who to hire—is a critical part of your business. Building the right workforce, at the right time, can strengthen the productivity and performance of your business, and ultimately help you to achieve your vision and goals.

Business Optimization: Know When and Why To Coast, Grow, and Pause

Business Optimization: Know When and Why To Coast, Grow, and Pause

Just like life, businesses also go through phases that are influenced by various internal and external factors. Understanding these phases can be key to the sustained success and longevity of your business. Whether your business is in a coasting phase, growth phase, or pause phase, each phase serves a purpose in moving your business forward.

By recognizing and managing these phases, and moving intentionally through them, you can make the most of each phase and help to grow and evolve a successful, thriving business.

Money, Profit First, Small Business, Small Business Finance, Business, Profit, Financial Protection, Business Growth, StrategyKristen RicuperoJuly 19, 2024financial coaching, Pittsburgh Financial Coach, North Carolina Financial Coach, small business coach, small business finance, small business, business growth, business goals

Strength and Resilience: Why You Need an Emergency Fund for Your Business

Strength and Resilience: Why You Need an Emergency Fund for Your Business

A personal emergency fund can act as a savings buffer and help you face the unexpected without taking a significant financial hit. “Saving for a rainy day” and having emergency savings can give you peace of mind and offer financial security through uncertain times.

Just as unforeseen events can disrupt your personal finances, your business can also face unpredictable challenges that threaten its financial stability. It’s crucial to have an emergency fund for your business to help provide a layer of financial security — expecting the unexpected and being financially prepared can help your business survive any challenges that come your way.

Profit All Year Round: Smart Financial Planning for Seasonal Business Owners

Profit All Year Round: Smart Financial Planning for Seasonal Business Owners

If you find yourself frantically slashing expenses, racking up debt on lines of credit, or worse, dipping into your personal funds just to stay afloat during the off-season, it's time for an intervention. Your finances shouldn't be at the mercy of fleeting trends. You need to take control and implement smarter planning.

Finding Your Financial Freedom: How to Pay Yourself as a Business Owner

Finding Your Financial Freedom: How to Pay Yourself as a Business Owner

One of the most important (but often overlooked) aspects of running your company is addressing the question, “How much should I pay myself?” It’s crucial to pay yourself regularly to maintain financial stability. The whole point of starting a business is typically to create financial freedom and security for yourself and your family. But it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations and forget to take care of your own paycheck.

Which One of These Small Business Owner Retirement Plans Is Right for You?

Which One of These Small Business Owner Retirement Plans Is Right for You?

Similar to other decisions you’ve had to make on your own, retirement is another crucial financial topic you must diligently explore to set you and your business up for success.

Small business retirement plans vary in terms of structure, benefits, and suitability, depending on the size of your business and team, your financial situation, and your goals. Choosing the right one for your business can feel daunting, but the sooner you decide which plan is right for you, the better handle you’ll have on your retirement planning.

Be Smart All Year Long: Tax Tips for Entrepreneurs

Be Smart All Year Long: Tax Tips for Entrepreneurs

It's that time of year again — tax season is fast approaching! As a successful small business owner, we know you’re busy enough without stressing about gathering receipts, tallying up expenses, and rushing to file your taxes on time.

But fear not! With a few organizational tips and tricks in place throughout the year, you can reduce your tax prep stress and breeze through tax time next year.

Ditch the New Year's Resolutions: Set Healthy Financial Intentions Instead

Ditch the New Year's Resolutions: Set Healthy Financial Intentions Instead

Jotting down your goals and visualizing their realization is exciting, but it's merely the starting point. Genuine progress happens when we dig deeper and adopt a mindset and lifestyle that aligns with our goals.

This is where establishing financial intentions comes into play. Our intentions propel us forward, even if we temporarily veer off course from an ambitious goal we've set.

Hiring your first employee is like adding a new character to the story of your business. You want to ensure they're a perfect fit, someone who can help you achieve your goals and take your company to the next level. So, let's jump into the exciting world of small business hiring and the employee onboarding process.

How to Scale Your Small Business: Conquering Challenges and Finding Solutions

How to Scale Your Small Business: Conquering Challenges and Finding Solutions

Small business scaling is not just about growing your operations, expanding your team, and increasing your offerings, but doing it sustainably and effectively. If you try to grow your business too quickly or too haphazardly, you could find yourself stuck down the road facing burnout, a lack of vision, or even cash flow problems. Learning effective strategies for scaling your small business can help you anticipate common challenges and discover actionable solutions.

Hiring your first employee is like adding a new character to the story of your business. You want to ensure they're a perfect fit, someone who can help you achieve your goals and take your company to the next level. So, let's jump into the exciting world of small business hiring and the employee onboarding process.

Small Business Hiring 101: A Step-by-Step Guide for Your First Hire

Small Business Hiring 101: A Step-by-Step Guide for Your First Hire

You've reached a point where your small business is thriving, and you can no longer be a one-person show. Congratulations! It's time to take that next big step — hiring your first employee. This is a significant leap, and while it might feel a bit overwhelming, we’re here to give you some tips to help make the process more smooth and straightforward.

Hiring your first employee is like adding a new character to the story of your business. You want to ensure they're a perfect fit, someone who can help you achieve your goals and take your company to the next level. So, let's jump into the exciting world of small business hiring and the employee onboarding process.