🔥 What You’ll Hear in This Episode

02:10 What Financial Visibility Really Means

Laresa explains that financial visibility isn’t just about knowing your numbers, it’s about understanding what they’re telling you. She shares how leaders often rely on gut instinct or surface-level metrics like revenue, when what they really need is a clear view of cash flow, margins, and timing.

“Profit looks good, but cash flow is strained. That’s a sign something deeper is happening beneath the surface.”

08:45 The Biggest Blind Spots in Growth

Laresa dives into the three most common blind spots she sees:

• Margin erosion — when costs rise faster than pricing.

• Over-reliance on one client or revenue stream.

• Growth without systems.

She explains how these often go unnoticed because founders don’t have a dashboard or rhythm for reviewing the right data.

“You can’t fix what you can’t see. Financial visibility turns confusion into strategy.”

15:30 Scaling Without Losing Control

Tori and Laresa explore how service-based founders can scale sustainably, without letting their finances spiral. Laresa emphasizes that scaling too quickly without cash flow forecasting is like “building a plane while flying it.”

She offers practical steps to keep visibility intact as you grow:

• Create a 13-week cash flow forecast.

• Review margins monthly, not quarterly.

• Build visibility systems before hiring more people.

22:05 When to Bring in a Fractional CFO

For many founders, the idea of a CFO feels out of reach. Laresa breaks down the difference between a bookkeeper, controller, and CFO; and when each becomes essential.

“A fractional CFO gives you strategy, not spreadsheets. It’s about translating financial data into smart decisions.”

She shares how even small businesses can gain full financial visibility without the cost of a full-time CFO by leveraging fractional support and better systems.

29:20 The Cost of Financial Fog

When businesses lose visibility, they make decisions in the dark, reacting instead of leading.

Laresa explains how “financial fog” can show up as missed profit, unexpected expenses, or inconsistent cash flow. The cure? Transparency, consistency, and curiosity.

Tori and Laresa discuss how women founders, in particular, can shift from avoidance to empowerment by getting curious about their numbers.