Cultivating Business Growth

Many business owners appear successful on the outside but feel uncertain, overwhelmed, or anxious when it comes to their finances. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , Jaime Staley welcomes back Dr. Barbara Provost and Maggie Nielsen, founders of Purse Strings, for a candid conversation about financial confidence. Together, they discuss why so many entrepreneurs struggle with money dec...

Feeling overwhelmed in your business, even when you're getting things done? It might not be your workload. It might be your decisions. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , we break down how to reduce overwhelm in your business by improving your business decision making process and understanding how decision fatigue impacts business profitability. As a business owner, you're responsible...

The aesthetics industry is growing fast, but many med spa owners are discovering that growth alone doesn't guarantee success. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , we sit down with Abby Honaker of Pink Sky to break down what effective med spa management really looks like behind the scenes. While many practitioners excel clinically, scaling a business requires systems, structure, and str...

Many business owners assume that increasing sales is the key to improving profitability, but that's not always the case. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , we explore how to improve profitability in a business by focusing on what truly drives results: improving profit margins, increasing efficiency, and strengthening cash flow. If your business is growing but you're not seeing the fi...

Many entrepreneurs spend years building successful businesses but don't always connect their business growth with their personal wealth strategy. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , Katina Peters speaks with Katherine Dean, CFP® of Opal Wealth Advisors about why financial planning for business owners requires a different approach than traditional wealth management. Together they explo...

If a client brings in revenue but drains your team, disrupts your processes, or creates constant stress, are they actually profitable? In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , Megan Spicer is joined by Willow Virtual CFO partner Jaime Staley to tackle one of the most difficult decisions business owners face: when it's time to fire a client. Many business owners hold on to clients longer th...

If your firm says business development is everyone's job, but no one owns it, this episode is for you. In Episode 180 of Cultivating Business Growth, Megan Spicer is joined by Neil Barrow, founder of Enabled BD and host of I Hope This Email Finds You Well , to unpack what business development really looks like inside professional service firms. Neil explains why business development isn't a soft s...

Adding a second location is often treated like a milestone, but it's one of the fastest ways to put pressure on a healthy business if it's done too soon. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , Megan Spicer is joined by Willow Virtual CFO partner Katina Peters to break down a practical expansion framework designed to help business owners decide when growth makes sense, and when it doesn't...

Growing your business means adding vendors, cloud tools, and systems, but it also means increasing your exposure to data risk. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth, Jaime Staley sits down with Timothy O'Hara, VP of Data Risk at The Hack Ninja, to break down data protection for small business in a way non-technical owners can actually understand and act on. You'll learn why small and mid-...

If job costing only tells you what went wrong after a project is complete, it isn't protecting your margins; it's just record keeping. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , Megan Spicer is joined by construction industry expert Katina Peters of Willow Virtual CFO to break down how construction job costing should function as a real-time leadership system, not post-mortem accounting. They...

As your business grows, so does your HR risk. In this episode, we're joined by Andrea Herran, CEO of Focus HR, to break down the most common compliance pitfalls small businesses face, and how to avoid them before they become expensive problems. Andrea shares why HR compliance for small business is essential to sustainable growth and how outsourced HR services can give owners expert guidance withou...

Jaime Staley is joined by partner and CFO, Katina Peters, to break down what's actually changing, who may benefit, and how to start planning before year-end instead of being surprised next April. In this episode, we cover: How the 2025 tax brackets and standard deduction look under the new bill "No tax on tips" and "no tax on overtime" - who qualifies and what the limits are Updates to the child t...

Is your tech stack helping your business grow, or holding it back? In this episode of the Cultivating Business Growth Podcast , host Katina Peters, CPA & CGMA, talks with Brian Zielinski, President and Managing Director of ShapeConnect, about how a technology audit can uncover inefficiencies, streamline data flow, and set your business up for scalable success. Brian shares real stories of companie...

Choosing the right entity taxation is not just a startup decision, it's a lever that can create or erase six figures as your business grows. In this episode, Jaime and Katina discuss the difference between an S Corp and a C Corp, how LLCs fit into the picture, and why entity choice should be reviewed over time, not just once when you file paperwork. Katina explains the tax implications of each str...

Willow Virtual CFO's Jaime Staley sits down with Lindy Hoyt , founder of People Ambassadors , to unpack people-first leadership and how to build high-performing teams . Learn the building blocks, trust and psychological safety, goal alignment, real accountability, and intentional onboarding, plus low-cost plays small businesses can use now. Stick around for two simple actions you can take this wee...

In today's fast-changing business world, profitability isn't just about working harder—it's about working smarter. In this updated episode of Cultivating Business Growth , we revisit one of our most popular topics from Episode 18 with a fresh look at four modern strategies to increase profitability in 2025 and beyond . Join Megan Spicer and Katina Peters, Partner at Willow Virtual CFO, as they dis...

Are your daily tasks keeping you from growing your business? In this episode, business coach and systems strategist Holly Jean Jackson joins us to share why documenting key processes, like sales, client onboarding, and team workflows, is the secret to sustainable growth. Tune in to learn how the right systems (and tools like ClickUp, Pipedrive, and ActiveCampaign) can help you delegate with confid...

When was the last time you gave your business a real checkup? In this episode of the Cultivating Business Growth podcast, we're talking about the importance of a business health check, a structured way to review profitability, cash flow, expenses, pricing, and strategy so you can catch problems early and keep your company on track. Megan Spicer is joined by Willow Virtual CFO co-founder Katina Pet...

Are you building a law firm that will truly support your retirement goals? In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , Katina Peters welcomes Darren Wurz—financial planner, CEPA®, CFP®, MSFP, author of The Lawyer Millionaire , and host of The Lawyer Millionaire podcast—to talk about how to align law firm growth with personal financial independence. Darren specializes in helping attorneys and...

In this episode, we explore the evolution of our firm from PJS & Co. CPAs to Willow Virtual CFO with co-founders Katina Peters and Jaime Staley. We discuss the motivations behind the rebrand, how we're addressing the growing need for financial accounting advisory services, and how our fractional CFO offerings support small businesses with clarity and confidence. Key Topics: What led to the rebrand...

Dealing with dental insurance can feel like a never-ending maze—especially when you're unsure whether you're getting the reimbursement you deserve. In this episode, we're joined by Adriana Steinberg of Apex Reimbursement Specialists to talk about how dental practice owners can take control of their insurance strategy and boost profitability through effective PPO fee negotiation , credentialing, an...

Hitting a financial plateau can feel like one of the most frustrating points in your business journey—you're working hard, but growth has stalled. In this episode of the Cultivating Business Growth Podcast , we're diving into why it happens, how to recognize it early, and what you can do to break through. Megan Spicer is joined by Katina Peters, CPA and Virtual CFO, to walk through: Key indicators...

Fraud can happen to any dental practice—and often does. In this episode of Cultivating Business Growth , we're joined by Susan Gunn , Certified Fraud Examiner, and a nationally recognized expert in financial systems and ethics for healthcare practices. Susan shares jaw-dropping real-world stories—including a $1.1 million embezzlement case—and provides actionable steps dentists can take to protect...

Building a Business Budget That Actually Works In Episode 163 of Cultivating Business Growth , we're diving deep into how to create a business budget that actually works—without making your head spin. Katina Peters, Partner at Willow Virtual CFO, joins us to discuss why budgeting is essential for small businesses and how it can be your most powerful decision-making tool. We cover: Budgeting strate...

Building a Business Budget That Actually Works In Episode 163 of Cultivating Business Growth , we're diving deep into how to create a business budget that actually works—without making your head spin. Katina Peters, Partner at Willow Virtual CFO, joins us to discuss why budgeting is essential for small businesses and how it can be your most powerful decision-making tool. We cover: Budgeting strate...