Unbalanced

Revenue came in. Then reality showed up. Sam Hallburn and Candy Bellau sit down with Melissa Armstrong of SteadyHand Accounting to talk about the “messy middle” of firm ownership, that year-one moment where you’re growing fast, underpricing, saying yes to everyone, and suddenly realizing your business can’t depend on only you. Melissa shares what it’s like to start over after losing a corporate jo...

What if your money habits started with a promise you made to yourself at 15? In this episode of Unbalanced, Sam Hallburn and Candy Bellau sit down with Robina Bennion. She’s a former public accountant turned CFO-level consultant and behavioral money coach who helps high-achieving professionals unpack the emotional side of money, especially the part we never talk about. Robina opens up about the id...

In this episode of Unbalanced, Sam and Candy talk with nurse practitioner and practice owner Jeremiah Velasquez about the unexpected identity shift that happens when you leave the safety of a W-2 job and build something of your own. Jeremiah opens up about the fear, guilt, lost friendships, and constant self-doubt that come with entrepreneurship, along with the surprising confidence and clarity he...

In this raw and unfiltered episode of Unbalanced, Sam and Candy sit down with Monica Roca-Quesada to talk about the emotional toll of running a firm. From sleepless nights and client chaos to burnout, blame, and feeling like you care more about your clients’ businesses than they do, Monica opens up about the hidden pressures no one talks about. They dive into boundaries, advisory struggles, team d...

Sam and Candy talk with Barrett Young, partner at GWCPAs, about what it really takes to lead an 80-year-old firm into its next generation. Barrett shares how their mandatory partner buyout at 60 keeps succession healthy and partnerships from blowing up, how he and his partner play the visionary–integrator roles, and what he learned after the sudden loss of an employee during tax season. They dig i...

This might be one of the most raw and emotionally honest conversations we’ve had on Unbalanced. Sam and Candy sit down with Joseph De Gregorio, a former Wall Street trader whose life spiraled into alcoholism, federal crimes, and a complete liver failure that nearly killed him during the height of COVID in NYC. Joseph opens up about how addiction distorts thinking long before fraud appears, the psy...

What happens when the identity you’ve built your entire career around stops working for you… and your body finally forces you to listen? In this episode, Sam and Candy sit down with Randy Crabtree, CPA and co-founder of Tri-Merit, to talk about the stroke that changed everything, stepping down as managing partner, and rebuilding a life around what he actually loves. Randy opens up about decades of...

Joe Woodard sits down with Candy and Sam to talk about the lesson that changed his leadership: justice is overrated. He breaks down an $80k legal ordeal, why airtight agreements are protection, not punishment, and how attention debt bleeds into family and work. We get candid about hiring friends, losing yourself in the mission, and building a purpose that lasts beyond the job. Joe Woodard is the C...

Sam and Candy sit down with Alyssa Olerud, founder of Fearlyss Media, to talk about what it really takes to build a business from scratch. Alyssa shares how she went from sales trainer to social media strategist, teaching herself everything from forming an LLC to removing malware when there was no IT team to call. She opens up about the learning curve, mindset work, and why SOPs became her secret...

CPA and tax strategist Christopher Picciurro joins Sam Hallburn and Candy Bellau for a raw talk about building a firm you actually want to run. Chris shares the aha moment that pushed him from volume and chaos to a membership model, why boundaries equal freedom, and how capacity is power when choosing the right clients. We dig into value pricing vs subscription, protecting your team, communicating...

On this Unbalanced episode, strategy consultant Eunecia Peret peels back the curtain on why so many successful entrepreneurs still bleed cash without realizing it. She explains her three pillars: tax reduction tied to business decisions, true wealth optimization (not more products), an intentional exit strategy, and why most owners eventually outgrow their CPA/FA status quo. We dig into referral m...

Tax pro and educator Marit Burmood, CPA, aka the Extroverted Accountant, joins Sam and Candy to talk about why credentials don’t magically fix broken pricing or shaky self-worth. She walks through the moment she shifted from hourly work to advisory (and lost her biggest client), how speaking at Taxposium and training with TOPS rewired her confidence, and why vulnerability builds real community in...

What happens when you build a firm on purpose, not by accident? In this raw, candid episode of Unbalanced, Sam and Candy sit down with Tracy Brantingham, founder of Building Profits, who’s balancing life as a nighttime caregiver and a daytime CEO. Tracy shares why she’s stepping out of client deliverables, how a former client-turned-coach is becoming her minority partner, and the hard lessons behi...

Sam and Candy sit down with Monique Swansen, founder of Automated Accounting Services and Accounting for Green, to talk about what it really takes to build and sustain a firm. Monique breaks down the realities of serving cannabis operators (hello, seed-to-sale and inventory), why hiring before you think you need to can save your sanity, and how short-term disability and cross-training became essen...

In our season two opener, hosts Candy Bellau and Sam Hallburn sit down with producer Haley Kershner to look back on twenty-plus episodes of raw conversations and the ripple effects they’ve had across the accounting community. We revisit the moments that hit hardest, from parenting and missed milestones to lawsuits, employee heartbreak, and the quiet costs of running a firm, as well as the laughs t...

Unbalanced welcomes The Balanced CPA. Nick Boscia joins Candy and Sam for a raw conversation about transforming a legacy family firm into a modern, sustainable practice—and why balance isn’t a finish line but a daily recalibration. Nick traces the shift from manual workflows and marathon hours to clear standards, upfront billing, and a tech stack that gives his team back their time. He talks throu...

In this episode of Unbalanced, Sam and Candy sit down with Jennifer Devine of Devine Consulting for a raw and unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to run a firm. From the early days of check-signing clients to leading a 10-person virtual team, Jennifer shares the unexpected twists of her journey, including being pulled into lawsuits, the weight of client loyalty, and the hard choices...

What does it really take to build a thriving accounting firm while raising a family, teaching the next generation, and still showing up at conferences with energy to spare? In this episode of Unbalanced, Candy and Sam sit down with Dan Luthi, Partner at Ignite Spot Accounting, to uncover the truth behind the highlight reel. Dan shares how he rose from bookkeeper to partner over 15 years, the toll...

When Jennifer Anderson launched her firm in April 2020, at the height of COVID, she turned uncertainty into opportunity. From cashier at CompUSA to founder of Tru Financial Solutions, Jennifer’s story is one of grit, tech-savvy innovation, and an unwavering commitment to her “why.” In this raw and unfiltered conversation, she opens up about launching a business at the height of uncertainty, leadin...

“Eighty to one-hundred hour weeks are not a badge of honor,” says Dr. Kristy Short, and she’s on a mission to get the accounting world talking about it. In this raw and candid conversation, Kristy shares the personal spiral that led to her first-ever medical leave in 25 years, the dream that sparked her book Civil Warrior , and why she refuses to split her personal and professional selves. If you’...

What happens when a former rock musician turned marketing pro dives headfirst into entrepreneurship… and hits rock bottom? In this episode of Unbalanced, Candy and Sam sit down with Kenny Harper of Growth Amplifiers to unpack the real story behind the resume. From creative dreams and financial freefalls to business breakups and identity crises, Kenny gets radically honest about what it really take...

In this unfiltered episode of Unbalanced, we sit down with powerhouse educator and unapologetic truth-teller Mariette Martinez. From growing up as her mother’s bookkeeper at 11 to launching a virtual firm before it was trendy, Mariette walks us through her very real journey, complete with seven-year pivots, late-night blowouts, and hard conversations with her kids (and herself). She opens up about...

When you’re building your firm, everything feels urgent, especially the pressure to say yes. Yes to every client. Yes to every opportunity. Yes to every favor. But in this episode of Unbalanced, CPA and firm owner Marlon Wolfman joins hosts Candy and Sam to unpack what happens when you stop chasing the wrong things and start building a firm your way. From a cautionary tale about a messy partnershi...

What if building a “successful” firm isn’t about scaling to the moon, but about reclaiming your life? In this raw and powerful episode of Unbalanced, Amanda Aguillard joins Candy Bellau and Sam for an unfiltered conversation about firm ownership, motherhood, burnout, and redefining what success really looks like. Expect tears, laughter, and the kind of real talk no one tells you when you start you...

Sam and Candy sit down with the vibrant and unfiltered Tony Proctor, founder of a full-service accounting firm, to unpack the emotional weight of leading a team, chasing “balance,” and surviving the chaos of scaling. From pulse checks to people problems, Tony shares the real behind-the-scenes mess of firm life, plus a few leadership gems and why some owners secretly fantasize about becoming Walmar...