Unbalanced

What if the hardest part of running your firm… is you? In this raw and revealing episode of Unbalanced, forensic accountant and former IRS special agent Robert Nordlander, CPA, unpacks the uncomfortable truth every firm owner has to face: your biggest challenge might be the person in the mirror. Robert shares how two decades chasing financial criminals taught him to build a firm with no debt, no s...

What happens when the superheroes of accounting take off the cape? In this deeply human and wildly relatable episode, The Dancing Accountant Nancy McClelland joins Candy and Sam to unpack the unglamorous side of firm ownership, loneliness, burnout, bad hires, tech confusion, and the relentless myth that growth equals success. Nancy opens up about the many missteps she made while trying to “do it a...

What happens when life throws you curveballs while you're trying to grow a business? In this episode of Unbalanced, Michelle Mitchell, founder of Mitchell Consulting, shares her deeply personal and refreshingly honest journey through burnout, bad hires, the realities of autoimmune disease, and the surprising freedom that comes with letting go of control. She gets real about the moment she realized...

What happens when a thriving partnership quietly falls apart? In this raw and revealing episode, Jean Zick, co-founder of Juna Financial, shares the emotional unraveling of her business partnership, the isolation that followed, and the hard-earned lessons along the way. From a disastrous tea café client to a near-silent business divorce, Jean gets candid about the stuff no one talks about. Hosts C...

In this refreshingly raw and candid episode of Unbalanced, Aitza Negron, founder of Strategies & TEA, joins Candy and Sam for a no-holds-barred conversation about entrepreneurship, money trauma, and letting go of the need to look perfect while building something real. Aitza opens up about everything, from dealing with imposter syndrome and layoffs to setting boundaries, finding mentorship, and tra...

In this raw and hilarious episode of Unbalanced, Sean joins Candy and Sam to talk about blowing up a thriving firm, surviving a $900k betrayal, and the real cost of people-pleasing. From culture-building to letting go of bad clients (and bad employees), this is a masterclass in taking back control. If you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted, this conversation is your sign: you c...

When the market crashed in 2008, Jeanne Hardy had one-year-old twins, a brand new full-time hire, and a business that felt like it was crumbling. In this raw and powerful episode of Unbalanced, Jeanne sits down with Candy and Sam to talk about what it’s really like to run a firm. Losing clients overnight. Holding it together for your team. Working through grief, doubt, and the constant pressure to...

Brad Yochum joins Candy and Sam for a no-filter conversation on what it's really like to run a firm. From losing sleep over clients to hiring the wrong people (and paying for it), Brad opens up about the emotional whiplash of entrepreneurship. He shares the con that cost him everything, the painful lesson of ignoring red flags, and how he rebuilt a life and team he’s proud of. *Produced by Anchor

What happens when a client crosses a line you didn’t see coming? In this powerful episode of Unbalanced, Heather Day Satterley shares the real story of firing a client over an ethical boundary and the emotional fallout that followed. The conversation dives into value misalignment, listening to your gut, saying no (even when it's hard), and how lonely moments in firm ownership can become turning po...

The Unbalanced podcast is about what happens when you’re building a business and feel like everyone else has it figured out but you. Candy and Sam go first, leading with vulnerability so others know they’re not alone. If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong in this industry or felt crushed under the weight of “success,” this is the space for you. *Produced by ⁠Anchor