Unbalanced

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...

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