Mary Houle runs two careers simultaneously - data analyst by day, fractional CFO by night. But it wasn't a VP laughing at her desire to "build relationships" that sparked her entrepreneurial leap. It was realizing she could help creative business owners stop avoiding the one thing keeping them stuck: their numbers.
In this episode we dive into:
- Why looking at your P&L feels harder than learning a new instrument (and the practice routine that changes everything)
- The real math behind leaving your 9-5 that no one talks about on Instagram
- How "making 10K" became the most misleading goal in online business
The Creative Avoidance Pattern
- You're generating sales and the business feels like it's working, so checking the numbers seems unnecessary (until it's not)
- That anxiety about opening your bank account isn't about the math - it's about facing whether your current pace is actually sustainable
- The same discipline that makes finance uncomfortable is what turns random income months into predictable growth
- Your business surviving so far doesn't mean it's structured to scale next year
From Spreadsheets to Strategy
- Setting up your LLC and basic P&L from day one isn't perfectionism - it's the difference between building a hobby and building a business
- The profit and loss statement is just the puzzle pieces showing how you get to your actual take-home cash each month
- Forecasting doesn't have to be complicated: start with your sales trend, factor in launches or new products, set realistic monthly targets
- Working with a financial professional early prevents the expensive mess of cleaning up two years of avoidance later
The Fractional Advantage
- Traditional consultants give you ideas from 30,000 feet and disappear - fractional officers are in the weeds running plays with you
- You need someone who sees the end result of their suggestions, not just someone who points out opportunities and leaves
- The "charge your worth" narrative has made people afraid of offering introductory periods, but sometimes free work upfront unlocks revenue you couldn't access alone
- Being integrated into the business means having actual skin in the game, not just presenting strategy decks
This conversation reminds us that avoiding your numbers doesn't make them go away - it just makes the gap between where you are and where you want to be harder to close. Whether you're side-hustling while keeping your corporate job or finally ready to make the leap, this episode offers the practical framework and honest reality check to move forward strategically.
Looking for more on building sustainable systems? Check out Episode 5 where we explore how to lock back in without starting over.
Follow Krysta:
@thekrystahuber
@thefitnessfyx
Connect with Mary Houle:
Instagram: @marythecfo for financial strategy and business structure insights
