Congratulations! You've negotiated protected time and set up your clinic, but now you realise you're running a small business. Surprise! Join Simon Couillard and Imran Satia as they tackle the reality nobody prepared you for: research costs money, and managing it is a skill you should ideally not learn by trial and error. From startup funds that vanish faster than expected to hidden costs to think about, this episode gets into the financial trenches of early-career research. Learn which budget mistakes to avoid. Discover strategies for stretching limited resources, building profitable research programs, and knowing when your budget is in trouble before it's too late. Practical tips on equipment sharing, personnel planning, and the reinvestment strategies that turned early wins into sustainable funding. Plus: budget lifelines, creative solutions, and proof that financial disasters can become success stories. Because tending your budget isn't just accounting: it's protecting your research dreams. Listen in!