Samantha (Strategic Bookkeeper & Fractional CFO for Creatives)
Fractional CFO and strategic bookkeeper for creatives; shares budgeting, cash flow, month-end process, and systems/tooling tips for SMB finance.
Monthly Profit‑First Checks Prevent Small Misses Turning Big
Pulled a client's books last week and caught that her Profit First account allocations had stopped flowing in April. The fix was quick. The reason I check this every month is because nobody else does, and the small misses compound into the big surprises later.
Turn Your Bank Balance Into Actionable Forecast
May just started and I have two spots open for fractional CFO services. If you're a creative who's been making financial decisions based on your bank balance instead of an actual forecast, that's usually the sign. The missing piece is usually...
Turn Cash Flow Forecasts Into Real Hiring Decisions
When a client asks me "can I afford to hire this summer" I can pull up their cash flow forecast and give them a real answer in 10 minutes. That's what I'm building during close week. The monthly numbers feed the...
Guard Your Mornings: Prioritize Deep Work Over Distractions
Close week energy: coffee is stronger, the playlist is longer, and I don't answer Slack until my first client's books are reconciled. I'm very protective of my mornings during close because that's when my brain is sharpest for the detail work....
Financials Need Context, Not Just Raw Numbers
One thing I will never do is close someone's books and just send a P&L with no context. I see it all the time. A PDF with numbers, no email explaining what changed, no insight into what's coming, no "hey here's...
Mid‑Afternoon Outdoor Break Boosts Brain, Dogs Agree
The dogs have officially claimed the park routine as non-negotiable. We've been going almost every day and I swear they start getting antsy around 4 PM because they know it's coming. Fi collars tracking everything so we know they're hitting their...
Intense Weekly Financial Reviews Drive Client Insight
It's close week and my whole schedule flips. Every client gets a full financial review. I'm comparing this month to last month, flagging what changed, updating cash flow forecasts, and writing the advisory emails that tell each client what they need...
Treat Your Finances Like Clients for Monthly Clarity
May month ends start Monday and I'm going into it feeling clear on where my business stands. I know my numbers. I know my goals. I know exactly what I need to close and what's coming next. And that clarity didn't...
Limited Spots: Get Clear Financial Visibility for Creatives
Last day of April and I still have one open spot this month. May is opening up with two spots and I want creatives who are ready to get real visibility into their numbers. If you've been wondering whether you can...
Patience Beats Speed: Quality Leads Grow Slowly
Slow growth has been the theme of my business lately and I'm learning to be really okay with that. My spots aren't filling overnight. Leads are trickling and not flooding. And a few months ago that would've stressed me out because...
The Perfect Book Reignites My Romantasy Passion
Started The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray this week and I'm actually really into it. It's a Little Mermaid-inspired Romantasy with some magic woven in and honestly I'd fallen out of the genre for a while because everything started feeling...
Hit Savings Goal, Pay Lump Sum, Accelerate
One of my clients has been saving toward a full website redesign and last week we officially hit the goal. We set a savings target, tracked it in her cash flow forecast, and when I pulled her numbers the final amount...
Classic Godzilla Returns to Theaters, Fans Gear Up
We saw Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla in theaters this weekend and I need to talk about it. Toho is re-releasing classic Godzilla films into theaters all summer and we are fully committed. I've owned these movies for a little bit and...
AI Helps, But Human Insight Still Drives Bookkeeping
I keep seeing the same take in every bookkeeping group. AI is going to replace us. Sure, AI can categorize and reconcile. But it's working from the context you give it and if you don't understand your financials well enough to...
Treat Every Client Like a New Book Chapter
Reading Brimstone by Callie Hart this weekend after loving Quicksilver and honestly the way I approach a new book is the same way I approach new client books. You open it up, take in the first chapter, and start figuring out...