Shows
UnbalancedWhat bad bookkeeping actually costs your clients with Melissa GuinnMelissa Guinn once found $180,000 of loan proceeds misclassified as income. Her client had paid taxes on money that was never earnings. A corrected return later, the client received $40,000 back. That kind of discovery is not luck. It is what happens when a bookkeeper asks enough questions, runs a real onboarding process, and knows what to look for.Melissa is the owner of Lookout Bookkeeping in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a virtual firm serving service-based businesses and real estate investors. In this conversation, she talks through the real cost of underpriced services, how she made the shift from hourly to...
2026-05-0644 min
UnbalancedWhat you don’t see coming as a firm owner with Erin PohanErin Pohan, founder of Upkeeping and creator of WAVE Seattle, joins Sam and Candy for a conversation about the parts of firm ownership no one really prepares you for. From building real community in the accounting profession to navigating a $100,000 IRS notice and a years-long fight to protect her business, Erin shares what it looks like to keep going when the unexpected hits.Along the way, they talk about conferences, connection, and why finding your people matters more than anything when work and life get complicated. This episode is honest, funny at times, and grounded in the...
2026-04-2846 min
UnbalancedFrom doing the work to leading the work with Rachel DauchyWhat changes when you go from doing the work to leading a team doing it for you?In this episode, Rachel Dauchy shares what growth actually looks like behind the scenes, from navigating client expectations that don’t evolve with your business, to hiring, letting go, and learning how to trust your team. She talks about building a firm rooted in systems, automation, and specialization, while still holding onto the parts of the work she genuinely loves.This conversation also challenges the way we think about accounting itself. Not as rigid or purely technical, but as...
2026-04-211h 09
UnbalancedWhy most accountants are asking the wrong questions with Debra KilsheimerMost accountants were taught to focus on the work. The transactions, the categorization, the details. But that’s not what clients actually need.In this episode of Unbalanced, Debra Kilsheimer challenges the way the profession has always operated. She shares why accounting should be about asking better questions, not just producing reports, and how AI is forcing a shift away from data entry toward real decision-making.From her unfiltered take on software and the future of the industry to her perspective on confidence, pricing, and doing things your own way, this conversation is equal parts pr...
2026-04-1459 min
UnbalancedThe moment your biggest client becomes your biggest risk with Tiffany GonzalezWhat looks like growth on paper can quietly introduce risk beneath the surface. Tiffany Gonzalez shares how one client scaling rapidly forced her to confront client concentration, shifting power dynamics, and the pressure it puts on teams. She walks through how she navigated that moment without reacting from fear, including restructuring internally and returning to sales with intention. This conversation explores pricing discipline, boundaries, and what it really takes to build a resilient firm. It is an honest look at the tradeoffs firm owners face as they grow.Powered by Anchor.
2026-04-0742 min
UnbalancedWhat almost broke her business taught her the most with Karen ReeseIn this episode of Unbalanced, Candy Bellau and Sam Hallburn sit down with Karen Reese of Starlight Bookkeeping for an honest conversation about the hard lessons that come with building a business. Karen opens up about trust gone wrong, cash flow mistakes, pricing clarity, and learning to put the right safeguards in place as her firm grew. It’s a grounded, practical episode about what firm owners often learn the hard way and what it really takes to build a business that works for you, not just because of you.Powered by Anchor.
2026-03-3144 min
UnbalancedThe mistake every new founder makes in their first year with Blair DrakeMost founders don’t struggle because they aren’t capable, they struggle because they say yes to the wrong things early on. In this episode of Unbalanced, Blair Drake shares what her first year in business actually looked like, from a slow start to taking on work that pulled her away from what she really wanted to build. She opens up about the moment things shifted, not from doing more, but from getting clearer on her value and what she needed to say no to. This conversation explores the tension between being needed and being effective, and why patience, boun...
2026-03-2443 min
UnbalancedShe tried psychedelic therapy to heal burnout. What happened next shocked her with Dr. Kristy ShortDr. Kristy Short returns to the Unbalanced Podcast for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about mental health and what it really takes to heal. She shares the story behind her book Civil Warrior, the breaking point that forced her to rethink everything, and why high performers are often the best at hiding their struggles. Kristy also opens up about a psychedelic therapy experience that helped her confront fear, control, and the pressure she had carried for decades. This conversation explores burnout, anxiety, leadership, and the courage it takes to show up fully as yourself....
2026-03-1748 min
UnbalancedWhen work becomes a refuge from grief with Liz FarrLiz Farr joins Unbalanced to talk about grief, forgiveness, and the quiet ways work can become a shield. After losing her brother during tax season, her parents in a sudden accident, and later her stepson to violence, Liz reflects on how deeply she had internalized the profession’s expectation to push through and keep producing. This conversation explores how accounting culture shapes the way leaders respond to hardship and what more humane, flexible leadership could look like inside today’s firms.Powered by Anchor.
2026-03-0938 min
UnbalancedWhen success starts to feel like failure in firm ownership with Lynnette Oss ConnellBurnout is one of the most common experiences in firm ownership, yet it is rarely discussed openly. In this episode of Unbalanced, Lynette Oss Connell shares her journey from building a CAS practice to becoming a burnout coach for women in accounting. She talks candidly about the pressure of trying to hold everything together while raising a family, managing illness at home, and running a firm. This conversation explores the mindset shifts that helped her redefine success and why so many firm owners struggle silently. If you’ve ever wondered whether the stress you’re carrying is normal, this epis...
2026-03-0945 min
CPA Trendlines PodcastsCandy Bellau: The $350 Pricing Mistake that Nearly Broke this Boutique Firm | The DisruptorsHow to reset pricing, rebuild margins, and stop “helping” clients into bankruptcy.Full show notes hereThe DisruptorsWith Liz FarrCandy Bellau didn’t set out to build a firm that could operate without her. But her hand was forced when her mother became ill. “I kept dropping the ball at my own company and my team, the long-term members kept picking it up, and slowly but surely, they just absorbed the client work I was doing,” Bellau recalls. MORE DISRUPTORS: Blake Oliver: Build a Biz that R...
2026-02-191h 03
She CountsMarking Ourselves Down: Gender Disparity in PricingCandy Bellau joins Nancy and Questian to discuss a problem that costs women accountants thousands of dollars every year: underpricing. The conversation covers why women tend to charge 25-50% less than men for the same work, how compassionate pricing and relationship loyalty keep us trapped in unsustainable business models, and what changed when Candy discovered male colleagues were quoting double her rates despite having less expertise. The three dive into practical solutions, including reframing value-based pricing, building community support around fee conversations, and remembering that sustainable pricing is not only about personal profit, but also about taking care of...
2025-11-191h 16
Accounting InsidersRemote-First Accounting with Sam Hallburn: Job Costing, Culture, and Zoho Balance🌐 Learn more about Sam and her firm: pbsaccountingandtax.com 🔗 Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: Samantha Hallburn
Connect with Insightful Accountant! 🔔 Subscribe & Stay Updated for expert insights on the latest trends shaping the accounting industry!👉 https://hubs.li/Q03jRllK0👉 Explore our Be Insightful Membership: https://hubs.li/Q03jR86n0Website 👉 http://insightfulaccountant.com/ Twitter (X) 👉 https://twitter.com/insightfulActnt Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/insightfulActnt/ LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/insightful-accountant/
2025-09-1144 min
The Entrepreneur Life PodcastEpisode 18: What I Wish I'd Known with Samantha HallburnWelcome to The Entrepreneur Life Podcast. Your go-to podcast for all things entrepreneurship, accounting, and lifestyle with your host, Katey Maddux, founder, speaker, author, serial entrepreneur, and avid traveler.In this podcast episode, we sit down with special guest - Samantha Hallburn, a trailblazing entrepreneur and the brilliant mind behind both Simplified Accounting Management, Inc. and PBS Accounting and Tax Solutions. Sam takes us on a journey through her remarkable career. As the owner and CEO of two thriving companies, she has been a driving force in helping business owners across the nation reach new heights of...
2023-07-2630 min
Side Hustle HeroThe Best Of Year 1: Top 10 Life LessonsThis is the episode to tune into for inspiration and motivation to start or to scale your side hustle. Here we've curated the Top 10 side hustle life lessons from our heroes of year 1. They're really a diverse group of characters including a rapper, a beekeeper, voice actor, quick books pro advisor, a gnome maker, a cookbook author, a travel writer, and more. What they have in common with each other and with you, is that they have all travelled along the side hustle path. Enjoy! Thanks so much for...
2023-06-2034 min
Build A Better BusinessHow to Get Your Finances Fixed Quick with Quickbooks Expert and Coach Sam HallburnDo you struggle to know what money is coming in and what money is going out of your business? Do you not really know your bottom line - the amount of money you make every month in revenue and profit (because they are two different things)? Do you know you desperately need help with sorting out the financial tangle of your business but just do not want to deal with it? Then you need to hear this episode and you need to reach out to Sam Hallburn.
Sam helps businesses and accounting professionals learn...
2023-05-101h 31
Talking with the Experts2023 EP437 Samantha Hallburn - Taking control of your business so it doesn't take control of youSamantha Hallburn is passionate about helping business owners through burnout and extreme stress but giving them the tools she wishes she would have had when she started her 1st business. She would love to be a part of helping businesses succeed and thrive.
Samantha Hallburn is the founder and CEO of an accounting firm as well as a consulting firm and a national Quickbooks Online educator. I'm passionate about giving back to the business and accounting communities and love helping others succeed.
Connect with Samantha:
IG @sam.inc.services
IG @pbs.accounting.and.tax
FB @pbs.accounting.tax
LI @pbsaccounting
...
2023-03-2127 min
Talking with the Experts: Business Insights2023 EP437 Samantha Hallburn - Taking control of your business so it doesn't take control of youSamantha Hallburn is passionate about helping business owners through burnout and extreme stress but giving them the tools she wishes she would have had when she started her 1st business. She would love to be a part of helping businesses succeed and thrive.Samantha Hallburn is the founder and CEO of an accounting firm as well as a consulting firm and a national Quickbooks Online educator. I'm passionate about giving back to the business and accounting communities and love helping others succeed.Connect with Samantha:IG @sam.inc.servicesIG @pbs.accounting.and.taxFB @pbs.accounting.taxLI @pbsaccountingPROMOTION:https://drive.google...
2023-03-2127 minTalking with the Experts: Business Insights2023 EP437 Samantha Hallburn - Taking control of your business so it doesn't take control of youSamantha Hallburn is passionate about helping business owners through burnout and extreme stress but giving them the tools she wishes she would have had when she started her 1st business. She would love to be a part of helping businesses succeed and thrive.Samantha Hallburn is the founder and CEO of an accounting firm as well as a consulting firm and a national Quickbooks Online educator. I'm passionate about giving back to the business and accounting communities and love helping others succeed.Connect with Samantha:IG @sam.inc.servicesIG @pbs.accounting.and.taxFB @pbs.accounting.taxLI @pbsaccountingPROMOTION:https://drive.google...
2023-03-2127 min
Talking with the Experts: Business Insights2023 EP437 Samantha Hallburn - Taking control of your business so it doesn't take control of youSamantha Hallburn is passionate about helping business owners through burnout and extreme stress but giving them the tools she wishes she would have had when she started her 1st business. She would love to be a part of helping businesses succeed and thrive.Samantha Hallburn is the founder and CEO of an accounting firm as well as a consulting firm and a national Quickbooks Online educator. I'm passionate about giving back to the business and accounting communities and love helping others succeed.Connect with Samantha:IG @sam.inc.servicesIG @pbs.accounting.and.taxFB @pbs.accounting.taxLI @pbsaccountingPROMOTION:https://drive.google...
2023-03-2127 min
Side Hustle HeroEarning 6-Figures As A QuickBooks Pro Advisor With Sam HallburnWith so many people offering bookkeeping and accounting services, how do you start or grow your side hustle in the industry? How do you differentiate yourself? By becoming an expert in one of the top small business accounting software platforms. That's what today's guest, Sam Hallburn did! Sam is a QuickBooks Pro Advisor. Together with her team of five, she generates an annual revenue of $500,000 by serving clients across the United States. In today's episode you'll hear; Crucial information about starting and growing a bookkeeping or accounting service as a side hustle...
2023-02-1440 min