Episode 20: The Milestone Episode — What Comes Next for Past the Balance Sheet

We made it to Episode 20, and this one is a little different. In this milestone episode, Kash and Sassy take a step back to reflect on the journey so far, the listener feedback that shaped the show, and the shift from scripted structure to the honest, unscripted conversations that now define Past the Balance Sheet.

We share listener stats, talk about what surprised us, and pull back the curtain on how episode ideas come to life. We also dig into what may be next for the podcast, including listener-submitted dilemmas, possible guest episodes, messy business topics, and the conversations we have not been brave enough to fully unpack yet.

And in true Past the Balance Sheet fashion, we do not stay surface-level for long. This episode opens the door to one of those harder conversations: how founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs can become the problem inside the business. We talk about what happens when great vision is paired with poor leadership, when owners struggle to let go, and when the person who built the business becomes the barrier to its next stage of growth.

This episode is part celebration, part reflection, and part preview of where we are headed next.

Episode 19: Sometimes the biggest cash leak in a business is not a vendor, customer, or payroll — it is the owner.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy unpack the uncomfortable but necessary conversation around owner draws, distributions, payroll, and the impact those decisions have on cash flow. Owners absolutely deserve to be paid, but the business can only support what it can actually afford.

They discuss how entity structure matters, why LLCs, S-Corps, and C-Corps handle owner compensation differently, and why conversations with your CPA should not wait until tax season. They also dig into the risks of pulling cash without looking at the balance sheet, accounts receivable, inventory, debt payments, taxes, and future obligations.

This episode is a reminder that profit does not always mean available cash. Before taking the next draw, owners need to ask the harder question: is this money truly available, or is it coming from payroll, taxes, vendors, debt, or future cash flow?

If you are a business owner, bookkeeper, accountant, or finance professional helping owners make better decisions, this episode is for you.

Episode 18: Leadership and People Management

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy dig into one of the most overlooked financial drivers in business: leadership and people management.

Most business owners think their biggest challenges are financial, but the root issue is often people — hiring, accountability, communication, culture, and knowing when someone is no longer the right fit. Kash and Sassy break down the difference between leadership and management, why clear expectations matter, how poor performance impacts profitability, and why avoiding hard conversations can quietly cost a business more than owners realize.

They also share real-world stories about hiring mistakes, firing difficult employees, managing team expectations, and the financial ripple effect of keeping the wrong people too long.

Because payroll may show up on the P&L, but poor leadership shows up everywhere.

Episode 17: Depreciation and amortization show up on your financials every month, but most business owners do not fully understand what they mean, where they show up, or why they matter.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy break down the difference between depreciation and amortization in plain English. They talk about tangible assets like vehicles, equipment, computers, and buildings, as well as intangible assets like trademarks, patents, software, client lists, and non-competes.

They also dig into why these items hit both the P&L and the balance sheet, how useful life and depreciation schedules impact your numbers, why CPA involvement matters, and how these entries affect taxes, forecasting, profitability, asset tracking, and even business valuation.

This conversation is especially important for business owners who have assets on the balance sheet, are preparing for growth, thinking about selling, or simply want to understand what their financials are actually telling them.

The biggest takeaway: your financials are only useful if they reflect reality. Depreciation and amortization are part of that reality, whether you have been paying attention to them or not.

Episode 16: Budget vs. Forecast: Why Your Plan and Reality Check Are Not the Same Thing

January starts with big goals, clean spreadsheets, and a budget that feels solid. Then real life happens. Revenue shifts, expenses spike, contracts move, and suddenly the budget you built no longer matches the business you are actually running.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy break down the difference between a budget, a forecast, and a cash flow forecast — and why business owners need all three. A budget gives you the plan. A forecast gives you the reality check. Cash flow shows whether the business can actually support the decisions being made.

They also dig into department budgets, underspending, overspending, sales forecasts, acquisition readiness, chart of account cleanup, and why too much detail in your financials can create just as much confusion as not enough.

The big takeaway: changing the forecast does not mean you failed. It means the business moved — and good leaders adjust with it.

If your budget is collecting digital dust, this episode is your reminder to update the rest of the year based on what is actually happening now.

Episode 15: ROI gets thrown around in business all the time, but most leaders are not really asking about return on investment. They are asking whether the cost feels uncomfortable.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy unpack what ROI actually means, how it differs from IRR, and why the most important parts of investment decisions are not always found in the formula.

From marketing campaigns and trade shows to CRMs, project management software, hiring, payroll, and team adoption, this conversation goes beyond the math and into the leadership decisions behind the spend.

Because a true investment is not just about money going out. It is about what comes back, when it comes back, and whether the business has the systems, data, and team buy-in to make the return real.

If you have ever hesitated before signing a check, questioned whether software was worth it, or wondered how to measure the ROI of people, time, and operational efficiency, this episode is for you.

We are not just talking about financial metrics. We are talking about the thinking behind them.

Episode 14: The 5-Year Commitment to Self – The Time Capsule Reveal

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, we’re going beyond goals, timelines, and “perfect timing” and talking about the deeper commitment it takes to build a life that actually feels aligned.

After attending Mel Robbins’ Let Them tour together, we unpack the ideas that hit us the hardest: releasing control, letting people have their opinions, choosing yourself anyway, and writing a future you are willing to fight for.

We also reveal our own time capsule reflections and talk about what it means to commit to the version of yourself you say you want to become.

This episode is for the business owner, leader, parent, or human who has been waiting for permission, certainty, money, approval, or fear to move out of the way.

You do not need perfect timing to start.

You do not need everyone else to understand.

You just need to decide what you are building and start acting like it is possible.

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that they are allowed to want more for their life.

Episode 13: Three months in. Thirteen episodes deep. One messy, honest milestone.

In this episode of Past the Balance Sheet, Kash and Sassy pause to reflect on the first 90 days of the podcast: why they started, what they’ve learned, what has changed, and what has happened behind the scenes.

From financial strategy and leadership pressure to cash flow chaos, hard conversations, public speaking fears, partnership dynamics, and a few very real bloopers, this episode pulls back the curtain on building something in public.

Kash and Sassy talk about the foundation behind the show, the feedback that helped shape its direction, the shift from scripted episodes to more natural conversations, and the lessons they are learning as business owners, leaders, and friends.

They also share what is coming next, including deeper conversations around ROI, EBITDA, balance sheets, budgets, forecasting, tax strategy, company culture, leadership, guests, audits, and future listener Q&A.

This episode is reflective, honest, funny, and very much in the messy middle — exactly where real growth tends to happen.

If you’ve been here since day one, thank you. If you’re just finding us, welcome to the conversation.

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with another business owner or leader who is building something real.