The Revenue Trap: How to Escape and Thrive
This episode explores the vital importance of building financial health within your business. I’m Deb, a certified Profit First Professional, and in this opening episode, I break down the essential steps for transforming a business that might look successful on the outside but feels chaotic behind the scenes.
We tackle a common but often hidden issue—the revenue trap. It’s a place many business owners find themselves in: generating strong revenue but still struggling with stress, cash flow issues, and uncertainty. I share my personal story—how I moved from simply surviving to running a profitable, sustainable business that funds both my lifestyle and my goals. At the heart of it? Prioritising profit and creating a clear, structured financial system.
This episode is your foundation for gaining financial confidence and clarity, so your business can support your life—instead of draining it.
About the Podcast:
The Financially Healthy Business Podcast begins with this powerful look at the real reasons so many business owners feel stuck financially—despite hitting revenue milestones. Drawing on my experience as a Profit First Professional, I explore what it really takes to escape the revenue trap and build a business that pays you well and supports your dreams.
I share relatable stories from my own journey, including the messy middle stages and the moment things began to change when I implemented the Profit First method. You’ll hear how structure, intentionality, and a better way of managing money helped me go from confusion to control.
Because financial health isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the way you manage them, the habits you form, and the choices you make.
The podcast follows the structure of my book, providing a clear roadmap to financial mastery. Each episode will cover a key theme—from cash flow and profit to planning, performance, and exit strategies—all in 15 to 20-minute bite-sized episodes.
As we begin this journey together, know this: you're not alone. I’m here to guide you step by step so you can build a business that funds your freedom, not your stress.
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of understanding financial health beyond mere revenue generation.
- Listeners will learn strategies to reduce financial stress and achieve sustainable business growth.
- Deb Halliday shares her personal journey of transitioning from survival mode to financial stability.
- This series aims to provide actionable insights and structured guidance for business owners.
- Each episode is designed to help listeners gain clarity and confidence in their business finances.
- The podcast advocates for a proactive approach to managing business finances to support personal life goals.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Accounts Ladies
- Accounts Office Academy
- Profit First
Transcript
Foreign Healthy Business Podcast for business owners who want the confidence on cash flow that supports the life they actually want to live.
Speaker A:I'm Deb Halliday, Profit First Professional, founder of award winning accountancy practice the Accounts Ladies and the Accounts Office Academy and author of how to Build a Financially Healthy Business.
Speaker A:Learn how to take control of your finances, reduce stress and grow sustainably because your business should support your life, not consume it.
Speaker A:Let's get started.
Speaker A:Hi, I'm Deb Halladay, a Profit First Professional, founder of the Accounts Ladies and creator of the Accounts Office Academy.
Speaker A:I'm also the author of how to Build a Financially Healthy Business.
Speaker A:Stress Less and Pay Yourself More and this is the very first episode of the Financially Healthy Business Podcast.
Speaker A:If you've ever felt like your business is doing well on the outside, but inside is chaos.
Speaker A:If you've worked hard, hit revenue goals and still can't pay yourself consistently, then you are absolutely in the right place.
Speaker A:In this series, I'm walking you through the very steps I used to transform my business from invoice to invoice survival mode into a sustainable, profitable, low stress business.
Speaker A:And I'll help you do the same chapter by chapter.
Speaker A:Let's get into why this book and this podcast needed to be created.
Speaker A:The problem why I wrote this book.
Speaker A:I've been self employed for over 20 years and in that time I've seen the same thing over and over again.
Speaker A:Not just in my own journey, but in clients, colleagues and countless business owners.
Speaker A:They know their ideal client, they know how to sell, they know how to hustle, but they don't know how to keep the money they make.
Speaker A:They're chasing revenue, copying competitors prices, but have no idea if those competitors are actually profitable or even paying themselves.
Speaker A:So they end up stuck working constantly but not getting ahead, panicking about tax bills, not knowing how much they can safely spend, and often not paying themselves at all.
Speaker A:This is what I call the revenue trap.
Speaker A:Because revenue means nothing if there's no profit, no pay and no financial peace.
Speaker A:I wrote this book and created this podcast because I don't want you to stay stuck in that trap.
Speaker A:My story from survival Mode to Structure Let me be real with you.
Speaker A:I'm not someone who had it all figured out from the start.
Speaker A:I'm a mum.
Speaker A:I'm a single parent.
Speaker A:I've worked part time around the kids, I've juggled caring for an elderly parent, homeschooling during lockdowns, and rebuilding from scratch when life threw curveballs.
Speaker A:There were years where I lived invoice to invoice earning, spending, guessing, hoping.
Speaker A:And there was a moment I remember so clearly sitting at the kitchen table, exhausted and realizing that no matter how hard I worked, I wasn't getting anywhere.
Speaker A:Something had to change.
Speaker A:I discovered the Profit first method and it changed everything.
Speaker A:It gave me structure.
Speaker A:It helped me prioritise my pay plan for tax and finally feel in control.
Speaker A:And it's the foundation of everything I teach inside the Accounts Office Academy and in this podcast.
Speaker A:What does Financially Healthy Actually Mean?
Speaker A:So what is a financially healthy business?
Speaker A:It's not just one that makes sales.
Speaker A:It's a business that pays you consistently, has a clear plan for tax, profit and operating costs, can handle a slow month without panic, allows you to take holidays, gives you freedom, not more stress.
Speaker A:It's a business that supports your life goals, not just your business goals.
Speaker A:And here's the truth.
Speaker A:Financial health isn't about being good at maths.
Speaker A:It's about being clear, organized and intentional with your money.
Speaker A:That's what we're going to help you build in this podcast.
Speaker A:What to Expect from this Podcast this series follows the structure of my book and it's broken into levels like a financial fitness program.
Speaker A:Here's what's coming up.
Speaker A:Level one Cash Flow and Profit Mastery.
Speaker A:We'll start by organizing your money, stripping expenses and making profit first work for you.
Speaker A:Level 2 Personal and Business Stability.
Speaker A:We'll talk about owner's pay, getting out of debt and making sure your business supports your personal life, optimization and growth.
Speaker A:Once the foundations are strong, we'll cover tax essentials, tracking your performance and scaling without stress.
Speaker A:Level 4 strategic planning and Exit Options.
Speaker A:You'll build a contingency plan, think long term and explore whether to stick, scale or exit your business when the time is right.
Speaker A:Each episode is 15 to 20 minutes.
Speaker A:Each one gives you a clear takeaway and they're all designed to help you go from confusion to confidence with your business finances.
Speaker A:So here's your action step for today.
Speaker A:Take a moment and ask yourself, Is your business really financially healthy?
Speaker A:Are you paying yourself consistently?
Speaker A:Do you have money set aside for tax?
Speaker A:Do you feel calm and in control or anxious and reactive?
Speaker A:Wherever you are right now, you're not alone and you're not stuck.
Speaker A:This podcast is your roadmap to clarity, control and financial confidence.
Speaker A:If you've got a copy of my book, you can read along as we go.
Speaker A:If you haven't yet, grab it at www.how to build a financially healthy business.co.uk it's packed with tools, templates and step by step guidance.
Speaker A:You can take our quiz, join our Profit first five Day Challenge and get more info about the Academy.
Speaker A:Thanks for listening to the Financially Healthy Business Podcast with me, Deb Halliday.
Speaker A:Next episode, we're diving straight into Chapter one.
Speaker A:Let's get your cash organized.
Speaker A:You'll learn how to separate your business finances, ditch the guesswork and set up your first steps of profit first without needing to be a spreadsheet wizard.
Speaker A:Don't forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Speaker A:And if this helped, you, share it with another business owner who needs some financial clarity too.
Speaker A:Here's to less stress, more profit, and a business that supports your life.
Speaker A:See you next time.
Speaker A:Thanks for tuning in to the Financially Healthy Business Podcast.
Speaker A:If today's episode helped you take a step closer to building a business that supports your life, share it with a fellow business owner.
Speaker A:Follow the show or leave a review.
Speaker A:It all helps to get the message to the people that need it.
Speaker A:Head to HowToBuildaFinanciallyHealthyBusiness Co UK and explore the tools, resources and online programs.
Speaker A:You didn't start your business just to survive, you started it to thrive.
