In this episode of Adrienne Barker Speaks No Prep Needed, Adrienne sits down with Jon Morris, founder of Fiscal Advocate and the entrepreneur who grew Rise Interactive from a $10K business plan competition win into a nearly $40 million digital agency before selling it. Jon breaks down financial strategy in plain English, explaining how service-based businesses can use their numbers to grow faster, become more profitable, and stop making emotional decisions that quietly sabotage long-term success. From understanding why most companies get stuck at the same revenue level to knowing when growth requires spending less profit, not more hustle, this conversation is a masterclass in clarity, leadership, and financial truth-telling.

Six Key Takeaways

→ There are only three KPIs that truly matter: cash on hand, profit margin and revenue growth → Most service based businesses stall because gross margins are too low not because sales are too weak

→ Spending more money does not guarantee growth but reducing the right expenses always improves stability

→ People costs make up roughly 80 percent of service businesses so financial fixes require emotional leadership

→ Profitable companies often fail to grow because they under invest in sales marketing and innovation

→ A strong finance strategy removes emotion from decision-making and gives CEOs the confidence to act

Who This Episode Is For → Founders and CEOs of service based businesses earning between $5M and $50M → Business owners who feel stuck at the same revenue level year after year → Leaders who want clarity instead of guessing month to month → Entrepreneurs who want their financial data actually to guide growth decisions

How to Connect With Jon Morris Website →http://www.fiscaladvocate.com