Are you chasing sales but still struggling to see money in the bank? In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business Podcast, financial strategist and Profit First professional Pam Jordan explains why focusing on revenue alone is a dangerous trap for business owners. Instead, she shows you how to get radically intentional about profit—because at the end of the day, it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep.

Dive into the crucial differences between sales, profit, and cash flow, and why so many business owners confuse them. You’ll discover how to shift your mindset and your numbers so your business works for you, not against you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why sales don’t equal success—and how to avoid being “rich but broke”
• The critical difference between profit and cash flow (and why both matter)
• How to price your products and services based on real profitability
• Practical steps to apply the Profit First method in your business
• Why knowing your numbers is essential to scaling, exiting, or building legacy wealth
• How to stay profitable even when external challenges force you to pivot

If you want to stop leaving profit to chance and start building a business that delivers financial freedom, this conversation is packed with insights you can apply immediately.

Pam Jordan is the CEO of Pivot Business Group. With her no-nonsense approach and expertise in financial analysis and strategic growth, Pam has become a driving force behind the success of fast-growing companies. With over 20 years of experience in assisting small businesses, Pam has mastered the art of translating the story of numbers to empower entrepreneurs. With her guidance and expertise, Pivot Business Group is dedicated to helping businesses reach their destinations while ensuring their financial engines run smoothly.

Pam is also a wife and mom to 3 kids.

www.pamjordan.com

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If you’ve ever had a great idea for a product or brand but weren’t sure how to protect it—or whether it was even worth pursuing—this episode will change how you think about intellectual property. In this conversation, Paul Sweeney speaks with Jeff Holman, founder of Intellectual Strategies, who combines engineering, law, and business expertise to guide innovators from concept to commercial success.

Jeff breaks down the essentials of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, and explains how small and medium businesses can use these tools strategically—not just to defend their creations, but to drive growth. You’ll learn why intellectual property should be part of your business plan from day one, how to validate your ideas without overspending, and the critical steps to avoid infringing on someone else’s rights.

The episode also explores the dangers of skipping early-stage legal checks, the complexities of international IP protection, and how the “fractional legal team” model can give growing businesses big-company legal expertise at a fraction of the cost. Whether you’re a start-up founder, an inventor, or a scaling business, this is a masterclass in protecting your innovation and building with confidence.

Jeff Holman helps founders, innovators, and scaling companies solve one of the most frustrating problems in business: how to navigate legal, business, and strategic decisions without burning time, money, or momentum. As the founder of Intellectual Strategies, Jeff created the Fractional Legal Team model—designed specifically for start-ups and growth-stage companies who need expert legal help without the overhead of a full-time legal department.

But legal is only part of the picture. Jeff is one of the rare advisors who blends the rigor of an engineer, the precision of an attorney, the perspective of an MBA, and the scrappy mindset of an entrepreneur. For over two decades, he’s worked with companies across SaaS, ecommerce, consumer products, and technology—helping founders not just protect what they’re building, but strategically grow it. Jeff’s guiding principle—both in business and in life—is simple: “Innovate with Confidence.” It’s not just a slogan; it’s the objective that drives how he supports his clients, how he operates his own business, and how he shows up for his family.

Whether it’s guiding a founder through IP strategy, helping a leadership team build a real business strategy, or navigating a complex deal, Jeff’s focus is always on turning complexity into clarity—and helping people take bold, confident action toward what they’re building. When he’s not translating between the worlds of legal, tech, and business, Jeff speaks on topics like business strategy, innovation mindsets, and how companies can use fractional services to scale smarter.

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www.intellectualstrategies.com

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Succession planning isn’t just about passing on a business—it’s about protecting your legacy, preserving value, and ensuring the people you care about aren’t left scrambling when you’re gone.

In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney sits down with Rob Ferguson, seasoned CEO, trusted advisor, and founder of Ferguson Alliance, to unpack the essential steps for building a strong succession plan. Rob shares why waiting until you’re “ready to retire” is far too late, how to avoid the “founder’s trap” where the business can’t function without you, and why intangible assets—your brand, relationships, systems, and culture—are often worth more than your tangible ones.

You’ll learn how to start planning from day one, create a business that can thrive without your daily involvement, and transition smoothly to the next generation or a buyer while keeping your purpose intact. Whether you plan to sell, hand over the reins to family, or keep the business in the community, this episode offers practical strategies and a mindset shift that will help you secure the future of your hard work.

Get Rob's free eBook, The Prosperity Plan.

Rob Ferguson has been a trusted advisor to family businesses since 2010. Prior to becoming an advisor, Rob had a distinguished career in leadership – including ten years as a CEO at two different companies. One was a public company with $300 million in revenue, the other a family business with $100 million in revenue where he successfully managed the restructuring and sale of the company. Rob has led companies through 10x growth, helped turn struggling companies around, and has conducted more than $100 million in acquisitions.

Rob's company, Ferguson Alliance, is on a mission to increase the lifespan of family businesses. Rob believes that with the right foundation in place, businesses can live infinitely.

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www.ferguson-alliance.com

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Can you really be a great entrepreneur and a present parent at the same time?

In this heartfelt and honest episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney is joined by Dan Peterson — founder of Flip Switch Social Media, and father of three — for a real talk about the challenges of entrepreneurship and parenting.

If you're a business owner trying to juggle growing a business while showing up for your family, this conversation will resonate deeply. Dan shares how he’s learned (and is still learning) to give himself grace, why balance is a myth, and how embracing imperfection has actually made him a better parent and entrepreneur.

You’ll walk away with:

• A new mindset around "balance" between business and family
• Practical insights for handling guilt and internal pressure
• Encouragement to re-centre on why you started your business in the first place
• A reminder that showing up — even imperfectly — still counts

Whether you're a parent running a business or someone who supports one, this is a must-listen episode that acknowledges the messy, meaningful, and beautiful overlap of work and life.

Dan Peterson has 25+ years of experience in small business management and ownership. Most recently (in 2012), Dan founded FlipSwitch Social Media, a nationally recognized, award winning social media agency that helps small to midsize businesses grow using the power of social media.

Dan aims to help motivate and guide other entrepreneurs and businesspeople using his diverse range of experience across multiple genres of business.

Dan is also a singer-songwriter acoustic guitarist who performs throughout Chicagoland on a regular basis.

In 2008 Dan married his amazing wife Amy, and is the proud father of three daughters: Kylie, Taylor and Brooklyn.

www.flipswitchsocialmedia.com

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What if your next great client is already looking at your LinkedIn profile—right now—and you’re sending them away?

In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney sits down with LinkedIn strategist and author Daniel Alfon to reveal how most business owners are misusing LinkedIn—and what to do instead. Daniel strips away the noise and shows you how to turn your personal profile into a high-performing business tool that attracts the right prospects and moves them to action.

You’ll discover why your profile matters more than your content, why your company page isn’t where the action is, and how to create a focused presence that actually leads to revenue—not just likes, follows, or empty metrics. Whether you’re a B2B business, a consultant, or a service provider, this conversation will reshape how you think about LinkedIn and help you align your efforts with your business goals.

Forget the pressure to post daily. It’s time to stop serving the algorithm—and start serving your business.

Check out Daniel's LinkedIn cheat sheet here: www.danielalfon.com/#freebie Daniel states, "Our profile headline is the single most important real estate on LinkedIn. This cheat sheet contains examples, a formula and how-tos. All of those enable you to craft a killer Headline."

Daniel Alfon is the author of "Build a LinkedIn Profile for Business Success", and he's been on LinkedIn since February 2004 (yes, you read right).

Daniel sees LinkedIn as an extremely powerful tool that's mostly misunderstood. After training thousands of people on LinkedIn, Daniel developed a simple method that can help leaders reach their objective - without cold connecting, paying for a premium account, advertising or trying to become someone else. Daniel will get you thinking about your LinkedIn strategy, networking, and doing what's smart and not what's popular.

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www.danielalfon.com

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If you’ve ever played a sport—and especially if you’ve tried to turn your sporting passion into a business—this episode is a must-listen. Paul Sweeney sits down with Pete Moore, founder of Integrity Square and the driving force behind the HALO sector (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoors). Pete has helped generate over $1.5 billion in transactions across fitness, wellness, and sports businesses. In this episode, he shares why many ex-athletes struggle to transition into business—and how they can use the same mindset and strategies from sport to win in the business world.

Listeners will learn how to rethink their business like a sports team: building a playbook, taking timeouts, knowing your competitors inside out, and putting your team in uniform—literally. Pete also unpacks why the word “wellness” is outdated and how “HALO” offers a more aspirational, results-driven framework for anyone in the fitness, coaching, or health ecosystem. If you want practical strategies, fresh ideas, and an inspiring push to think bigger, this is the episode to energize your next business move.

Get Pete's book Time to Win Again.

Pete Moore, founder of Integrity Square—a leading financial advisory firm that’s helped drive over $1.5 billion in transactions across the HALO sector. Pete’s worked with everyone from boutique fitness studios to major wellness brands, and he’s the author of Time to Win Again, a book packed with actionable takeaways for business owners navigating change and growth.

Pete’s also the host of the HALO Talks podcast, where over 8,000 professionals tune in for insights on strategy, investment, and innovation in health and wellness.

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www.thehaloacademy.com

www.halotalks.com

www.integritysq.com

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Are you feeling stuck in your business—like you're pushing a boulder uphill with no reward in sight? In this episode, business coach and leadership expert Liz Wolfe joins host Paul Sweeney to unpack why hard work isn’t always the answer, and how your leadership style might be the hidden culprit holding you back. With over 25 years of experience coaching entrepreneurs, Liz shares practical strategies to help you move from frustration to momentum.

You’ll learn:

• Why “working harder” and having more credentials or connections aren’t the keys to success
• The four leadership styles for entrepreneurs—and how to identify yours
• The 3 key principles to shift your mindset and unlock business growth: Ask powerfully, Give wholeheartedly, Receive graciously
• How to build the right team around your strengths (and avoid hiring clones of yourself)
• Why embracing an abundance mindset is critical for forward movement

If you’ve ever compared yourself to others on social media, questioned your abilities, or wondered why success feels out of reach despite your efforts—this episode will help you identify what’s really keeping you stuck and what steps to take to break through.

Liz Wolfe is a business coach who got her entrepreneurial start growing up on a sheep farm in Western Pennsylvania. Later she moved to NYC to get as far away from the farming life as possible. She started her business with her husband 25 years ago and coaches individuals to get unstuck so they can launch and grow an abundant business. Liz coaches her clients to incorporate the three keys to an abundant business: Ask Powerfully, Give Wholeheartedly, and Receive Graciously. She also plays the ukulele and is half of the singing duo Ukulicious.

Get Liz's download Overcome the 5 Biggest Fears of Selling

Book a free business strategy session

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If you've ever looked at your business bank account and wondered, “Where did all the money go?”—this episode is for you. Discover why so many small business owners feel frustrated when their business shows a profit on paper but has no cash to show for it. In this powerful episode, certified Profit First professional Debbie Deknight breaks down how traditional accounting sets businesses up for financial confusion—and how the Profit First system flips the formula to help you take control of your cash flow, get clarity, and build sustainable profits from day one.

What you'll learn:

• Why your business can be profitable on paper but still cash-poor
• The simple mindset shift behind the Profit First formula: Sales – Profit = Expenses
• How to create financial clarity using multiple “small plate” bank accounts
• The importance of allocating profit first—even if it’s just 1%
• Why working with a certified advisor can fast-track your results
• Practical tips to start small and avoid common pitfalls when adopting Profit First

Debbie shares real-world advice from decades in the accounting industry and gives listeners a clear roadmap to reduce stress, build financial resilience, and finally stop dreading tax time. Whether you're in your first year or looking to overhaul your cash flow strategy, this episode offers immediate, actionable steps to start running a healthier, more profitable business.

Debbie Deknight is the founder of Right Way Profits and Bookkeeping LLC. She leverages her 30+ years of accounting expertise and her certification as a Master Certified Profit First expert to guide businesses toward financial clarity. She empowers business owners to make informed decisions that lead to real, lasting profitability. Debbie's goal is to help organizations achieve financial independence through clear and efficient cash flow and accounting strategies. If you're serious about building a profitable business, Debbie is here to provide you with the guidance you need for long-term success.

www.rightwayprofits.com

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