When it comes to running a thriving business, it’s not just the big moves that count—it’s the small, consistent ones that truly build momentum.
In this episode, Danielle Hayden, CEO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., shares the financial micro habits that high-performing CEOs use to stay aligned with their goals, grow strategically, and stay empowered all year long without burning out or second-guessing every decision. Whether you’re in a season of growth or a slower quarter, these habits can help you lead with clarity and confidence.
Key Takeaways:
- Automate for Success: Set up systems to automate your bookkeeping, savings, and financial analysis so you can focus on growth, not spreadsheets.
- Know Your Numbers Year-Round: Make tax planning a monthly habit, not a once-a-year panic. Know your estimates, and stash them away in a high-yield savings account.
- Pay Yourself Intentionally: Gradually increase your pay through sustainable salary and owner’s draw strategies instead of inconsistent withdrawals.
- Consistency Over Trends: Stop pivoting your brand and offerings every quarter. Successful CEOs stay the course and master their strategy. They show up day after day, month after month, and put in the work.
- Your Time Is Money: How long are you going to have to work to recoup the money spent on that new course of software? Knowing your hourly rate helps put a purchase into perspective and allows you to determine if that item is worth the price.
- Spend Strategically, Not for the Tax Write-Off: Only invest in tools, services, or experiences that actually move the needle for your business. If the value is not worth the price tag, then it’s not worth the deduction.
- Talk to Your Money Team: Your financial team is your secret weapon. Book those calls, ask questions, and use their insights to make confident decisions and future-focused strategies.
Topics Discussed:
The Importance of Goal-Based, Automated Savings (00:45 – 03:51)
How to Manage Monthly Tax Estimates Proactively (03:52 – 05:10)
Growing How Much You Pay Yourself Over Time (05:10 - 06:03)
Why Consistency Beats Trendy Business Strategies (06:03 – 08:28)
The Importance of Knowing Your Hourly Rate (08:29 – 09:07)
Spending Strategically, Not Only for the Tax Write-Off (09:08 – 09:53)
Connecting with Your Full Money Team Regularly (09:55 – 14:23)
Resources:
KSA Calculator | How Much to Pay Yourself as a Business Owner
Build Your Money Team Episode | The 4 People You Want on Your Money Team
All Our Episodes & Articles on Taxes | Tackle Your Taxes with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.
KSA Tax Partners | https://ksataxpartners.com/
Book a Call with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.:
https://kickstartaccountinginc.com/book
Connect with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Kickstartaccounting
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@businessbythebooks
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/kickstartaccountinginc
Episode Transcript
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:39:06
Danielle Hayden
Hello and welcome back to Business by the Books, the podcast that teaches you how to use your financials to better manage your business. Today we're going to be talking about the micro habits that successful entrepreneurs have in place consistently to set them up for financial success. My name is Danielle Hayden and I am the CEO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., where we help entrepreneurs understand their numbers, take control of their financials, and show up to tax season ready and empowered.
00:00:39:08 - 00:01:09:20
Danielle Hayden
All right, let's jump right in to the micro habits that you need to have in place as a CEO who is empowered and in charge of their financials. The first micro habit is turning on autopilot. Now, what does this mean in this scenario of business? Having autopilot in place in financials generally means the contributions to our 401(k) or our savings accounts, where you really don't have to think about it.
00:01:09:22 - 00:01:45:04
Danielle Hayden
But what I want you to have on autopilot is your entire bookkeeping and financial statement analysis. I want that on autopilot through your bookkeeping and money team. Our clients enjoy the fact that without them having to do anything, maybe send a statement, maybe just answer a few questions, but without having to go in and do the bookkeeping, or perform the financial analysis that they receive their financial statements and their Snapshot on autopilot.
00:01:45:06 - 00:02:10:01
Danielle Hayden
It is a accountability partner where you don't have to do anything in that Snapshot. That high-level overview of your numbers land in your inbox, and the only thing that you need to do as a business owner is open that email and read through the Snapshot and then book the calls, have a conversation and decide what to do with the information.
00:02:10:03 - 00:02:37:14
Danielle Hayden
But the micro habit is to have a money team in place. Who is going to put receiving your financial statements on autopilot? All right, let's hang on autopilot for another second. Another micro habit that we want you to have in place is to know your goals and start saving for the future. And you can put those savings on autopilot.
00:02:37:16 - 00:03:01:12
Danielle Hayden
You know, here at Kickstart Accounting, we know what our goals are for 2025 and 2026. We also know what our tax liabilities are going to be, and we have automatic savings that are happening every single week. I don't have to think about it. I don't have to decide whether or not I want to do it. I don't have to decide about those goals every single week.
00:03:01:14 - 00:03:28:14
Danielle Hayden
I took the time to set the budget, to create a budget for my business, and now I have the micro habit of having the savings automatically transferred from my operations checking account to our savings account so that we are prepared for future investments. We know that our goal as a firm is to grow, and you cannot grow without having cash.
00:03:28:16 - 00:03:52:08
Danielle Hayden
You need to have cash in the bank to support that growth, and to help pay for the people who are building that enterprise with you. And so we need to have autopilot savings. We can't do that without knowing our goals. You can't do that without knowing our budget. However, the micro habit here is to have your savings on autopilot.
00:03:52:10 - 00:04:21:19
Danielle Hayden
All right, next, I want you to know what your tax estimates are every single month. You heard me. Taxes are no longer a one time per year activity. That is so last year thinking that our taxes are a transaction. We, as responsible business owners, need to have tax planning throughout the year. That's why here at Kickstart, our clients get two things:
00:04:21:21 - 00:04:48:22
Danielle Hayden
they get their financial statements with their Snapshot every single month, and in the Snapshot, we provide the tax reserve number. Now this number looks at your net income for this year. The tax estimates that you're required to pay from the IRS, that's based on last year's income. And I know if you're listening to this podcast, you're growing faster than last year, which means your tax bill is going to be higher,
00:04:48:22 - 00:05:18:15
Danielle Hayden
and we need to be prepared. So the micro habit that you need to have in place is to look at your tax estimate every single month. I'm not saying pay the IRS every month. I want you to move that money into a high yield savings account so that you are ready for tax time. Our next micro habit is to slowly grow how much you pay yourself over time.
00:05:18:17 - 00:05:55:21
Danielle Hayden
We don't need large, inconsistent draws and salary throughout the year. We don't need to do any type of quarterly true up as business owners. What our business needs is tried and true cash management strategies that work for us over time. So we're not going in once a quarter and taking all the profit from our business. We are looking at how do we pay ourselves every single month a salary that is sustainable for our business and aligns with what our family needs?
00:05:55:23 - 00:06:24:13
Danielle Hayden
So we want to slowly grow how much we're paying ourselves through payroll and draws over time. Our next micro habit is to start ignoring trends and stop changing strategies all the time. Our most successful clients, they are consistent. They show up day after day, month after month, and they keep trying. They don't change their messaging once a year.
00:06:24:14 - 00:06:48:18
Danielle Hayden
They don't change their branding every year. They don't change their entire business and business offerings every quarter. They stay consistent. They know who they are, who they serve and what they do. And they show up over and over and over again to do those things. We also are never going to have this light bulb moment over our financials. There's no movie star moment.
00:06:48:18 - 00:07:14:18
Danielle Hayden
There's no big grand kiss on top of the bridge with the fireworks going off, like I suddenly finally understand this information. You are going to slowly understand that information over time by being consistent. You're going to show up every single month, look at your financial statement, look at the Snapshot. You're going to book the calls with your money team.
00:07:14:20 - 00:07:45:05
Danielle Hayden
Over time they're going to help you understand the information. And you're going to slowly understand how to apply that to your business. Did you guys know that if you are a Kickstart Accounting client, you receive regular calls with your money team? You get to book calls if you're on our Standard plan or Premier or Standard plan. You get to book monthly calls with your bookkeeper, and if you're on a Basic plan, you get the option for a quarterly call.
00:07:45:07 - 00:08:09:10
Danielle Hayden
I want to invite you and encourage you to book those calls, because that consistency is what's going to help you finally understand their numbers. Look, you guys, I got a really cool team here. These women love our clients. They are so passionate about helping our clients celebrate the wins and be there for them when things are going well,
00:08:09:12 - 00:08:29:06
Danielle Hayden
and the best way that they can do that and show you that love is for you to get on the phone with them. Yes, we can email you. Yes, we can celebrate through email and sending you all those requests. But wow, is there power in actually having human to human connection, and we are here for it. All right,
00:08:29:06 - 00:08:57:21
Danielle Hayden
the next micro habit is to know your hourly rate every time you go to spend money. I want you to know exactly how long it would take you to remake that money. God, what an interesting, powerful tool. When we go to sign up for a new software or a new strategy, hire a new coach, how long is it going to take us to remake that money?
00:08:57:23 - 00:09:22:19
Danielle Hayden
How many clients do I need to sign? How much in new monthly revenue do I need in order to recoup those spending dollars? The next micro habit is to stop spending money just because it's a business expense. Ugh, you guys, this one is like nails on a chalkboard for me. I hear it all the time from business owners, entrepreneurs.
00:09:22:19 - 00:09:45:04
Danielle Hayden
They say, you know, I'm signing up for it because it's a business expense. It’s gonna lower my taxes. Oh, I'm going out for this meal. This steak is a business expense. You guys, stop spending money just because it's a business expense. If your business doesn't need it, if it is not going to help you gain a new skill, become a more powerful business owner,
00:09:45:06 - 00:10:11:03
Danielle Hayden
take something off of your plate, stop spending. Do not spend money for the tax benefit. All right, the last micro habit is to schedule a call with your money team. Now you guys have heard me say in the past, we have four team members on our money team. Our bookkeeper, our tax accountant, our CFO, our business coach, and financial advisor.
00:10:11:05 - 00:10:33:23
Danielle Hayden
You guys need to talk with all members of your money team throughout the year. So at the time of this recording, it will be around April. At this point in the year, we want to have a quarterly conversation with our bookkeeping team. We have to have accurate financials in order to make business decisions and to plan for our taxes.
00:10:34:01 - 00:10:59:06
Danielle Hayden
Get on the phone with your money team. Make sure that the transactions are correct. Make sure you're answering their questions. Getting them the statements that they need to help provide to you your financial statement at tax time. It is important that you find a CPA who will actually talk to you. It is not a transaction. We do not just upload documents into a portal and hope that everything gets filed correctly.
00:10:59:08 - 00:11:30:15
Danielle Hayden
Did you know that your tax return is really your responsibility? That you sign off on the accuracy of that return? Find a tax accountant who will take the time to meet with you. Every single one of our clients that we work with KSA Tax Partners, they have what we call a tax week. Our tax week kicks off with a tax call, where we're walking through everything that's happened in your business, in your personal life, to make sure that we have all those deductions captured.
00:11:30:18 - 00:11:53:03
Danielle Hayden
Once we finish the return, we're sending a Loom video walking you through your return, because we want you to know that your return is accurate, because it's your responsibility to verify the accuracy. So we want you to be armed with the tools to be able to do that. And then we'll meet again in the September-October timeframe to check in on business.
00:11:53:05 - 00:12:14:18
Danielle Hayden
Your estimated tax payments ensure you're in the right entity and that you're paying yourself enough. It is time to find the tax team who will actually talk to you. We're here for you if you are looking for a new tax team. All right, then we have our CFO or business coach. We need to have somebody who is helping us look to the future.
00:12:14:20 - 00:12:40:08
Danielle Hayden
I love bookkeeping. I love that bookkeeping gives us the tools to be able to look backwards and see what happened. It tells the story of our business. But there is true power in looking into the future and saying, this is where my business is going, creating a budget, having strong goals for both my personal and my business life
00:12:40:10 - 00:13:04:05
Danielle Hayden
not just for this year, but my three-year plan, my five-year plan. And having specialized key performance indicators that align just for me and for my business. Not everybody else's, for me. Our CFO team helps you, as a business owner, chart the future. That path into the future. Now we have two options to work with our CFO team:
00:13:04:07 - 00:13:29:11
Danielle Hayden
You could do a one-off strategy session. I like to consider this like the test drive of CFO, where we spend 90 minutes with you to go over your most important issue today. Or you can sign up for ongoing CFO services, where we will take you through our strategic framework of goal setting and creating specialized performance indicators for you and your business.
00:13:29:13 - 00:13:54:03
Danielle Hayden
Now, the last person on your money team is your financial advisor. We have lots of partners for financial advice. This is the team who's helping you map out both your personal and your business future. At this point in the year, we need to be meeting with our financial advisors so that we are planning for retirement and looking into the future for our personal lives.
00:13:54:05 - 00:14:19:13
Danielle Hayden
I know our business takes up a lot of our life, but we need to plan for the future for both business and personal. You guys, scheduling calls with your money team is a micro habit that is going to help set you up for success for years to come. Find a team who you want to talk to, who are going to be there to celebrate your wins, and to be there for you when things aren't going well.
00:14:19:15 - 00:14:47:11
Danielle Hayden
Find a team that is there to support you. If you need help in any of these areas, I encourage you to go book a call at KickstartAccountingInc.com. We would love to support you in your entrepreneurial journey. All right, I want to hear from you. What micro habits are you going to start applying in 2025? You can take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram at Kickstart Accounting.
00:14:47:13 - 00:15:08:19
Danielle Hayden
I hope you enjoyed today's episode of Business by the Books. Don't forget to hit like and subscribe! This is the number one way we can help other entrepreneurs find this podcast, because here at Kickstart Accounting, Inc., it is our mission to help entrepreneurs understand their numbers, get access to this information, and grow and thrive in their business.
00:15:08:19 - 00:15:30:01
Danielle Hayden
So please help me, help other entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can finally grow and thrive.