Hannah Smolinski, founder of Clara CFO Group, shares her journey from working at a large accounting firm to starting her own virtual CFO agency. She discusses the benefits of starting in a big accounting firm and the experience she gained. Hannah also talks about the transition to entrepreneurship and the challenges she faced. She explains how she started a YouTube channel to provide financial guidance to small businesses and the unexpected success it brought. Hannah emphasizes the importance of building a team and empowering team members. She shares her lessons in leadership and the growth of Clara CFO Group. In this conversation, Hannah Smolinski discusses her approach to leadership, her short-term goals for Clara CFO, the vision for her YouTube channel, her personal goals, the best piece of advice she's received, advice for new accountants, and shares insights into her personal life. Takeaways - Starting in a big accounting firm provides valuable training, mentorship, and opportunities for professional development. - Transitioning from a corporate job to entrepreneurship requires taking risks and finding your unique value proposition. - Creating content on platforms like YouTube can help establish expertise and attract clients. - Building a team is essential for business growth and success, and empowering team members is crucial for a positive work environment. - Leadership requires learning to delegate, hiring the right people, and continuously improving as a leader. Leadership involves leading by example and ensuring that you act in a way that you would want your team members to act. - Short-term goals for Clara CFO include transitioning to a visionary role and achieving a 30-hour work week. - The vision for the YouTube channel is to educate small business owners and provide them with the confidence and knowledge to make financial decisions. - Hannah's personal goals include playing tennis and creating a comfortable home. - The best piece of advice Hannah received is to not worry about what others think, as people are often focused on themselves. - Advice for new accountants is to explore different opportunities within the accounting profession and pursue the path that aligns with their desired lifestyle. - Hannah enjoys drinking decaf coffee and has a love for pizza. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:29 Experience at EY and Transition to Entrepreneurship 08:14 Benefits of Starting in a Big Accounting Firm 12:02 Transitioning to Clara CFO Group 15:12 Building Confidence as a Fractional CFO 20:01 Working with a Team at Clara CFO Group 25:09 Challenges and Lessons in Leadership 28:32 Leadership and Leading by Example 31:18 Short-Term Goals for Clara CFO 34:18 Vision for the YouTube Channel 39:10 Personal Goals 40:47 Best Piece of Advice 44:41 Advice for New Accountants 46:19 Insight into Hannah the Person 49:06 Rapid Fire Questions Connect with Hannah: LinkedIn personal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-smolinski-cpa-16994aa/ YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ClaraCFO

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