Episode Summary:In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit. Ivan Galvez sits down with Heather Hall, Founder & CEO of Sapphire CFO Solutions and a seasoned fintech executive, to unpack what it really takes to build a resilient business, from financial chaos to strategic clarity. Drawing from her unconventional background in anthropology, high-stakes fintech ventures, and her work as a strategic CFO, Heather shares hard-earned insights on what founders get wrong about finance and how to fix it before it’s too late.Together, they dive into the real reasons startups fail (hint: it's not just funding), why financial storytelling matters just as much as metrics, and how founders can move from reactive to intentional when it comes to growth.🔑 Key Takeaways:Why skipping a basic budget is one of the most expensive mistakes early-stage founders makeHow Heather went from anthropology to Silicon Valley builder to fintech co-founderWhat every startup should track monthly even before generating revenueWhy “cash runway” matters more than revenue in your first yearHow to prepare for fundraising and the investor red flags to avoidThe role of a fractional CFO and when to bring one inHow to avoid premature hiring and financial overreachWhy real financial leadership means visibility, not just spreadsheetsHow to blend empathy and data to scale smarterWhy a mission aligned financial strategy is a founder’s superpower💡 Golden Nugget:"Startups don’t die because of a lack of funding—they die from a lack of financial clarity. You don’t need a 40-page model. You need to know what you’re spending, what’s working, and what’s not."Mentioned in the Episode: sapphirecfosolutions.com – Heather’s fractional CFO firm for SaaS & tech startups “Cash Is Queen” – Heather’s upcoming workshop series on financial fluency and founder readiness Google Sheets – Still the most underrated startup survival toolConnect with Heather Hall: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heatherhallcpa Website: https://www.sapphirecfosolutions.com/Listen Now & Subscribe:Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-scale-exit-by-sintesys/id1821116362Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/67vlE6A7nyoz7imV97qhqKAmazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ffad99ff-f3b7-4ac5-85e8-b85cde4a1c8d/start-scale-exit-by-sintesysOr find us wherever you get your podcasts.Powered by Sintesys.us Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.

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