In this episode of Balanced, host Stephanie Blaine shares a powerful truth that business owners rarely admit: December doesn’t reveal new problems — it reveals the same problems you’ve been ignoring all year.

Recording from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Stephanie reflects on running her business from the other side of the world and the surprising clarity that distance brings. She breaks down why year-end planning isn’t about vision boards, aesthetic goal-setting, or waiting for a “fresh start” on January 1st. It’s about finally fixing what’s been broken — the systems, boundaries, pricing, and yes, your bookkeeping.

With her signature blend of real talk, humor, and practical action, Stephanie challenges you to stop delaying the hard stuff, stop romanticizing the reset button, and start making the changes your business has needed for months.

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome
00:22 – Running a business from Vietnam
00:49 – Saying vs. actually working anywhere
01:37 – December planning reality
02:18 – What December really reveals
03:30 – January 1st isn’t a reset
03:55 – Fix what’s broken now
05:11 – Systems = freedom
06:05 – The one thing broken all year
06:39 – For most: bookkeeping
07:05 – December consult spots
07:41 – Freedom comes from systems
08:03 – Best time to fix is now

✨ Perfect For:
✓ Entrepreneurs are consuming business advice but lacking clarity
✓ Small business owners are tired of guessing instead of knowing
✓ Creators and service providers ready to understand profitability
✓ Anyone serious about building a scalable, data-driven business

📌 Links & Resources:

💬 Book Your Free Consultation:
https://link.bookkeeper.net/widget/bookings/bkconsults-ecommerce-2a1298cf-f8b9-46b9-a2f6-53890f394f0c

🌟 Join the Starlight DIY Club:
https://starlightbookkeeping.com/starlight-diy-club

📺 Watch episodes + subscribe on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@starlightbookkeeping?feature=shared

📸 Follow Stephanie on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/_stephblain_/

🌐 Visit the website:
https://starlightbookkeeping.com/

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

In this eye-opening episode of Balanced, host Stephanie Blaine pulls back the curtain on the real cost of entrepreneurship—the ones no one includes in those “I quit my 9–5!” celebration posts.

From self-employment taxes and lost benefits to the sneaky subscriptions draining your account and the invisible emotional load you carry as a CEO, Stephanie breaks down every category of cost you must understand to run a profitable, sustainable business.

With her signature blend of truth-telling, humor, and practical steps, she helps you get clear on the financial reality of being your own boss—so you can plan, price, and run your business like the CEO you are.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Where is all my money going?” or felt blindsided by unexpected costs, this episode is your reality check (in the best way possible).

⏱️ Timestamps (Short)
00:00 – Welcome to Balanced
00:22 – The dream vs. reality of entrepreneurship
00:43 – The celebration posts never show the real costs
01:21 – The romanticized “I’m my own boss” illusion
01:42 – The hidden financial + emotional costs
02:25 – Three types of costs: obvious, sneaky, invisible
02:50 – The obvious costs you still underestimate
03:14 – Self-employment tax reality check
03:33 – Health insurance + lost benefits
04:27 – The sneaky costs (subscriptions, tools, education)
05:39 – Contractors + service providers add up
06:03 – The real cost of working from home
06:40 – The invisible costs draining your energy
07:23 – The mental load of being in every department
08:45 – Income inconsistency + emotional toll
09:34 – Why this isn’t to scare you—but empower you
10:30 – Action Step #1: Review three months of statements
11:29 – Action Step #3: Calculate your real hourly rate
12:15 – Audit where you’re wasting time
12:41 – The cost of DIY vs hiring help
13:51 – You didn’t start your business to struggle
14:38 – Share the episode + normalize real talk
15:06 – Closing message: balance your books, your business, your life

✨ Perfect For:
✓ Entrepreneurs are consuming business advice but lacking clarity
✓ Small business owners are tired of guessing instead of knowing
✓ Creators and service providers ready to understand profitability
✓ Anyone serious about building a scalable, data-driven business

Links & Resources:
Book a free consultation
Join the Starlite DIY Club – step-by-step bookkeeping guidance

Start with the desk. Clean up your calendar. And remember—every hour you organize now is a gift to your future self.

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

In this episode of Balanced, host Stephanie Blaine exposes one of the biggest blind spots in the online business world. You’re consuming advice from top industry leaders—Alex Hormozi, Jenna Kutcher, Amy Porterfield, Gary Vee—and it’s all incredible… but it’s built on one massive assumption they never talk about.

They assume you already have your bookkeeping handled.

Stephanie breaks down why every strategic decision, marketing strategy, course launch, and “double down on what’s working” advice depends on one thing: clean, organized, up-to-date financial data. Without it, even the best business advice becomes guesswork.

With humor, tough love, and actionable steps, Stephanie helps you stop “playing business” and finally build the financial foundation your business needs to grow with confidence and clarity.

⏱️ Timestamps (Short)
00:00 – Welcome to Balanced: business + life in harmony
00:22 – Real talk: consuming content doesn’t equal clarity
00:42 – The gurus you follow… and the massive assumption they make
01:25 – The missing foundational step no one talks about
01:42 – Why every piece of advice assumes clean books
02:00 – The Alex Hormozi moment that made everything click
02:19 – The financial questions every strategic decision requires
02:42 – Why you can’t get help without accurate numbers
03:03 – Busy ≠ profitable
03:27 – The harsh truth: all advice is useless without bookkeeping
03:49 – Why clean books = smarter, faster business growth
04:11 – The pain of running a business blind
04:58 – The real difference between entrepreneurs who scale + those who don’t
05:19 – Action Step #1: Sign up for QuickBooks Online
05:37 – Action Step #2: Gather every bank + credit card statement
05:56 – Action Step #3: Block two hours to start or hire support
06:13 – Inside the Starlight DIY Club: bookkeeping support made simple
06:32 – You didn’t start your business to “wing it”
06:53 – Share the episode & normalize the unsexy stuff
07:14 – Follow Stephanie on Instagram
07:35 – Closing message: Balance your books, your business & your life

✨ Perfect For:
✓ Entrepreneurs are consuming business advice but lacking clarity
✓ Small business owners are tired of guessing instead of knowing
✓ Creators and service providers ready to understand profitability
✓ Anyone serious about building a scalable, data-driven business

Links & Resources:
Book a free consultation
Join the Starlite DIY Club – step-by-step bookkeeping guidance

Start with the desk. Clean up your calendar. And remember—every hour you organize now is a gift to your future self.

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

In this episode of Balanced, host Stephanie Blain gets real with a dose of tough love every business owner needs to hear. If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or wondering why your business growth has stalled, this conversation will be your wake-up call.

Stephanie shares five brutally honest questions that challenge you to stop lying to yourself and start taking ownership of your success. From checking whether your work is truly worth paying for to facing the uncomfortable truths hiding in your books, this episode will help you trade denial for clarity — and clarity for growth.

With her signature warmth, humor, and real talk, Stephanie walks you through the mindset shifts and practical steps that lead to lasting progress in business and in life.

⏱️ Timestamps (Short)
00:00 – Welcome to Balanced
00:42 – Tough love time: stop lying to yourself
01:02 – The 5 brutally honest questions that change everything
01:21 – Question 1: Would you pay you for your work?
02:40 – Question 2: Are you chasing busy or building wealth?
04:10 – Question 3: Do you actually know your profit margins?
05:55 – Question 4: Does your calendar reflect your priorities?
07:50 – Question 5: What are you pretending not to see?
09:55 – Facing the truth and finding freedom
10:13 – How awareness sparks real growth
10:30 – Free consultation to identify your business blind spots
10:52 – Inside the Starlight DIY Club: bookkeeping support made simple
11:36 – Closing thoughts: face the hard truths, reap the rewards

✨ Perfect For:
✓ Small business owners curious about AI and automation
✓ Entrepreneurs who want to work smarter, not harder
✓ Creators and service providers seeking more freedom and clarity
✓ Anyone ready to embrace tech without losing their human touch

Links & Resources:
Book a free consultation
Join the Starlite DIY Club – step-by-step bookkeeping guidance

Start with the desk. Clean up your calendar. And remember—every hour you organize now is a gift to your future self.

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!

In this episode of Balanced, host Stephanie Blain dives into one of the most talked-about topics in business right now—AI and automation—and what they really mean for small business owners.

If you’ve ever wondered whether AI will replace your role, or if it’s just another passing tech fad, Stephanie is here to break it all down in her signature approachable, balanced way. You’ll learn how to use AI tools to save time, boost clarity, and reclaim your energy—without losing the human touch that makes your business special.

From bookkeeping breakthroughs to practical automation tools, Stephanie shows how AI can become your most loyal assistant—one that helps you grow smarter, faster, and with more freedom.

⏱️ Timestamps (Short)
00:00 – Welcome to Balanced
00:43 – Making AI fun and accessible for small business owners
01:07 – The QuickBooks webinar that sparked this episode
01:43 – How AI is already shaping your daily business life
03:04 – The hidden AI tools you’re already using
03:50 – Why small business owners are optimistic about AI
04:10 – The big question: “Will AI replace me?”
04:27 – The good, the bad, and the myths about AI
05:07 – Overcoming overwhelm and using AI wisely
06:13 – Why AI won’t replace business owners—but can empower them
07:14 – Reframing AI as your business assistant
08:34 – Keeping the human touch while using automation
09:07 – How AI is transforming bookkeeping + finances
10:07 – Clean data = powerful automation
11:22 – Stephanie’s favorite AI tools and how she uses them
12:00 – ChatGPT, Midjourney, Fathom, Canva, Loom + more
15:18 – How AI helps reclaim time and reduce burnout
16:38 – The surprising amount of time AI can save small businesses
17:42 – Using automation to restore balance and creativity
18:42 – Reducing decision fatigue and ending burnout
19:42 – The mindset shift: curiosity over fear
20:25 – Invitation to join the Starlight DIY Club
21:31 – Final thoughts: stay curious, experiment, and celebrate wins
22:11 – Closing message: keep your books and your mindset balanced

✨ Perfect For:
✓ Small business owners curious about AI and automation
✓ Entrepreneurs who want to work smarter, not harder
✓ Creators and service providers seeking more freedom and clarity
✓ Anyone ready to embrace tech without losing their human touch

Links & Resources:
Book a free consultation
Join the Starlite DIY Club – step-by-step bookkeeping guidance

Start with the desk. Clean up your calendar. And remember—every hour you organize now is a gift to your future self.

Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!