Hi Reader,

We are 3 weeks away from Q4. And if you celebrate US holidays, we are down to only maybe 14 good work weeks left until 2026. YIKES!.

I'm loving September so far though - yes just the last 5 days - it feels ripe to reset and get organized and I'm seeing a lot of progress with our current clients.

As you work towards Q4, here's a few things to start blocking time to complete before the end of the year:

Deep dive finance reviews

I find that Q4 is the perfect time to really dig into your numbers. It doesn't need to be an exact calendar year to have the data you need for good decisions. You can always review a rolling 12 month cycle or dig into one expense category as needed to gain clarity.

2026 strategic planning

A great forecast and budget starts with a strategic plan. Q4 is a great time to block time out for that plan before you align it numbers.

Compliance

Compliance never ends. Don't sweep compliance items like employee vs 1099, state, local and federal taxes under the wrong. Instead do a quick review to make sure you're on track, have the right savings for taxes due, and know if you need to transition any employees from 1099 to W2.

Financial confidence isn't about knowing everything - it's about knowing enough to make good decisions for YOUR business.

-Natalie

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On the blog...

Who's on your team? 3 Pillars of Small Business Finance

As a business owner, building the right financial team is crucial for sustainable growth. But how do you know if a bookkeeper, tax firm, or outsourced CFO is the right fit for your needs?

In the small business world, I see a lot of confusion among the various roles of the finance team and what each one is there to accomplish. Not only is it confusing for the small business owner, but all of us service providers can get confused too! You’re not alone!

When I think of supporting small businesses with the basics of financial support I start with the 3 legs of the stool:

• Bookkeeping
• Tax
• Finance

Work with us:

• ​Book a Discovery Call ​
• ​Fractional CFO Guidance
• ​Expert Financial Due Diligence for Small Business Buyers​
• ​Financial Prep for sellers ​
• ​Kickstart *coming Jan 2026*- Join the waitlist!

In case you missed it...

• ​Sales Forecasting for Non-Number People: Easy Steps for Small Business Owners​
• ​How Much Cash Should a Small Business Keep in Reserve?​
• ​7 Common Financial Mistakes and How to Avoid Them​

Natalie's favorite things

• ​Anchor Proposals and Payment Processing​
• ​Folk.app << simple CRM
• ​Financial Accountability Checklist & other freebies
• ​Personal Money Market by Betterment​
• ​Plooto for Automated Payments​
• My Favorite AI tool for ORGANIZING *not writing* content: Poppy AI​

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