Host: Susan Finch

After getting flooded with AI-generated guest pitch emails, Susan and Lany decided to remind everyone what Rooted in Revenue is really about. It's not just about making money. Everything you do impacts your revenue: your sleep patterns, your workspace, your team, even that specific spot on your couch where you always fall asleep. The podcast is about how to keep money from draining out of your business through inefficiency, procrastination, and all those hidden time thieves you don't even notice.
Neither Susan nor Lany went to college. They learned to run businesses by working in businesses, making mistakes, and course-correcting. The education system doesn't teach you who to hire first, when to buy the domain, or that you probably don't need a 40-page business plan. Real business transformation takes 9-12 months, not 30 days, because you need space to think, innovate, and rediscover the joy you'd forgotten about. Time is your real currency, and everything is rooted in revenue.
 
TIMESTAMPS
00:45 - Why they started Rooted in Revenue several years ago 
01:45 - Everything impacts your revenue: systems, processes, efficiency
02:30 - You're an athlete in your business: how is the athlete performing?
03:30 - The education system doesn't teach you how to run a business
07:15 - Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and their limitations 
08:15 - The problem with business plan obsession 
11:45 - The biggest deficit: time, not money 
13:15 - The trap of creating vs. implementing with AI tools
13:45 - The Love-Hate-Delegate framework 
17:30 - Using spreadsheets with formulas to track tasks 
23:30 - Nine to twelve month process vs. 30-day overwhelm
24:30 - The plan is never the plan: it's a concept
25:45 - Rediscovering joy and forgotten talents 
26:30 - Cheryl Walsh's Laguna's underwater mermaid photography metaphor 
27:30 - What you say vs. what the team says vs. what consultants find 
28:00 - Bringing back the original spark 
28:15 - Lany's six-week Chaos Cleanse Facebook group 
29:00 - Reviewing old course materials for new insights 
29:30 - Keeping materials in a "Stuff I Learned" folder to revisit and search

Technology promises to solve every business problem, but what if the tools themselves are creating the chaos? Susan Finch and Lany Sullivan explain some reasons why organizations continue to struggle despite investing in the latest software, platforms, and systems.
The pattern is predictable: Someone attends a conference, hears about a game-changing tool, signs up immediately, and brings it back to the team without considering compatibility, redundancy, or whether anyone will actually use it. Or worse, a new executive arrives and forces their favorite tools on everyone without understanding existing workflows.
Before reaching for another software solution, companies need to answer fundamental questions about mission alignment, internal communication, and who will own the implementation. The disconnect between leadership vision and team reality creates friction that no amount of technology can fix.
They break down the patterns they see repeatedly: reactive purchasing, shiny object syndrome, and tools piled on top of unresolved problems. They offer a framework for slowing down, asking better questions, and ensuring your team is aligned before spending another dollar on software that might just become expensive shelfware.

Susan Finch and Lany Sullivan dig into something nobody wants to talk about but everybody needs to hear. A client's new bookkeeper asked a simple question about canceling a former employee's card. The owner said they already had the card. Turns out the physical card was in a desk drawer, but the numbers were saved in the employee's personal Amazon account. For 18 months.
Lany brings her banking background to this conversation - branch operations, mortgage processing, risk management, the whole deal. She's seen what happens when businesses don't have proper controls in place. She's also seen the theft, the fraud, and the embezzlement that follows.
They walk through why your bookkeeper just paying the bill isn't oversight. Why the "put it on your personal card and expense it" model doesn't work anymore. Why most employees probably don't need company cards at all. And what to do instead - purchasing processes, approval limits, the works.
If you've got company cards floating around and you're not 100% sure where they're saved or what they're being used for, this episode is for you.
00:00 - Introduction and WinCo shopping conversation00:45 - The company credit card discovery story02:00 - How easy it is to add cards to personal accounts03:15 - Why checks and balances are critical04:15 - Understanding financial leakages and OPM05:15 - Risk tolerance and compliance boundaries06:00 - The bookkeeper's role in reconciliation06:30 - Small business vulnerabilities07:00 - The American Express expense report model08:00 - Individual card numbers and identification09:00 - Generational differences in floating expenses09:30 - Two-factor authentication and dual signers10:00 - The four-step purchasing process11:00 - Setting spending limits and approval levels12:30 - Trusted contractors and liability14:00 - Ethical contractor practices15:00 - Who really needs a company card16:00 - Onboarding and credit card policy documentation17:00 - Honest mistakes vs. intentional fraud18:30 - Simple prevention: stickers on business cards19:00 - The debt obligation reality20:00 - Rethinking your approach21:00 - Executive branch only recommendation22:00 - Streamlined purchasing processes23:00 - Questions for your bookkeeper24:00 - Real theft, fraud, and embezzlement experiences

We're drowning in content glut. Empty posts churned out to keep up with everyone else. There's no joy, no depth, no controversy. You can FEEL the difference between obligated content versus real engagement.
What are we losing? The skill of conversation. The skill of listening. Those spontaneous "hey, come look at this" moments. Pulling each other into offices to analyze something together. These aren't scheduled Q&A sessions. These are the messy, real exchanges where magic happens.
Here's what's fascinating: I was editing Deborah Fell's episode when she mentioned a CEO who told her he NEVER takes meetings, that his schedule is impossible, and that she shouldn't even try. But when she said, "Would you like to be on my podcast?" His response? "Oh, I'm glad to do that."
Professionals at all levels don't want more meetings, sales pitches, or brain-picking sessions. They want real conversations with pushback. They want to share their stories. The best ones are willing to go eyeball to eyeball on important topics.
Stop trying to feed the algorithm with volume. Stop the sycophant responses and empty praise. Stop formatting everything with bullets just because you think you're supposed to.
Start having conversations worth recording. Start capturing spontaneity. Start admitting when we don't have the answer and need to think together. Start going back to people and saying, "Remember when we talked about this? What happened?" Consider getting the "monument" update - the current state of a conversation or event of the past.
That's what this conversation with Deborah is about. Getting back to real conversations. 

Stop drowning in business chaos - your SOPs are the life raft you need. In this game-changing episode, Susan Finch and Lany Sullivan expose why your team's knowledge hoarding is sabotaging growth and share their proven system for creating procedures that actually get used. They reveal why writing at a 5th-grade level isn't dumbing down - it's smartening up your business operations.
From horror stories of employees creating secret binders to success stories of businesses transformed through proper documentation, this episode delivers the blueprint for organizing years of scattered procedures into one powerful system. Learn the exact folder structure, naming conventions, and review processes that turn procedural chaos into operational clarity. Whether you're a solopreneur ready to scale or managing a team that's reinventing the wheel daily, this episode provides the roadmap to document, delegate, and finally find joy in your work again.
As always, we try to give you an action list you can do on your own:
Immediate Actions (This Week):
Create Your Hub • Set up a main folder called "SOPs," "Procedures," or your preferred name • Ensure it's in a shared drive accessible to your team • Remove individual access permissions temporarily if needed
Assess Current State • List all the procedures you currently have documented • Identify which team members have created their own "personal" procedures • Note any critical processes that exist only in someone's head
Choose Your Categories • Divide your business into main operational areas (e.g., Admin, Sales, Production) • Create main folders for each category • Keep it simple - aim for 4-7 main categories maximum
Short-Term Actions (Next 2-4 Weeks):
The Great Document Dump • Move ALL documents from subfolders into main category folders • Review for duplicates and conflicting versions • Don't panic - this temporary chaos leads to clarity
Establish Naming Conventions • Agree on a team-wide naming system • Include dates, version numbers, or status (TBD, Complete, Archive) • Rename all documents consistently
Create Missing SOPs List • For each category, list procedures that need documentation • Create placeholder documents titled "[Process Name] - TO BE COMPLETED" • Assign ownership and deadlines
Medium-Term Actions (Next 1-3 Months):
Develop Your SOP Template • Include: Purpose, Tools Needed, Step-by-Step Instructions, Screenshots • Add revision dates at the top • Create a video component for complex procedures
Write Priority SOPs • Start with your "hit by a bus" procedures - the critical ones only you know • Use simple language (5th grade level) • Include where to find things, which buttons to click, what fields to complete
Implement Approval Process • Create a procedure for creating procedures • Establish who approves new SOPs • Set review cycles for existing procedures
Long-Term Actions (Ongoing):
Build the Habit • Schedule weekly SOP time • Update procedures as processes change • Archive outdated versions rather than deleting
Create Onboarding Materials • Develop a "Start Here" folder for new team members • Include how to navigate the SOP system • Add role-specific procedure lists
Regular Maintenance • Quarterly reviews of high-use procedures • Annual audit of all SOPs • Celebrate when team members create or update procedures

You earned that certification. Now what?
If you're like most professionals, you invested time and money into leveling up your expertise... only to let that shiny new credential sit quietly in your inbox, in your bank statement, rather than on your LinkedIn profile. Sound familiar?
In this episode of Rooted in Revenue, I'm sharing the exact 14-day launch plan I use with clients to transform professional certifications into credibility, conversations, and clients.
What you'll learn:
Why the first 48 hours after certification are critical (and what to update first)
The "badge reality check" that could be killing your credibility
How one announcement postcard generated 10 quality conversations
The LinkedIn "position hack" that notifies your entire network
A complete checklist to implement in just 2 hours
Whether you just completed training, earned a designation, or achieved any professional milestone, this episode gives you the roadmap to maximize your ROI.
Episode highlights:
[2:00] The trust signal you're not using effectively
[5:00] Why print marketing still works in 2025
[8:00] Your 14-day certification launch plan
[10:00] The part-time position trick for LinkedIn visibility
Stop letting your credentials collect dust. It's time to make them work as hard as you did to earn them.

Join Susan Finch in this solo episode of Rooted in Revenue as she shares actionable strategies for maximizing your conference investment through smart pre-event marketing.
Instead of relying on generic conference-provided graphics, Susan explains how to create your own branded announcements that showcase your attendance and build anticipation. Learn how to develop a comprehensive branding package, prepare custom graphics, update your digital presence, and create specialized landing pages that convert conference connections into lasting business relationships.
From perfecting your business cards to optimizing your Google Business Profile, this episode covers everything you need to stand out at your next conference. Plus, get Susan's recommended tools for accessibility checking, scheduling, and analytics to ensure your marketing efforts deliver real ROI.
Episode Highlights:
Creating custom pre-conference announcement graphics
Building a complete branding package for consistency
Updating your digital footprint before events
Designing conference-specific landing pages
Essential free tools for marketing effectiveness
Connect with Susan at [email protected] or find her on LinkedIn.

Moving your business email from one system to another sounds straightforward until it isn't. Susan learned this the hard way during a weekend-long migration that revealed every hidden complexity you never think to ask about upfront. In this episode, she breaks down the five critical questions every business owner must answer before switching email systems - questions that could save you from your own technical nightmare and budget explosion.
The 5 Questions That Prevent Email Migration Disasters
How big are your mailboxes, and where is your old mail stored? Large mailboxes with years of Sent/Deleted items cause export failures. You need to know mailbox sizes and whether users keep local PST files before you can estimate the timeline.
Who will be available during the actual migration for testing and approvals? Migrations require live client participation for password resets, login approvals, and testing. Without committed availability, projects stall.
How do your users actually access their email today? Classic Outlook, new Outlook, web-only, mobile apps - each requires different configuration steps. Mixed environments multiply complexity.
What domains and aliases are tied to your current email system? Hidden alias domains and Microsoft's "ownership" of domains can prevent a clean cutover to Google. You need the complete domain picture upfront.
Do you need to keep Microsoft Office apps or other integrations? Many businesses use Microsoft 365 for more than email. Licensing decisions affect migration approach and ongoing costs.
Subscribe to Susan's blog for a series on this topic. 
Blog series on the topic of tech stacks and email migration.

Today's episode could save you 20% or more on overhead costs while boosting employee retention by up to 45%.
My guest is Alane Boyd, Co-CEO of BiggestGoal.ai and workflow automation expert with nearly two decades in tech. But here's what sets her apart: instead of forcing you into complicated project management tools you'll hate, she works with what you already use and love.
Alane's built her philosophy around "retention not replacement" - using automation to free your team for strategic work, not eliminate their jobs. She's a serial entrepreneur, three-time published author, and her tools were voted Best for Remote Work in 2022.
In this conversation, we dive into real client examples, including a 70% time reduction in podcast production workflows, why most automation fails, and the one simple automation you can implement this week. Plus, Alane gets refreshingly honest about why being the "hero consultant" doesn't work.
 
Links from this episode:
Alane Boyd on LinkedIn
BiggestGoal.ai
Alane Boyd on LeaderGeneration
Susan Finch on LinkedIn
Rooted in Revenue with Patty Parobek from Mod Op
Binky Patrol
SusanFinch.com

You've hired great people individually, but your team still isn't performing at its potential. Sound familiar? Most companies focus on individual talent while completely missing the multiplier effect of understanding how team members naturally function together.
In Part 3 of our series with Frederic Lucas-Conwell, President of GRI (Growth Resources Institute), we dive into "The Team Performance Multiplier"—how behavioral dynamics can accelerate revenue growth through better collaboration and decision-making. Unlike generic team-building exercises, this approach focuses on understanding the specific behavioral requirements of different types of teams and how individual dynamics create group performance.
Frederic reveals why it takes just one person to derail team performance and shares insights from working with diverse teams—from Silicon Valley startups to government agencies, accounting departments to sales teams. We explore the critical difference between adapting people to jobs versus adapting jobs to people, and why most companies wait too long to address team dysfunction.
Susan shares real-world examples from her work with startup founders who each want to hire someone to handle "the stuff they don't like to do"—revealing how misaligned expectations create hiring disasters. This conversation moves beyond surface-level team building to practical strategies for creating team alignment, building trust, and leveraging each member's behavioral strengths for maximum revenue impact.
Key Points
Team-Specific Performance Models - Different team types (sales, accounting, startups, executive) require different behavioral dynamics and performance approaches
Individual vs. Group Dynamics - Analyze both personal behavioral patterns and how they interact within the team environment
Job-Person Fit Analysis - Determine whether to adapt the person to the job or restructure the role to match behavioral strengths
Energy Cost Assessment - Understand the energy required for behavioral adaptation and provide appropriate support systems
Alignment Before Team Building - Establish shared goals and expectations before implementing any team development initiatives

Your son just graduated college with excellent grades, but can't get past the "AI robot" screening resumes. Meanwhile, companies like Nike are using AI filters as their first hiring step, eliminating potentially brilliant candidates before any human ever sees them. What's going wrong with this approach?
In Part 2 of our series with Frederic Lucas-Conwell, President of GRI (Growth Resources Institute), we dive beyond traditional resume screening into the world of AI-enhanced behavioral profiling. While most companies use AI to filter OUT candidates based on keywords and credentials, GRI uses AI to understand HOW people actually function in roles.
Frederic reveals the fundamental flaw in asking for "perfect" candidates and shares how behavioral intelligence helps you spot the hidden characteristics that drive revenue performance—especially in candidates who might not have the perfect resume. We explore why recent college graduates with stellar academics are being eliminated by systems that can't see their potential, and how companies can identify candidates who are ready to quit their current jobs (and how to attract them).
Susan shares a real-world example of interviewing two best friends using GRI's approach, demonstrating how behavioral insights create instant trust and reveal traits that would never appear on a resume. This isn't just about hiring—it's about seeing what your eyes cannot see.
Connect with Frederic Lucas-Conwell:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/flucasconwell/
https://gri.co
https://x.com/griplatform
https://www.linkedin.com/company/griplatform 

When Frank Scavo sent me his latest article about consulting skills, I knew we had to dig deeper. After 20 years of working together—first as his client, then as colleagues—we've lived the collaborative consulting model he champions. In this conversation, we explore why seasoned executives often struggle to transition into consulting, the critical difference between having authority and wielding influence, and why the best consulting relationships blur traditional boundaries. Frank shares hard-won insights from his 50-year career, including the fascinating failure of his "retread model" and what it really takes to move from telling people what to do to helping them discover solutions together.
Links from this episode:
Frank Scavo on LinkedIn
The Enterprise Spectator on Substack
Arabella Penrose Books
"Flawless Consulting" by Peter Block 
Previous episode we refer to.
Growth Resources Institute
Binky Patrol