Strategy Meets Finance

<p>Welcome to Strategy Meets Finance, the podcast for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start, grow, and run a business that lasts.</p><p>Most business owners struggle because they treat strategy and finance as separate. But without a clear strategy, your finances won’t support long-term growth. And without strong financial planning, even the best business ideas fall flat.</p><p>On this show, we bring both sides together—so you can grow your business with confidence, improve cash flow, increase profit, and make better decisions.</p><p>Hosted by Steve Coughran, a former CFO and founder of Coltivar, each episode shares simple tools, real examples, and practical advice from working with companies of all different sizes. You’ll learn how to set smart goals, fix money leaks, build stronger teams, and create lasting value.</p>

How AI and Energy Growth Are Changing Construction with Maja Ericksen of Mortenson | Ep 203

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check AI and energy demand are quietly reshaping construction, and most people don’t see it yet. Steve speaks with Maja Ericksen, Executive Vice President at Mortenson, to talk about why data centers and power projects are booming, how rural builds are changing the industry, and what these shifts mean for margins, talent, and long-term careers in construction. This conversation ...

12-17
40:56

Is It Time to Change Your Strategy? | Ep 202

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Mission, vision, and values aren’t the problem, but stopping there is. In this episode, Steve explains why most companies mistake dreaming for strategy, how shrinking margins are really created, and what strategy actually looks like when it’s tied to numbers, cash flow, and real constraints. If your business feels busy but stuck, this episode will change how you thin...

12-15
11:29

The Future of Business Strategy in the Age of AI | Ep 201

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Steve breaks down why old-school strategy models don’t fully work in an AI world anymore. He explains how the real value drivers have shifted to human capital and intellectual assets, why most companies confuse planning with strategy, and how to actually pick and attack the right strategic problem in your business. _______________________________________ Disclaimer: The vi...

12-10
14:13

Scaling a $50M Plumbing Company with Bob Logan | Ep 200

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Steve sits down with Bob Logan, president of Plumbline, a $50M+ plumbing and HVAC company with over 150 techs on the road. They unpack how Bob scaled a residential service business, built a strong leadership team, deals with “poison” employees, uses numbers without a finance background, and navigates private equity in the trades. If you want to grow a plumbing, HVAC, or se...

12-08
30:16

Looking to Buy a Business? Listen to This First | Ep 199

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Thinking about buying a business or taking over someone else’s? Before you jump in, Steve breaks down the five things he looks at every single time he evaluates a deal. You’ll learn how he analyzes revenue quality, what he looks for in financials, how he decides if a business is worth the price, and why free cash flow—not profit—is what actually matters. If you’re serious ...

12-01
18:29

Building a High End Landscape Company with Chris Turner | Ep 198

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Elevate by Design: www.ebdstudios.com Nisho: www.studionisho.com Chris Turner walked away from a secure design job with no plan, just a feeling he wasn’t in the right place. That leap led him to co-found one of Denver’s top high-end landscape design studios. In this episode, Steve and Chris talk about what really happens when you leave stability for somet...

11-24
56:45

How to Optimize Your Business Without Doing More | Ep 197

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check What if you could make more money without adding more work, more stress, or more customers? In this episode, Steve breaks down three overlooked levers that can grow your profit and cashflow without scaling your team or chasing more revenue. You’ll learn how just small tweaks can dramatically increase your bottom line, even if you don’t want to grow right now. _____________...

11-17
13:39

5 Biggest Mistakes Companies Make When "Strategic Planning" | Ep 196

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Before you book that offsite or map out next quarter, listen to this. Steve breaks down the five mistakes that derail most “strategic planning” sessions: picking the wrong facilitator, ignoring communication styles, showing up without data, jumping to tactics before strategy, and avoiding the one real constraint hurting the business. You’ll learn a simple way to structure ...

11-10
17:51

How to Know If Your Sales & Marketing Is Working | Ep 195

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Want a free scaling workshop for your business? Schedule a call now to see if you qualify: coltivar.com/schedule-your-call Most business owners spend thousands on sales and marketing, but few know if it’s actually paying off. Steve breaks down how to measure the real return on your sales and marketing spend using three simple checks. He explains how to evaluate the e...

11-03
12:13

Financial and Economic News: October 30, 2025

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: Chipotle Stock Tanks as Young Customers Cut BackBlackRock Caught in a $500 Million Fraud ScandalMeta’s AI Spending Sparks Investor DoubtWhite-Collar Jobs Vanish as AI Takes OverGoogle’s Record Quarter Fueled by AITune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need t...

10-30
14:57

Does Your Business Really Need a Strategy? (Yes, Here’s Why) | Ep 194

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Every business has a strategy, even if it’s not written down. The real question is whether yours is working. In this episode, Steve explains what strategy actually is, why every company needs one, and how to identify the strategic problem that’s holding your business back. He shares a simple framework for making better decisions, keeping your customer at the center, and co...

10-27
10:48

Financial and Economic News: October 23, 2025

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: Inside Silicon Valley’s 100-Hour AI GrindTesla’s Profits Drop as Musk Bets on RobotsHome Sales Rise as Mortgage Rates EaseGrocery Prices Keep ClimbingQuantum Stocks Surge on Trump’s Tech PushTune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need to lead in a changing w...

10-23
11:18

Want to Scale Your Business? Do These 3 Things Right Now | Ep 193

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Most companies want to grow, but few are actually ready to scale. In this episode, Steve shares three things every business needs to do before turning on the growth engine. You’ll learn why documenting your processes can 10x your company’s value, how defining success in every role prevents chaos, and what a real sales and marketing system looks like. Steve also break...

10-20
14:17

Financial and Economic News: October 16, 2025

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: Boomers Fall Behind on RetirementBlackstone Brings Private Equity to 401(k)sAI Data Centers Build Their Own Power PlantsSouthwest Ends Open SeatingWalmart Joins ChatGPT for AI ShoppingTune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need to lead in a changing world — ...

10-16
12:11

What Is Strategy In Less Than 5 Minutes | Ep 192

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Most business owners confuse strategy with planning. In this episode, Steve breaks down what strategy really means—and why getting it wrong can cost you. You’ll learn the difference between strategy and strategic planning, how to identify your company’s true strategic problem, and the six components every winning strategy needs. Steve also explains how to connect your stra...

10-13
04:39

Financial and Economic News: October 9, 2025

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: Tariffs Rise, but U.S. Debt Tops $1 TrillionTrump Pushes Fannie Mae to Back BuildersHome Sales Slide as Prices Hit New HighPepsiCo Rebrands Lay’s Amid Snack SlowdownTune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need to lead in a changing world — only on FinWeekly. ...

10-09
09:03

What Makes a Great CFO (and How Owners Can Tell) with Tim Anderson | Ep 191

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Learn more about Ready Electric: readyelec.com What separates a good CFO from a great one? Steve sits down with Tim Anderson, CFO of Ready Electric, to talk about what it really takes to lead the financial side of a business. They unpack how the CFO role has evolved from number-crunching to strategic partnership, how owners can tell if their CFO is truly adding value...

10-08
32:12

3 Finance Skills That Separate Successful Leaders from the Rest | Ep 190

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Most business owners avoid finance because it feels complicated—but it doesn’t have to be. Steve breaks down three simple financial concepts that will put you ahead of 90% of people in business: understanding your unit economics, mastering cash flow, and knowing the eight levers that drive profit. He explains how small shifts in how you read your numbers can lead to massiv...

10-06
13:48

Financial and Economic News: October 2, 2025

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: OpenAI Hits $500B Valuation OpenAI Launches TikTok-Style Video App Meta to Use AI Chats for Ads AI Spending Reaches Bubble Territory Tesla Delivers Surprise ReboundTune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need to lead in a changing world — ...

10-02
11:13

Listen to This If You’re Ready to Change Your Life | Ep 189

Ready to see how much cash is hiding in your business? Get your free Financial Health Check now: coltivar.com/check If you’ve ever felt stuck, ashamed, or on the edge of giving up, you’re not alone. Steve opens up with his raw and uncut transformation story—from growing up broke, hitting rock bottom with bad habits and toxic relationships, to rebuilding his life and business with clarity, strategy, and purpose. This episode is about more than business. It’s about what happen...

09-29
25:38

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