Strategy Meets Finance (Formerly Boosting Your Financial IQ)

<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>

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

Not sure what your numbers are telling you? Get a free review: coltivar.com/financial-review 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 happens when you take ownersh...

09-29
25:38

What is Strategy in Business? | Ep 188

Not sure what your numbers are telling you? Get a free review: coltivar.com/financial-review Profit benchmarks for the construction industry: coltivar.com/benchmarks Most business owners confuse strategy with planning. They make to-do lists, call it a strategy, and wonder why results don’t stick. In this episode, Steve breaks down what business strategy really means and why it’s different from a plan or a set of tactics. You’ll learn how to identify your company’s true str...

09-22
30:28

Financial and Economic News: September 18, 2025

Not sure what your numbers are telling you? Get a free review: coltivar.com/financial-review Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: Nvidia Gives Intel a $5B LifelineFed Cuts Rates With More Likely AheadThe Truth About Mortgage RatesWhat It Takes to Afford a $1M HomeMeta Bets on Glasses as the Future of AITune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need to lead in a changing world — only on FinWeekly. _______...

09-18
11:35

From $10M to $50M: Strategy and Clarity Behind Timberline One’s Growth | Ep 187

Want to grow your business? Download your free roadmap today: coltivar.com/growth Learn more about Timberline One: timberlineone.com Most landscape companies stall out at a few million in revenue. Timberline One didn’t. In less than a decade, they scaled from $10 million to $50 million, and they’re still growing. Steve talks with CEO Judd and Chief of Staff Stephanie about the choices, discipline, and clarity that fueled their rise. From messy beginnings to bold acquisitions...

09-15
30:46

Financial and Economic News: September 11, 2025

Want to grow your business? Download your free roadmap today: coltivar.com/growth Major moves and market momentum in this week’s top financial stories, including: Stocks Rally as Fed Cut NearsJob Growth Revised Sharply LowerMortgage Rates Hit 11-Month LowOracle Signs $300B Deal with OpenAISaudi Arabia Bets Big on SolarTune in for smart commentary, sharp context, and the financial insight you need to lead in a changing world — only on FinWeekly. ___________________________________...

09-11
12:11

What is Strategic Finance and Why Should You Care | Ep 186

Want to grow your business? Download your free roadmap today: coltivar.com/growth Free Financial Pro course: coltivar.com/byfiq Why do so many businesses fail even when they have a plan and solid financials? Steve breaks down the concept of strategic finance and why connecting your strategy to your numbers is the key to survival and growth. He shares lessons from building his own company and working with business leaders, showing how the right approach can improve cash flow, boost...

09-09
20:52

Part 14: The Cash Flow Formula for a Thriving Business | Cash Flow

This is Part 14 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. In the conclusion, Steve shares the personal lessons and turning points that shaped his obsession with cash flow. He emphasizes why business leaders have a fiduciary duty to master it, how cash flow fuels stability, growth, and community impact, and why discipline—not just profit—ultimately determines whether a business thrives or fails. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
08:43

Part 13: The Cash Flow Playbook | Cash Flow

This is Part 13 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve introduces the Cash Flow Playbook—a step-by-step plan to apply the seven levers, use the scorecard, and build a resilient, cash-generating business. He shows how to prioritize the right levers, implement changes, track progress, and create a company that thrives in any economy. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
08:35

Part 12: The Cash Flow Scorecard | Cash Flow

This is Part 12 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve introduces the Cash Flow Scorecard—a simple framework to diagnose where your business is leaking cash across the seven key levers. By scoring each area, you can pinpoint constraints, prioritize fixes, and build a roadmap for stronger free cash flow and long-term value. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
08:11

Part 11: Lever #7 – Strategy | Cash Flow

This is Part 11 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve covers the seventh lever of cash flow: strategy. He explains why profit is just the result of a good strategy, how ROIC is the scoreboard that proves whether your strategy is working, and the two main paths to long-term competitive advantage: differentiation or cost leadership. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
20:48

Part 10: Lever #6 – Risk | Cash Flow

This is Part 10 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve unpacks the sixth lever of cash flow: risk. He explains how uncertainty lowers valuation multiples and raises the cost of capital, the biggest risks that scare investors, and the steps business owners can take to de-risk their company and build more stable, predictable cash flow. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
09:30

Part 9: Lever #5 – Capital | Cash Flow

This is Part 9 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve introduces the fifth lever of cash flow: capital. He explains why EBITDA isn’t cash flow, how invested capital and ROIC reveal whether a business is creating or destroying value, and the hidden cash traps in receivables, inventory, and CapEx that often strangle growth. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
16:32

Part 8: Lever #4 – Operating Expenses | Cash Flow

This is Part 8 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve explains the fourth lever of cash flow: operating expenses. He shows why cutting costs blindly destroys value, how to eliminate waste without hurting growth, and the smart ways to optimize overhead while protecting employees, customers, and long-term strategy. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
10:13

Part 7: Lever #3 – Cost of Goods Sold | Cash Flow

This is Part 7 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve covers the third lever of cash flow: cost of goods sold (COGS). He explains why lowering COGS directly boosts profitability, how throughput matters more than margins, and the strategies businesses can use to cut waste, improve labor efficiency, and increase cash flow without sacrificing quality. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
12:46

Part 6: Lever #2 – Price | Cash Flow

This is Part 6 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve unpacks the second lever of cash flow: price. He explains why price is the most powerful driver of profitability, how perceived value determines what customers will pay, and how businesses can raise prices confidently without losing customers. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
11:15

Part 5: Lever #1 – Volume | Cash Flow

This is Part 5 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve introduces the first lever of cash flow: volume. He explains why selling more only creates value if it’s profitable, how to fix weak sales and marketing systems, and how the revenue flywheel drives sustainable growth without burning cash. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
20:24

Part 4: Two Ways to Measure Firm Value | Cash Flow

This is Part 4 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve breaks down the two main ways businesses are valued: the income approach, based on free cash flow, cost of capital, and growth, and the market approach, based on EBITDA multiples. He explains why understanding both is critical, how multiples impact valuation, and what really drives the worth of your company. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
17:38

Part 3: What Creates Value in a Business? | Cash Flow

This is Part 3 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve reveals what truly creates value in a business: generating more cash flow than the cost of your investments. He explains return on invested capital (ROIC), why growth without strong returns destroys value, and how to measure whether your business is actually creating or burning cash. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
12:34

Part 2: The Cash Flow Mindset | Cash Flow

This is Part 2 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve explains why profit doesn’t protect a business from failure and why free cash flow is the real survival metric. He breaks down how to calculate free cash flow, why it matters more than revenue or profit, and how companies with strong cash flow thrive in any economy. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
09:42

Part 1: The Foundation of Great Companies | Cash Flow

This is Part 1 of Steve Coughran’s book Cash Flow. Steve lays the foundation of why so many businesses struggle with cash even when they look profitable on paper. He explains the stages of a hidden cash flow crisis, why free cash flow matters more than revenue or profit, and introduces the seven levers that determine a company’s value. LinkedIn | YouTube coltivar.com

09-09
21:47

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