The Fortified Life Podcast with Jason Davis - EP 205 | Lauren Rilling | Founder of Savvy Stewardship | financial coach and educator
Update: 2025-10-08
Description
Lauren Rilling is a visionary financial coach and educator dedicated to helping individuals and families manage their resources with wisdom, purpose, and faith. Through Savvy Stewardship, she empowers people to build financial confidence, align money decisions with their values, and live generously. Lauren’s mission is simple yet powerful — to turn everyday choices into lasting impact through innovative, spirit-led stewardship.
SHOW NOTES
The Fortified Life Podcast with Jason Davis
EP 205 — Lauren Rilling | Founder, Savvy Stewardship
Financial coach, fractional CFO, and educator on Christ-centered money management for life and business
Episode Snapshot
Lauren Rilling has spent a decade helping individuals and small companies simplify finances, get out of debt, and build healthy, profitable businesses. She coaches families and entrepreneurs and serves companies (typically < $10M revenue) as a fractional CFO, translating financial data into wise, faith-driven decisions.
1) A Stewardship Story (not a finance major!)
4) 2025 Market Reality Check
Reflection & Action
“Don’t compartmentalize your faith in the marketplace. From the boardroom to the bathroom—God is with you.” Be a savvy steward this week.
SHOW NOTES
The Fortified Life Podcast with Jason Davis
EP 205 — Lauren Rilling | Founder, Savvy Stewardship
Financial coach, fractional CFO, and educator on Christ-centered money management for life and business
Episode Snapshot
- Theme: Becoming a savvy steward—aligning personal and business finances with God’s purposes.
- Guest: Lauren Rilling, founder of Savvy Stewardship (financial coaching, business finance coaching, and fractional CFO services).
- Why listen: Practical frameworks for cash flow, profit margins, and decision-making—plus an authentic journey of faith, family, and vocation.
Lauren Rilling has spent a decade helping individuals and small companies simplify finances, get out of debt, and build healthy, profitable businesses. She coaches families and entrepreneurs and serves companies (typically < $10M revenue) as a fractional CFO, translating financial data into wise, faith-driven decisions.
- Website: savvystewardship.com
- Email: lauren@savvystewardship.com
- LinkedIn: Lauren Rilling
1) A Stewardship Story (not a finance major!)
- Cash-flowed a master’s degree on a teacher’s salary while husband was in grad school—graduated debt-free the same month twins were born.
- Discovered the peace and freedom of not being forced into work by debt; began helping friends and family with budgets and goals.
- Trained at Ramsey Solutions (2015) → coaching grew from a side outlet into a calling.
- After industry advice to avoid “stewardship,” Lauren reclaimed the name in a relaunch, centering the biblical truth that everything belongs to God.
- “When we see ourselves as stewards, pressure drops and joy rises—our question becomes, Lord, what honors You?”
- Personal Finance Coaching: budgeting systems, debt payoff plans, cash-flowing education, retirement readiness, and navigating income changes.
- Business Finance Coaching: read P&L & balance sheet with understanding; set healthy profit targets; make data-informed decisions.
- Fractional CFO: monthly analysis, reporting, KPI tracking, and operational fixes tied to the numbers (pricing, COGS, capacity, offer mix).
4) 2025 Market Reality Check
- Top challenge: Sales softness (especially B2B), longer cycles, tighter buyers.
- What to do now:
- Dial in sales focus and marketing strategy (ROI > spend).
- Allocate owner time to the highest-impact activities.
- Rebuild margins and cash buffers; know your numbers weekly.
- AI is a tool, not a source of wisdom.
- Use it to speed up analysis and admin; keep human coaching & discernment at the center.
- Principle: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”
- —AI augments, it doesn’t replace stewardship.
- A season of daily bread and patient vision—continuing to serve well while waiting on the Lord for what’s next.
- Encouragement to business owners: plan, yes—but don’t outrun God.
- Start with a zero-based budget; automate giving/saving; round numbers if needed—focus on progress, not perfection.
- Define one near-term “freedom goal” (e.g., cash-flow, a credential, a 3–6 months emergency fund).
- If married, schedule money meetings as a regular rhythm (15–30 minutes, weekly).
- Separate business & personal finances; set a target owner’s pay that supports family and giving goals.
- Track gross margin and net profit monthly; compare to industry baselines.
- Fix operations causing margin slippage (pricing, scope, utilization) before scaling the top line.
- Reallocate budget to measurable pipeline drivers (lead gen, conversion, retention).
- Build a 13-week cash forecast to navigate slow cycles.
- 00:00 — Opening & mission: Jesus in the marketplace
- 02:15 — Lauren’s debt-free grad school & twins story
- 08:40 — From volunteer FPU to professional coaching
- 13:10 — Naming Savvy Stewardship & theology of ownership
- 18:30 — Offers: personal finance, business coaching, fractional CFO
- 25:45 — Profit before revenue: fix the “colander”
- 31:10 — 2025 climate: sales slowdown & focus tactics
- 37:20 — AI as helper, not wisdom
- 42:15 — Waiting on the Lord for next steps
- 45:30 — How to connect with Lauren & closing exhortation
Reflection & Action
- Pray: “Lord, show me where to steward, not strive.”
- Pick One: Family or business—choose one action this week (set a budget meeting, build a simple margin report, or draft a cash forecast).
- Calendar it: Block 30–60 minutes for numbers + prayer.
- Web: savvystewardship.com
- Email: lauren@savvystewardship.com
- LinkedIn: Lauren Rilling
- Podcast hub: fortifiedlifepodcast.com
- Live: Wednesdays, 8:30 PM ET
- Jason’s book: Fortify: Being Rooted in God’s Plan for Work & Business (Amazon)
“Don’t compartmentalize your faith in the marketplace. From the boardroom to the bathroom—God is with you.” Be a savvy steward this week.
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