Ready to trade tax-time panic for calm, confident decisions? We sit with CPA Melissa Harman of Mission First CPA to unpack how small businesses can turn messy books and ad hoc choices into clear systems, steady cash flow, and a mission-led strategy that actually scales. Melissa shares how her years in tax, audit, public accounting, and corporate finance shaped a simple truth: the crucial moves happen before the tax return, not after. That mindset guides her work helping owners past the startup phase who crave structure, accurate reporting, and CFO-level insight without hiring a full-time team.

We dig into practical building blocks that work for real operators: monthly closes, weekly cash check-ins, and dashboards that focus on a few core metrics, not vanity numbers. Melissa explains why bookkeeping isn’t “just data entry,” how proactive planning lowers taxes legally, and what a fractional CFO can add with scenario modeling, pricing analysis, and hiring timing. She tackles common myths—like “I’m too small to need help”—and shows how early systems prevent painful rework, protect margins, and free time so founders can stay the visionary.

This conversation is as human as it is technical. Melissa talks about trust, fit, and finding an accountant who speaks plain English and teaches as they go. The firm’s mission-led approach, shaped in part by her family’s military roots, favors a boutique client roster and hands-on support. If you want fewer surprises, better forecasts, and a finance function that serves your purpose, you’ll walk away with a clear next step and a framework you can start using today.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a founder who needs clarity, and leave a quick review to help more neighbors find us. Ready for guidance built around your mission? Reach out and tell us your top finance question.

Melissa Harman

Mission First CPA

missionfirstcpa.com

[email protected]

+1 202-301-8411