Because you can’t build legacy if you’re running your business blindfolded.

In this episode of The Craft & Calling, host Christene Marie sits down with Charles Leikauf, a seasoned CFO and financial educator who’s helped business owners scale sustainably by understanding the story behind their numbers.

Charles breaks down the difference between accountants, bookkeepers, and CFOs, and reveals why most trades businesses struggle not because of their work ethic, but because they’re driving blind when it comes to their finances.

Whether you’re still running payroll in envelopes or ready to scale beyond $5 million, this conversation will help you build financial clarity, not just revenue.

🔍WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

• Where small trades and service companies should start with financial systems
• The role of humility and delegation in building teams that scale
• How to align marketing, operations, and finance for long-term profitability
• The mindset shift from “working harder” to “working smarter” with data

0:00 Intro

1:44 Charles’s background and the $2 billion business turnaround

3:27 Why most small businesses operate “blindfolded”

7:10 How to start with QuickBooks and get your books right

12:45 When marketing costs more than your margin

15:20 Finance meets marketing: aligning cost per lead and profit

21:30 From owner to operator: how to hire and delegate

25:14 Humility, hiring, and learning to let go

29:17 Freedom, family, and building a business that lets you live

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👤 GUEST BIO: CHARLES LEIKAUF

Founder at Profit Surge Group

Fractional CFO at Ecommerce Profit Group

Charles Leikauf is a corporate finance executive turned accidental fractional CFO. After restructuring a $2 billion business and serving as CFO for another, he made the leap out of the corporate world to build a business on his own terms. Today, he leverages his deep financial expertise to help companies thrive as their trusted fractional CFO. Beyond client work, Charles also mentors accountants and bookkeepers, teaching them how to build their own path to time, location, and financial freedom-just as he did. 🔗CONNECT WITH CHARLES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleikauf/ Website: https://profitsurgegroup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlesleikauf/ 💡THANK YOU FOR WATCHING

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