Today on the podcast, we speak with Charlie Banks. He's the Co-Founder of VentureSouth, an early-stage venture capital firm for Southeastern startups.

Our convo about startups, fundraising, and financial forecasting led us to note that "passion" is obviously essential in business – but it's smart data and detailed numbers that give actual backbone to any business that wants to grow... or eventually get sold / acquired.

In this episode, we speak with Nick Annan, CPA with Elliot Davis. With nearly 17 years of public accounting experience, Nick spends his days very similar to us – serving as controller and CFO advisor to real estate, professional services firms and not-for-profit clients. We always love the chance to talk business and money with Nick.

John and Nick cover some unique nuances of P&Ls, balance sheets, and cashflow statements. But they also dive into why it's so common for business owners to miss the mark with financial planning and forecasting – tasks that can feel murky or daunting, yet offer one of the surest ways to drive predictable success in business and "personal life outside the business".

In this episode, we speak with Mitch Smith, a 4X tech entrepreneur whose had multiple exits and lived to tell about it. Mitch and John discuss the topic of risk in business – what it is, where it shows up, and how to deal with it. We talk about the process of forecasting and seeing around corners, especially when it comes to money. Mitch shares his unique perspectives on how to spend money as an intentional act of decreasing risk in business.

In Episode 58, Kim Smith, founder of Health Evolve Technologies, reveals some startling realities about health inequity and provides us with an optimistic picture of what an equitable care culture can be. According to Kim, only 20% of the health equity gap can be addressed in the doctor's office, yet so many think this is where the solution lies. Kim pulls from her experience in health care administration to create multifaceted technological tools to build what she calls a "digital health village" capable of disrupting the health disparities that plague our healthcare system.

Dr. Aditi Bussells wears many hats, including public health researcher, consultant, mother, wife, and At-Large City Councilwoman. Episode 57 dives into the reality of working in municipal government, from how public health research can apply to policy making, to increasing civic engagement at the local level. Dr. Bussells teaches us how to look at the whole picture, and how to celebrate little wins on the way to solving big problems.

Sakhar Jams isn’t just a thriving jam business, it’s also an inspiring story of friendship and motherhood, bound together with a love of food. In Episode 56 of Footnotes, founders Reshma Mahadkar and Jessica Henry share honest, inspiring advice about adding the title of “business partner” to a long friendship. How do you scale responsibly, how do you delineate tasks and collaborate, how do you manage motherhood and business? Listen in for cogent, actionable advice that these best friends learned while turning their amazing “bougie jams” into a must-have pantry essential.

When Herbert Drayton III was looking for investors to fund promising black-owned businesses, he made a shocking discovery. There was not a single majority-black venture capital firm in the entire state of South Carolina. In Episode 55 of Footnotes, we learn how Drayton built the state's first black-owned VC firm, dedicated entirely to supporting BIPOC and women-owned businesses with not only the funds they need to succeed, but also the relationships, resources, and advice that makes a promising idea become a profitable reality. This episode is full of actionable advice that's perfect for any entrepreneur, whether you've been in business for years, or you're still considering the risk of a brand new idea.

In Episode 54 of Footnotes, we check in with the Mayor of Columbia, SC, Daniel Rickenmann, after one year on the job. He explains how he promotes the sharing of ideas and resources for the good of the community, reducing barriers to conversations and giving everyone who wants to engage a voice. He shows us how we can make Columbia's assets visible and accessible by connecting our amazing neighborhoods and improving the quality of life for our residents. Listen in to learn about everything exciting going on in Columbia today, and get excited for what’s coming tomorrow.