April 3, 2025

Sarah Philabaum – Why Most Coffee Shops Fail – (And How to Beat the Odds)

Today, James sits down with Sarah Philabaum from BuildYourBooks.com. They dive into the financial ins and outs of running a successful coffee shop, from managing cash flow to navigating tricky budgeting decisions. Sarah shares her journey in supporting small business owners through bookkeeping and CFO services, and offers practical advice backed by real-world experience. Don’t miss Sarah’s exclusive cash flow spreadsheet – created just for podcast listeners – and her game-changing insights for coffee shop owners looking to thrive in a competitive market!
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Gross Profit Podcast
Sarah Philabaum - Why Most Coffee Shops Fail – (And How to Beat the Odds)
Loading
/

Show Notes

James Kennedy sits down with Sarah Philabaum, founder of BuildYourBooks.com, to explore the financial realities of running a coffee shop. With years of experience in bookkeeping and CFO services, Sarah shares actionable advice for small business owners looking to take control of their finances – especially in the fast-paced world of food and beverage.

About Sarah Philabaum:
Sarah Philabaum is the founder of BuildYourBooks.com, a firm that offers specialized bookkeeping and virtual CFO services tailored to small businesses – particularly coffee shops. With a passion for helping owners understand their numbers, Sarah provides the tools and insights needed to stay financially healthy and sustainable. Her work blends practical financial advice with a deep understanding of the hospitality industry.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Coffee Shop Financial Challenges: Understand the unique financial hurdles faced by café owners, from tight margins to fluctuating foot traffic.
  • Cash Flow Management: Learn Sarah’s strategies for improving cash flow and keeping businesses running smoothly, even in lean times.
  • Loan & Budgeting Tips: Hear how to make informed financial decisions when it comes to borrowing and budgeting.

Episode Highlights:

  • “Sarah, what are the biggest financial mistakes you see new coffee shop owners make?”
  • “How should small businesses approach cash flow forecasting, especially in seasonal or unpredictable markets?”
  • “Can you walk us through your budgeting approach and how it helps your clients stay on track?”

More about Sarah’s Role:
As the founder of BuildYourBooks.com, Sarah Philabaum provides hands-on financial guidance to small business owners looking to thrive. Her focus on clarity, simplicity, and real-world application makes her a trusted resource for entrepreneurs in the hospitality space. And in this episode, she shares a special bonus: a free cash flow spreadsheet exclusively for podcast listeners – designed to help business owners get their finances in order.

The Gross Profit Podcast

More Episodes

Merushka Chetty

Hillel Steiner – This Israeli CFO Secret Could Double Your Profits

This week James sits down with Hillel Steiner, founder of ProfitUp Financials and a fractional CFO based in Israel, to discuss the surprising advantages of working with international finance talent. Together, they dive into the differences between U.S. and Israeli business cultures, what founders often get wrong about funding, and how having a strong financial strategy can be the difference between staying stuck and scaling up.
Hillel also walks through a real-life case study of a BI company stuck in a high-revenue, low-profit cycle – and how he helped them transform by refocusing their service model and aligning their team more efficiently.
Stick around to the end for a massive bonus offer from Hillel that’s perfect for growing service-based companies.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Patrick Arnold – 7M Sales, Zero Profit: The Fix 

This week James sits down with Patrick Arnold, Director of Client Advisory Services at Elliott Davis, to explore the power of Client Advisory Services (CAS) and its game-changing impact on business profitability. Patrick shares an engaging case study of how he helped a golf cart business in South Carolina go from stagnant growth to seven-figure annual distributions – all by optimizing inventory, restructuring financial processes, and leveraging technology for smarter decision-making.
They also dive into the role of CAS in modern accounting, the evolution of public accounting firms to include more strategic, forward-thinking advisory, and how business owners can unlock hidden cash flow by better managing working capital.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Chris May – Fake CFOs Exposed: How to Spot the Difference

This week James sits down with Chris May, founder and CEO of Quadrant Advisory, to explore what separates real CFO strategy from everyday accounting. From turning around a $50M political consulting firm to navigating tricky incumbent finance teams, Chris shares practical advice for business leaders and fractional CFOs alike.
Together, they unpack key finance tools like sensitivity analysis, working capital management, and how to tell whether your books are just “done” – or actually useful. Chris also walks us through his own acquisition of a bookkeeping SaaS and what it taught him about keeping services laser-focused.

Listen Now »