February 6, 2025

The Hard Truth About Starting Your Own Business

In this episode of the Gross Profit Podcast, James delves into the journey of Eric Reinacher, owner and CEO of Sentinel Finance Group. Eric shares his experience transitioning from being a fractional CFO in California to starting his own business in Kansas City. They also discuss key insights such as protecting your equity while obtaining funding, and the balance between revenue growth and business efficiency. Tune in for a detailed look at the dynamics of starting anew, managing client relationships, and strategic financial planning.
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Hard Truth About Starting Your Own Business
Loading
/

Show Notes

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Eric Reinacher, CEO and founder of Sentinel Finance Group, to discuss the realities of starting and scaling a business.

Eric’s journey is a fascinating one—after years as a fractional CFO in California, he took a leap of faith and launched his own firm in Kansas City. Now, through Sentinel Finance Group, he helps business owners navigate complex financial decisions with expert CFO and controller services.

Starting a business is often romanticized, but Eric shares the hard truths—from the financial risks and equity pitfalls to the balancing act between revenue growth and operational efficiency. If you’re considering launching your own venture or are struggling to gain financial traction, this episode is packed with practical advice you can’t afford to miss.

What You’ll Learn:

🔹 The Realities of Entrepreneurship – Eric’s firsthand experience transitioning from employee to business owner.
🔹 Protecting Your Equity While Raising Capital – Why safeguarding your ownership stake is crucial when securing funding.
🔹 Balancing Revenue Growth and Business Efficiency – How sustainable financial strategies trump rapid but unstable expansion.
🔹 The Role of a Fractional CFO – Why many businesses benefit from outsourcing high-level financial leadership instead of hiring a full-time CFO.
🔹 Financial Pitfalls for New Business Owners – Common mistakes entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them.

Episode Highlights:

💬 “Starting your own business isn’t just about making money—it’s about making the right financial decisions that ensure long-term success.” – Eric Reinacher

💬 “Too many founders give away too much equity too early. You have to think strategically about how to structure funding.”

💬 “A business isn’t just about revenue growth—it’s about financial health, stability, and having a clear long-term vision.”

Beyond Sentinel Finance Group, Eric has played a critical role in helping Kansas City businesses grow and thrive. His expertise in financial strategy, process improvement, and leadership makes him a sought-after advisor for companies looking to scale sustainably.

The Gross Profit Podcast

More Episodes

Merushka Chetty

Iberly Abreu – Inside Turks and Caicos: How Resort Purchasing Really Works

In this episode, James Kennedy chats with Iberly Abreu, Purchasing Manager at South Bank (part of Grace Bay Resorts, Turks & Caicos). Iberly shares her path from FedEx and hotel operations to running purchasing for a luxury, guest-obsessed island resort. We dig into import-dependent supply chains, inventory discipline, and the realities of sourcing everything from linens to last-minute kosher items – plus how ProcurementExpress.com streamlines approvals, budgets, CapEx, and contingency spend in a fast-moving hospitality environment.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Donny Mashiach – CFO Reveals His 90% Client Win Rate Secret

James Kennedy sits down with Donny Mashiach, founder of Warrior GP, to unpack how he’s importing an investment-banking “deal team” model into the fractional CFO world. Donny shares how he consistently closes prospects with a pre-work, presentation-led pitch, how he aligns incentives so everyone wins, and a concrete case study where he unlocked $750k of cash by fixing inventory turns at an eCommerce retailer. They also touch on walking away from “wrong” venture terms, seasonality planning, and why founders should expect their exit to feel personal – and stressful.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Scott Geller – The Staffing Business Cash Flow Death Trap (And How to Escape)

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Scott Geller, CEO of Path Predict LLC and fractional CFO, to unpack the nuts and bolts of running and scaling staffing firms. Scott explains why staffing is really two sales pipelines (candidates and clients), how cash flow can get crushed by weekly payrolls and 30–90 day receivables, and the practical levers owners can pull – pricing, margins, funding – to stay liquid and grow. He also shares a venture story: guiding a COVID-era sports-tech startup past a so-so VC offer to a stronger strategic exit by building runway, discipline, and options.

Listen Now »