Ep 262 Turn Your Business into a Freedom Machine with Leslie Hassler

04/01/25 • 37 min

Profit Answer Man: Implementing the Profit First System!

Turn Your Business into a Freedom Machine with Leslie Hassler

Scaling a business is the dream of many entrepreneurs, but for most, it turns into a nightmare filled with burnout, financial struggles, and inefficiencies. What if there was a way to grow and scale profitably without sacrificing your health, sanity, and freedom?

On this episode of The Profit Answer Man, we sit down with Leslie Hassler, founder of Your Biz Rules, to discuss how entrepreneurs can create predictable profits, sustainable growth, and a thriving business—without the common pitfalls of burnout. Leslie shares her personal journey, key lessons from her Scaling RichTM framework, and how business owners can shift their mindset to unlock real financial success.

If you’ve ever felt stuck or overworked or wondered if scaling is really worth it, this episode is for you.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

How to break free from the feast-and-famine cycle of business growth.
The biggest mistake business owners make when trying to scale (and how to avoid it).
Why most entrepreneurs get in their own way—and how to shift your mindset to unlock success.
The importance of implementing systems and processes before you scale.
How to build a business that supports your ideal lifestyle, not just revenue goals.
Practical steps to start creating predictable profits today.

Key Takeaways:

Scaling Isn’t Just About Growth—It’s About Predictable, Sustainable Profits. Many business owners push for aggressive growth without ensuring their business can handle it. Leslie emphasizes that scaling profitably requires a strong financial foundation, repeatable processes, and a business model that doesn’t solely depend on the owner.
Entrepreneurs Often Get in Their Own Way. Leslie explains that business owners tend to believe their business is “different” or “special,” which prevents them from learning proven strategies that work. The truth? Business growth follows predictable patterns, and entrepreneurs must be willing to adjust their approach.
Systems and Processes Are Key to Freedom. A common reason businesses struggle to scale is the lack of documented systems. Leslie shares how implementing structure allows entrepreneurs to step out of the daily grind and focus on growth.
Profit First: A Must-Have for Scaling. Without a clear cash management system, many businesses scale out of control—leading to financial chaos instead of success. Leslie highlights the importance of using Profit First principles to ensure that growth is both profitable and sustainable.
Burnout Is a Symptom of Poor Business Design. Leslie’s approach emphasizes designing a business that supports the owner's life, rather than one that consumes it. She shares strategies to ensure scaling doesn’t lead to exhaustion, but rather to more freedom and profitability.

About Leslie Hassler:

Leslie Hassler is the founder of Your Biz Rules, a business strategist, and author of First This, Then That and the upcoming book Scaling RichTM. With over 17 years of entrepreneurial experience, she specializes in helping small business owners scale without burnout by creating predictable profits and sustainable business models.

Her holistic approach blends financial strategy, leadership development, and systemization to help business owners reclaim their time, energy, and wealth.

Conclusion:

Scaling a business should lead to more profit, more freedom, and less stress—not the other way around. Leslie Hassler’s insights prove that with the right mindset, systems, and financial strategies in place, business owners can grow and scale without falling into the burnout trap.

Links:

Website: https://www.yourbizrules.com/PAM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliehassler/

X: https://x.com/YourBizRules

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourBizRules

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslie.hassler/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeslieHassler

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp....

Turn Your Business into a Freedom Machine with Leslie Hassler

If you’ve ever felt stuck or overworked or wondered if scaling is really worth it, this episode is for you.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

How to break free from the feast-and-famine cycle of business growth.
The biggest mistake business owners make when trying to scale (and how to avoid it).
Why most entrepreneurs get in their own way—and how to shift your mindset to unlock success.
The importance of implementing systems and processes before you scale.
How to build a business that supports your ideal lifestyle, not just revenue goals.
Practical steps to start creating predictable profits today.

Key Takeaways:

Scaling Isn’t Just About Growth—It’s About Predictable, Sustainable Profits. Many business owners push for aggressive growth without ensuring their business can handle it. Leslie emphasizes that scaling profitably requires a strong financial foundation, repeatable processes, and a business model that doesn’t solely depend on the owner.
Entrepreneurs Often Get in Their Own Way. Leslie explains that business owners tend to believe their business is “different” or “special,” which prevents them from learning proven strategies that work. The truth? Business growth follows predictable patterns, and entrepreneurs must be willing to adjust their approach.
Systems and Processes Are Key to Freedom. A common reason businesses struggle to scale is the lack of documented systems. Leslie shares how implementing structure allows entrepreneurs to step out of the daily grind and focus on growth.
Profit First: A Must-Have for Scaling. Without a clear cash management system, many businesses scale out of control—leading to financial chaos instead of success. Leslie highlights the importance of using Profit First principles to ensure that growth is both profitable and sustainable.
Burnout Is a Symptom of Poor Business Design. Leslie’s approach emphasizes designing a business that supports the owner's life, rather than one that consumes it. She shares strategies to ensure scaling doesn’t lead to exhaustion, but rather to more freedom and profitability.

About Leslie Hassler:

Her holistic approach blends financial strategy, leadership development, and systemization to help business owners reclaim their time, energy, and wealth.

Conclusion:

Links:

Website: https://www.yourbizrules.com/PAM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliehassler/

X: https://x.com/YourBizRules

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourBizRules

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslie.hassler/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeslieHassler

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp....

Previous Episode

Ep 261 Increase Profit and Cash Flow with Paul Maskill

Increase Profit and Cash Flow with Paul Maskill

Are you a business owner looking to scale your operations without drowning in the chaos of daily management? Paul Maskill, a seasoned entrepreneur and financial expert, joins us on The Profit Answer Man podcast to reveal how systematizing your business can lead to sustainable growth and financial freedom. With years of experience in owning and selling service-based businesses, Paul now serves as an outsourced CFO, helping blue-collar businesses create predictable, positive cash flow.

If you’re tired of feeling like your business owns you instead of the other way around, this episode is for you. Learn how to shift from technician to leader, attract the right talent, and implement the financial systems necessary for lasting success.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why systems and processes are critical for freeing up your time and scaling your business efficiently.
How treating employee recruitment like customer acquisition solves staffing challenges.
Why most business owners struggle with cash flow management—and how to fix it.
How Paul transitioned from corporate finance to building, scaling, and selling multiple businesses.
The biggest financial mistakes business owners make and how to avoid them.

Key Takeaways:

You Must Systematize Your Business to Scale. Paul emphasizes that many business owners get trapped in the "technician mindset" (a concept from The E-Myth by Michael Gerber). Instead of focusing on high-level strategy, they’re consumed by daily operations. The solution? Implementing repeatable systems and processes.
Recruiting Should Be a Constant Process. One of the biggest challenges business owners face is finding good employees. Paul flips the script and treats recruiting like business development.
Cash Flow is King—Understand Your Numbers. Paul explains that many business owners don’t truly understand their financials. They mistake revenue for profit and fail to manage their cash flow effectively.
The Power of Fractional CFOs for Small Businesses. Most small businesses can’t afford a full-time CFO, but they still need financial strategy and oversight. That’s where fractional CFOs like Paul come in.

About Paul Maskill:

Paul Maskill is an entrepreneur, financial strategist, and the founder of Blue Collar Business Advisors. After leaving corporate finance in 2010, he built and sold multiple service-based businesses, including an electrical service company that scaled by over 500% in three years. Now, he helps blue-collar business owners increase profitability, improve cash flow, and create businesses that don’t depend on them.

Conclusion:

Scaling a business doesn’t mean working harder—it means working smarter. By implementing systems, hiring strategically, and managing cash flow effectively, you can create a thriving business that runs without you. Paul Maskill’s insights are a game-changer for business owners who want to break free from the daily grind and achieve financial freedom.

Links:

Email: [email protected]

Website: thebluecollaradvisors.com

LinkedIn: LinkedIn/paulmaskill

Instagram: @paul_maskill

BusinessFreedomFormula

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page

Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst

Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/

My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/

Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast

Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

#profitfirst

Next Episode

Ep 263 A Profitable Legal Strategy for Your Business with Jeff Holman

A Profitable Legal Strategy with Jeff Holman

Is your professional service firm just a glorified job? Are you stuck in the time-for-money trap, wondering where the profit is?

In this eye-opening episode of the Profit Answer Man, we sit down with Jeff Holman, a serial entrepreneur and attorney who cracked the code on building true profitability into a law firm—without working 80 hours a week or billing by the hour.

If you're running a service-based business, this episode is a masterclass in aligning cash flow, value creation, and scalable legal support. You’ll hear how Jeff transitioned from paycheck-chasing attorney to scalable business owner using a fractional legal team model—and how he implemented Profit First in an industry that often ignores profit altogether.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why most law firms (and professional services) operate at a financial loss—even when they look successful.
How to escape the “next client, next invoice” cycle and start building enterprise value.
The secret behind Jeff’s Fractional Legal Team model—and how you can apply the same thinking to your industry.
Why implementing Profit First was a game-changer for Jeff’s firm—and how you can do it too.
Why professional service providers MUST stop thinking like employees and start acting like business owners.

Key Takeaways:

Profit Isn’t Optional: Running a law firm—or any business—without a clear profit strategy is just self-employment in disguise. Jeff shares how he flipped the script and began designing profit into the business.
The Time-for-Money Trap is Real: Many lawyers, consultants, and service professionals stay broke by chasing billable hours. Jeff explains how he stepped out of the "lawyer job" mindset and into the role of a true business owner.
Build with the End in Mind: “If you’re going to run this business for 10–15 years, why not build something that’s actually worth something?” Jeff dives into how he intentionally built enterprise value instead of just cash flow.
Fractional Legal is the Future: Jeff’s team model puts the right attorney with the right client at the right time—maximizing value while minimizing overhead. It’s not just smart law—it’s smart business.
Profit First for Professionals: Learn how Jeff applied the Profit First system to create clarity, control, and cash flow in a notoriously chaotic industry—and why more professionals need to do the same.

About Jeff Holman:

Jeff Holman is the founder of Intellectual Strategies, a firm revolutionizing how startups and growth-stage businesses access legal help. His Fractional Legal Team approach gives companies the right legal expertise when they need it—without the cost of a full-time legal department.

With a background in engineering, law, and business, Jeff bridges the gap between technical teams and legal strategy. He’s admitted to practice in California, Utah, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and brings over two decades of experience tackling complex business and legal problems.

Jeff’s mission is simple: help clients grow smarter, faster, and more profitably.

Conclusion:

You don’t need to be a lawyer to learn from this episode. Whether you're running a design agency, a coaching practice, or a consulting firm, Jeff Holman’s story is your wake-up call: your business should serve YOU—not the other way around.

Stop building a job. Start building a business that pays you now and has value when you’re ready to step away.

Links:

Website: https://www.intellectualstrategies.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holman/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@intellectualstrategies9742

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intellectualstrategies/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61554259033445

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page

Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst

Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/grou...