Behind Closed Books

Peter E. Cohan shares how storytelling, sales strategy, and business thinking drive real growth.
Learn how to communicate value, build strong business cases, and position yourself as an expert.

In this episode of Behind Closed Books, Craig Sheets speaks with finance leader Justin Norton about the importance of data integrity, financial reporting systems, and decision-making in modern organizations.
Justin explains why strong financial processes must exist before organizations can rely on dashboards, KPIs, or AI tools. Without accurate data, even sophisticated analytics systems can lead leaders toward poor decisions.
The conversation explores how accounting teams support CFOs and executives by delivering reliable financial information, and how organizations can improve reporting systems to better support strategic decisions.

Craig Sheets interviews Sammie Denham about building a global career in dance and creative direction.
From cruise ship productions to Olympic-level aquatic shows, Sammie shares the creative challenges, financial realities, and business strategies behind a sustainable performance career.
A powerful episode for artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone building a creative business.

Shipping costs went from $6,000 to $30,000 for a few pallets.
That is not a headline. That is a margin crisis.In this episode of Behind Closed Books, Corey Carruth explains what really happens when supply chains break, tariffs shift mid-shipment, and freight inflation wipes out projected profits.
This is the operational reality behind global sourcing.
You’ll learn:
What supply chain management actually involves
How sourcing from Germany and South Korea affects margin
Why ocean and air freight exploded during COVIDHow tariffs are applied at the port of entry
Why unpredictable rate changes destroy forecastingHow operating at break even protected employees
Why building a reserve fund saved the business
If you run a product-based company, this episode will sharpen how you think about inventory, pricing, and risk.

In this episode, Ray Bazzi shares a candid look at leadership, discipline, and what it takes to build a company that can scale without losing focus or integrity.
Ray reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, including the pressures that come with growth, the importance of making deliberate decisions, and how leadership responsibilities evolve as organizations become more complex. The conversation explores capital discipline, accountability, and the systems leaders must build to support people as companies grow.
Rather than emphasizing speed or hype, this discussion centers on long-term thinking — how founders and executives can create durable organizations through structure, clarity, and consistency. Ray also speaks openly about the trade-offs leaders face and the realities many underestimate when scaling a business.
This episode is for leaders who are focused on sustainable growth, strong foundations, and building organizations that last.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Episode introduction00:41 – Ray Bazzi’s background and journey02:32 – Early entrepreneurial decisions05:06 – Learning through mistakes and pressure08:14 – Discipline as a leadership requirement11:03 – Decision-making as complexity increases14:27 – Building teams and operating structure17:58 – Capital awareness and risk management21:36 – Accountability at leadership level25:12 – What founders underestimate about scale29:01 – Long-term thinking vs short-term wins33:04 – Advice for leaders navigating growth36:42 – Closing reflections
👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders building enduring companies.🔗 Share this episode with a founder or executive preparing for scale.

Most businesses waste money on marketing before proving product-market fit. Dan Brown, lifelong entrepreneur and founder of Lead Navigators AI, shares the framework that saved him after losing $30K on a failed social network—and how to identify your ideal customer profile (ICP) before spending a dollar on ads.What You'll Learn:✅ The Five Whys analysis using ChatGPT to define your ICP✅ Why "appeal to everyone = appeal to no one" kills marketing✅ Tripwire offers: Getting customers into your funnel for free✅ Product-market fit testing for under $200 with ads✅ B2B vs B2C distribution channels (and when to use each)✅ The pixel that identifies 80% of anonymous website visitors✅ Why Dan plans 190 of his 200 employees to be AI agents✅ How to interview target customers for free product validationTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Dan Brown01:26 - How Small Businesses Acquire New Clients Through Marketing03:38 - Step Zero: Define Your ICP Before Marketing06:46 - Appeal to Everyone = Appeal to No One08:46 - Starting Specific: Sub-Niche to Broad Market11:19 - Know Your Customer (KYC): Understanding Buyer Language12:03 - Tripwire Offers: The "Book for Free, Pay Shipping" Strategy14:00 - The 4 Ps of Marketing Still Relevant Today15:26 - Ogilvy's Rolls-Royce Ad: Pattern Interrupt Marketing17:10 - Everything is a Sale (Even Dinner with Your Wife)17:50 - How to Obtain Client Lists and Create Interest22:20 - B2C vs B2B Distribution Channels Explained24:12 - Price Sensitivity in B2C vs Phone Calls in B2B26:07 - Small Businesses Have the Advantage Now (Contrarian View)29:22 - Personalization Beats Big Brand Spending32:18 - Being Nimble: Small Business Competitive Advantage33:15 - Beyond the List: Value Proposition Documents34:06 - The Pixel: 80% Website Visitor Identification36:54 - $30K Social Network Failure: Product-Market Fit Lesson39:16 - Test with $200 in Ads Before Building the Product40:36 - Interview Your Target Market for Free Validation43:48 - AI as the Hottest Trend: Futureproofing Your Business44:12 - Goal: 190 of 200 Employees Will Be AI Agents47:18 - Growing Up in Montreal: Big Family, Upper Middle Class49:19 - Boarding School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania53:29 - Building Lifelong Connections in Small Settings57:57 - Montreal: The Europe of Canada1:00:21 - Three Businesses: Virtual Staging, Done-For-You Marketing, Lead Navigators AI1:03:49 - How to Connect with Dan BrownConnect with Dan Brown:LinkedIn: @whoisDanBrownEmail: dan@enterprisegrowth.ioDan's Three Businesses:Virtual Staging SaaS: Realtors upload unstaged images, software adds furniture/décor for listingsEnterprise Growth (Done-For-You B2B Marketing): Grow pipeline, prospect actively, book sales callsLead Navigators AI: Website pixel identifies 80% anonymous visitors, resolves to full contact infoRelated Topics: #MarketingStrategy #LeadGeneration #ProductMarketFit #ICP #B2BMarketing #B2CMarketing #AIinBusiness #StartupMarketing #CustomerAcquisition #MarketingAutomation #WebsitePixel #ConversionOptimization🔔 SUBSCRIBE for marketing strategies that actually work!👍 LIKE if you've struggled with product-market fit!💬 COMMENT What's your biggest marketing challenge right now?📤 SHARE with entrepreneurs and business owners!

Discover how private money lending is revolutionizing real estate investment! In this episode of Behind Closed Books, host Craig Sheets sits down with Dustin Lauer, Chief Production Officer at Landmark Capital, to discuss private lending, hard money alternatives, and investment property financing strategies.What You'll Learn:✅ Private money lending vs. traditional bank financing✅ Current interest rates and loan terms (starting at 5.5%!)✅ How to qualify without income verification✅ The importance of LLCs for rental property protection✅ Investment strategies in today's mature market✅ Fix-and-flip financing options✅ Rental property cash flow requirements (DCR explained)Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Dustin Lauer01:26 - Why Choose Private Money Over Banks?06:08 - DTI vs. DCR: Understanding the Difference09:43 - Hard Money vs. Private Lending Terms14:24 - Competitive Interest Rates (5.5% Floor Rate!)17:20 - Qualification Requirements for Private Loans24:25 - Partnering Strategies for New Investors27:39 - Mature Market Investment Opportunities34:00 - Airbnb Risks and Short-Term Rentals38:45 - Cost Segregation and Tax Benefits45:17 - Dustin's Background and Career Journey55:25 - How to Contact Landmark CapitalAbout Our Guest:Dustin Lauer brings 16+ years of experience in private lending and real estate finance. As Chief Production Officer at Landmark Capital, he specializes in helping investors, builders, and real estate entrepreneurs secure financing for investment properties, renovations, and ground-up construction projects.Key Takeaways:💰 Private lending rates are now competitive with conventional loans🏗️ Construction draws are processed in 1-2 days vs. 3-4 weeks with banks📊 Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DCR) is key for rental financing🤝 Partnership opportunities exist for combining experience and capital🏘️ Focus on properties below median home values for better absorptionConnect with Dustin Lauer:Website: lendmarq.comLinkedIn: Dustin LauerRelated Topics: #PrivateLending #RealEstateInvesting #HardMoneyLoans #InvestmentProperty #RealEstateFinance #FixAndFlip #RentalProperty #LandmarkCapital #RealEstateInvestor #PropertyFinancing #CommercialRealEstate #RealEstateTips🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more financial insights and business strategies!👍 LIKE if you found this valuable!💬 COMMENT with your real estate investing questions!📤 SHARE with fellow investors!About Behind Closed Books:Behind Closed Books reveals the financial decisions that shape business success. Host Craig Sheets brings you unscripted conversations with business owners and experts about turning points, hard calls, and the numbers that drive growth.#BehindClosedBooks #RealEstate #Investing #BusinessPodcast #Finance

When you’ve known someone for 15+ years, you get to skip the small talk and get straight into what actually matters.Today, Mike Koslik joins me for a real conversation about what it actually takes to build something on the internet. He is the creator of Comic Book Corner 2.0, a long-time head tennis pro, and someone who has built an online community brick by brick.It’s not a highlight reel—it’s the part most people never talk about: the work, the trade-offs, and the choices that compound over time.Key Discussion Points00:00 – Mike Koslik joins the show02:10 – How two friends of 15+ years ended up in totally connected worlds05:42 – Building a YouTube channel in a niche you think no one cares about09:30 – Community, live streams, and why people show up13:55 – The real economics of YouTube: ads, memberships, super chats21:20 – Short-form vs. long-form: how creators actually get paid25:08 – Behind the curtain: filming, editing, schedule, burnout31:44 – The tax + financial side creators ignore39:12 – Comics as assets, speculation, and the crash after COVID45:50 – Consistency, imposter syndrome, and starting before you're “ready”51:30 – How tennis and teaching shaped Mike Koslik’s communication style57:10 – Growing up, identity, and the experiences that shape who you become01:05:20 – What Mike would tell anyone who wants to start creating01:10:48 – Closing thoughtsBefore you head out, help this conversation reach the people who need it:👍 Hit Like if this gave you something real to think about🔔 Subscribe so you don’t miss the stories that happen behind the numbers💬 Comment with your biggest “aha” moment, I’d love to hear it🔗 Share this with someone who's on the edge of starting their own thing#BehindClosedBooks #MikeKoslik #ComicBookCorner #YouTubeGrowth #ContentCreatorLife #OnlineBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #CommunityBuilding #SmallBusinessOwners #AuthenticConversations #Podcast #CreatorEconomy

Payroll is more than just cutting checks. Are there more details you should know?In this episode of Behind Closed Books, host Craig Sheets sits down with Jenn Rush from Heartland Payroll Solutions, one of the nation’s top payroll experts. Together, we uncover the real stories and critical insights behind modern payroll—from compliance to credits you probably didn’t know existed.Here’s what we cover:The truth about “No Tax on Tips” and overtime payHow to stay compliant with new immigration & hiring lawsWhy even small teams need written job descriptions & handbooksHow to claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and save up to $9,600 per hireWhy growing beyond 50 employees is not a risk — it’s an opportunityReal-world payroll mistakes that could cost your business bigThis episode gives you practical ways to protect your business, maximize savings, and stay one step ahead of compliance.About Our GuestJennifer Rush Employee Management Solutions Specialist, Heartland Payroll Solutions📩 jennifer.rush@e-hps.com🌐 heartland.usAbout Behind Closed Books: A podcast where business owners and experts reveal the financial decisions that shape success. Real stories. Real lessons. Real business.📌 Subscribe for more insights that help you run smarter, stay compliant, and build a business that lasts.#PayrollTips #SmallBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #HRInsights #TaxCredits #LegalCompliance #PayrollSolutions #WorkOpportunityTaxCredit #BehindClosedBooks

Welcome to the first episode of Behind Closed Books — the podcast that reveals the real stories hidden within the numbers.Hosted by Craig Sheets, founder of Crestville Accounting, this series dives deep into the lessons, challenges, and truths that small business owners experience beyond the balance sheet. In this kickoff conversation with Nick, Craig shares the personal story behind his passion for numbers — and why every number tells a story about the life of a business.Discover why accounting isn’t just about debits and credits — it’s about understanding what drives growth, what causes decline, and how smart financial insight can change the trajectory of your business.⏱ Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome to Behind Closed Books01:22 – The meaning behind the show’s title03:05 – Craig’s journey from family business roots to accounting06:48 – Why every number tells a story10:21 – How small businesses can uncover what’s really behind their books14:37 – Common financial blind spots for growing companies18:04 – Why storytelling matters in accounting21:25 – The mission behind Crestville Accounting24:50 – Closing thoughts: seeing your business beyond the numbers📢 Call to Action:If you’re ready to understand the story behind your numbers, subscribe to Behind Closed Books and join the conversation.Follow Crestville Accounting for more insights on building financially confident businesses.