Episode 76: Financial Clarity = Freedom: How to Build a More Profitable Business

What do you do when life knocks you all the way down… and you still have no choice but to keep going? In this episode of *Main Street Success Stories*, Jennifer Kok sits down with Natalia Zacharin, founder of Zacharin Consulting, for a powerful conversation about resilience, financial clarity, and what it really takes to build a profitable business from the ground up. Natalia shares her deeply personal journey — from being a stay-at-home mom going through a difficult divorce, to taking a retail job at age 42 for just over $7/hour, to building a multi-million dollar financial consulting firm with a team of 16. This is not a story of overnight success. It’s a story of grit, consistency, and continuing to show up when nothing seems to be working yet. Jennifer and Natalia dive into: - Why your first job (or step) is often just a stepping stone — not the final destination - What it really looks like to build a business in the “messy middle” when results are slow - How Natalia landed her first clients through consistent LinkedIn outreach (even when it wasn’t working… yet) - Why success doesn’t remove fear or pressure — it just changes the level of responsibility - The importance of surrounding yourself with people who understand entrepreneurship - How investing in a mastermind (even when it feels like a stretch) can accelerate growth and accountability Natalia also shares powerful insights on the financial side of business — in a way that feels practical, not overwhelming: - Why not charging enough is one of the most common mistakes business owners make - The truth about hiring: don’t hire when you’re overwhelmed — hire when you can afford it - Key financial benchmarks for service-based businesses (including profit margins and payroll targets) - Why your numbers are not restrictive — they are the language of your business - When it makes sense to consider becoming an S-Corp - How to think about owner pay, profit, and building a sustainable business One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that your numbers don’t exist to limit you — they exist to give you freedom, clarity, and better decision-making. This episode is a reminder that success is built quietly through consistency — even when it feels like nothing is happening. **Meet Our Guest:** Natalia Zacharin is the founder of Zacharin Consulting, a fast-growing financial consulting firm that provides bookkeeping, payroll, and CFO services to small business owners. With a background that started in sales and evolved through persistence and continuous learning, Natalia helps entrepreneurs understand their numbers, improve profitability, and make smarter financial decisions. Resources & Links: Free Resources: zacharinconsulting.com/mss - 7 Ways to Find Money in Your Business - Ultimate Financial Success Checklist **Meet Your Host:** Jennifer Kok is a Profit & Growth Advisor and founder of Next Wave. A serial entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience, she helps service-based women entrepreneurs increase profitability through financial clarity, strategic decision-making, and systems that support sustainable growth.   www.nextwavebusinesscoaching.com Focus Growth Collective If this episode made you pause and think about your own habits, share it with a friend. My name is Jennifer Kok, and I’m a profit and growth advisor for service-based women entrepreneurs. I help women business owners make smarter, more strategic decisions so they can grow profitably, pay themselves consistently, and avoid burnout. Because the truth is, business owners make decisions all day long, but the ones that really matter are often the hardest ones. Should I hire? Raise my prices? Invest in marketing? Let go of a draining client? Expand, or simplify? Those decisions carry weight, and they can impact your time, your profit, your energy, and your long-term growth. That’s why I created the Focused Growth Collective, a virtual mastermind for women business owners who want support making the kinds of decisions that move a business forward. Yes, we talk strategy, but we also look at the bigger picture like mental load, health, profit, and long-term sustainability. My goal is to help women build businesses that pay them well, support their lives, and still feel worth leading 10 years from now. Connect with me: Website: Facebook: Instagram: LinkedIn: YouTube: