Geronimo Unfiltered

Download the Episode 4 workbook → https://bit.ly/p-finance-in-february-workbook

This episode is part of our 4-part Finance February series.

Watch the full series here → https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKi-7Pfz-69k5RqQyH-xU6EUe9Vk1_6LS&si=rzltOTe_pRerUshH

This is the episode where the money finally means something.

You’ve built awareness (Episode 1).

You’ve created rhythm (Episode 2).

You’ve learned how to make decisions and get paid properly (Episode 3).

Now comes the real question:

What do you actually do with the money?

Because profit without intention just turns into:

– Dumb spending

– Panic tax decisions

– Or a bigger business that still owns you.

This episode is about turning profit into freedom, wealth, and optionality — not more stress.In this episode, you’ll learn:

1) The order of operations for money (most owners get this backwards)

Profit isn’t for random spending.

There’s a sequence:

– Pay yourself properly

– Allocate for tax on purpose

– Decide how much stays in the business

– Decide how much gets extracted

– Then invest deliberately

Miss the order and you’ll always feel broke, even when the numbers look good.

2) Why “reinvest everything” keeps owners stuck

Reinvestment without rules is just unpaid labour in disguise.

You’ll learn how to reinvest with intention, so the business grows and your life improves.

3) The difference between business wealth and personal wealth

A valuable business is not the same as personal security.

We break down how to:

– Build cash buffers

– Separate business risk from life money

– Avoid having your entire net worth trapped inside your gym

4) Smarter tax decisions (not dodgy write-offs)

Buying stuff to “save tax” is one of the most expensive mistakes owners make.

You’ll learn how to:

– Plan tax early

– Use profit allocation instead of panic spending

– Make decisions your future self won’t regret

5) Designing a business that serves your life

This is where finance becomes personal.

What’s the point of profit if:

– You’re still stressed

– You still can’t switch off

– You still feel guilty spending money?

This episode ties the numbers back to why you started.

Homework:

Your homework for Episode 4 is to decide what your profit is for.

Download the workbook here → https://bit.ly/p-finance-in-february-workbook

Then choose ONE:

Set a profit allocation rule

Decide how much stays in the business vs comes out

Create a tax buffer (on purpose, not in panic)

Decide what “enough” actually looks like for your life

Map how profit turns into freedom over the next 12–36 months

Write it down.

Put it in the calendar.

Stop winging it.

What’s next?

That wraps Finance February.

If this series changed how you think about money, decisions, or your role as an owner, go back and rewatch it as a system, not four random episodes.

Connect with us:

My website: ⁠https://thegeronimoacademy.com ⁠

IG Geronimo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegeronimoacademy⁠

IG Hey.Doza: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewhandosa⁠

Want to SCALE your business and generate more LEADS?

Go Here: https://bit.ly/4kZSlya

Want to LEARN proven systems to grow your business without burnout?

Go here: https://bit.ly/44XoX5w

Chapters

00:00 – Episode 4: what the money is actually for

01:10 – The order of operations for profit

04:30 – Why reinvesting everything keeps you stuck

08:20 – Business wealth vs personal wealth

12:45 – Tax planning without dumb spending

18:10 – Designing a business that serves your life

24:30 – Profit, freedom, and optionality

31:00 – Homework: decide what your profit is for

34:00 – Finance February wrap-up

Download the Episode 3 workbook → https://bit.ly/p-finance-in-february-workbook

This episode is part of our 4-part Finance February series and in episode #3 we stop looking at numbers … and start using them.

You’ve got awareness (Episode 1).

You’ve got rhythm (Episode 2).

Now it’s: what decisions are you making off the back of it?

Because the goal isn’t “be good at finance”… it’s get paid properly and make calls like hiring/spending based on rules - not emotions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1) Owner pay vs profit (and why most owners stay broke).

Owner pay = the salary you’d have to pay someone to replace you (fair market wage)

Profit = what’s left after the business runs properly (and then becomes dividends / drawings / extras)

Most owners think they’re profitable… because they’re paying themselves $0 (that’s not profit, that’s unpaid wages)

2) The “Abducted You” test for owner salary.

If you got abducted tomorrow … what would you list your job ad for?

That’s your “owner salary” number?

3) Decision rules for hiring (and the 40% labour trigger).

Hiring isn’t a feelings decision; it’s a ratio decision. You get “permission to hire” when you’re around the labour % you’re targeting (the example used: ~40%) BUT only if you’re hiring to grow revenue, not to “buy time” and watch Netflix. Labour % moves like stairs: hire → % goes up → revenue growth brings it back down → repeat

4) Stop spending based on vibes (use guardrails, not handcuffs)

Forecasting + ratios are guardrails so you don’t go broke. They’re not handcuffs that stop you going big. You can break the rules - but only deliberately with a plan to bring ratios back

5) The true cost of a staff member (it’s not the salary)

A “$100k staff member” is not $100k. Add in things like:Super, Leave coverage, Workers comp, Payroll tax (if you’re over threshold)…and you’re closer to $130k+ in real cost. If you don’t model this properly, you’ll hire early and wonder where your profit went.

6) Smarter team design (local vs offshore + base + variable)

Don’t pay Aussie rates for tasks that don’t require Aussie expertise

Split roles: high-value work stays local, repeatable/admin gets systemised/offshored

Base + variable pay models can reduce risk and align performance.

Pick one of these and decide it using the numbers (not vibes):

Set your owner salary (fair market wage)

Separate owner pay vs profit

Decide a dividend rule (how profit gets extracted)

Create a hiring rule (based on ratios, not emotions)

Create a spending rule (business case + cash impact)

Redesign your workforce mix (what must be local vs can be offshored)

Make one decision. Put it in writing. Put it in the calendar.

Want the Sidekicks? (AI-powered assistants + offshore support)

DM Doza on Instagram @hey.doza with the word: SIDEKICKS

What’s next?

Episode 4 is the payoff: what to do with the money (life, wealth, long-term strategy, without doing dumb tax “business write-off” stuff).

Connect with us:

My website: ⁠https://thegeronimoacademy.com ⁠

IG Geronimo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegeronimoacademy⁠

IG Hey.Doza: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewhandosa⁠

Chapters

00:00 – Episode 3: Decisions + getting paid

00:30 – Owner pay vs profit (why they’re different)

02:05 – The “abducted you” test (owner salary)

03:30 – The danger of “profit” when you pay yourself $0

05:55 – Fixing it when you can’t afford your salary (sales vs overhiring)

08:00 – Profit vs dividends

12:00 – Decision rules: when to hire vs wait

13:15 – The “labour % staircase” explained

15:35 – Vibe spending vs deliberate spending

19:20 – True cost of a staff member (it’s not the salary)

Download the Episode 2 workbook → https://bit.ly/p-finance-in-february-workbook

ALL FINANCE FEBRUARY Episodes

Episode #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN9z9uNnfes&t=720s

For studio owners, this episode shows you when to look at your numbers - so you stop getting end-of-month money surprises.

If your finances feel like emotional whiplash (good week… then BAM, BAS/ATO/that random bill), this episode gives you a simple rhythm you can literally book into your calendar.

Most studio owners don’t need “more finance knowledge”… they need a cadence. Because the goal isn’t to become an accountant - it’s to go from surprises → systems.

This is Episode 2 of our 4-part Finance February series on the Geronimo Unfiltered podcast.Episode 1 was awareness (what numbers matter).

Episode 2 is rhythm + planning (how often to look, what to review, and how to stay deliberate instead of reactive).

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Build a simple financial rhythm across annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly

• Create an annual budget using last year’s trends + ratios

• Use a reverse forecast (start with the profit you want, then work backwards)

• Understand the difference between budgeting vs forecasting (hint: it’s about cash)

• Set up a basic cash flow forecast (weekly view, 13 weeks ahead)

• Run Finance Fridays so you’re managing numbers — not vibes

• Use monthly numbers to make decisions: budget vs actual → course-correct

• Stop managing the business by checking the bank account and “hoping”

Homework (this is the big one)

Your homework from this episode is to book the sessions into your calendar - because if it’s not booked, it’s not real. It helps you with forecasting in your business.

Want us to do this LIVE?

DM Doza on Instagram (@hey.doza) with the words: FORECAST LIVE … and if there’s enough interest, we’ll run a live session where we build this together.

What’s next?

This episode was all about containers, cadences, and getting it in the calendar.

In Episode 3, we’re going into decision-making — now that your rhythm is set, what decisions do you make … and how do you get paid properly.

Remember to Like, subscribe, and comment with your biggest takeaway — we read them all.

Connect with us

My website: ⁠https://thegeronimoacademy.com ⁠

IG Geronimo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegeronimoacademy⁠

IG Hey.Doza: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewhandosa⁠

Chapters

00:00 – Episode 2 (Finance February): Rhythm + planning

00:22 – From surprises to systems

00:40 – The four cadences: annual / quarterly / monthly / weekly

01:03 – The goal: stop reacting emotionally, operate deliberately

01:22 – The real homework: book it in the calendar

01:46 – Annual planning = budgets + strategy

03:05 – Trends + ratios → plan the next 12 months

05:31 – Reverse forecasting (start with the profit you want)

07:24 – The point of profit: wealth + lifestyle + generational impact

10:41 – Cash flow forecast: why it matters

14:07 – Building a simple cash flow forecast (weekly view)

20:34 – Why this stops “bank balance decisions”

23:04 – Weekly weigh-in (Finance Fridays): what to track

26:10 – First 4 weeks are hardest — then it’s a 15-minute habit

28:11 – Monthly: budget vs actual + benchmarks

30:40 – Monthly overhead deep dive (subscription fat)

33:39 – Quarterly: priorities, focus, reduce shiny object chaos

39:05 – Budgeting vs forecasting (the difference is cash)

39:43 – Final homework recap: book the sessions

Download your workbook here → https://bit.ly/p-finance-in-february-workbook

For studio owners, this episode breaks down the only financial numbers that actually matter to run a profitable business.

If your Profit & Loss stresses you out or you avoid your numbers altogether, this episode will change how you think about money in your business.

→ Want to scale your studio and generate more leads? https://bit.ly/4kZSlya

→ Want proven systems to grow without burnout? https://bit.ly/44XoX5w

Most studio owners aren’t bad with money - they’re just looking at the wrong numbers.

If opening your Profit & Loss statement makes you feel confused, overwhelmed, or like you “should probably talk to your accountant one day”… this episode is for you.

This is Episode 1 of our 4-part Finance February series on the Geronimo Unfiltered podcast. Across this series, we’re breaking down financial literacy for studio owners in plain English - no spreadsheets, no shame and no accounting degree required.

In this episode, we lay the foundation. If you don’t understand this part, everything else feels harder than it needs to be.By the end of this episode, you’ll be able to:

• Stop saying “I’m bad with numbers” and start saying “I just didn’t know what to look at”

• Understand the difference between revenue, profit and cash (and why revenue is vanity)

• Read a Profit & Loss statement without panic

• Identify the only numbers that actually matter in a studio business

• Know what a financially healthy studio actually looks like

• Understand simple ratio benchmarks for labour, rent, overheads and profit

• Spot the two biggest profit killers for studio owners: overspending on

If you want this episode to actually change your business, don’t skip this part.

After listening ... here's your homework:

1) Ask your accountant for your last 12 months of Profit & Loss (or log into your accounting software and find it yourself)

2) Calculate your current ratios:

- Labour as a percentage of revenue

- Rent as a percentage of revenue

- Total overheads

- Operating profit

3) Compare your numbers to the benchmarks discussed in this episode



4) Bonus power move: ask your accountant to clean up your chart of accounts so your P&L is easy to understand at a glance.

This episode kicks off Finance February.

In Episode 2, we’ll map out budgeting and forecasting - without overwhelm.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment below with your biggest takeaway.

We read them all.

Connect with us:

My website: ⁠https://thegeronimoacademy.com ⁠

IG Geronimo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegeronimoacademy⁠

IG Hey.Doza: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewhandosa⁠

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome to Finance February

01:45 – Why studio owners avoid their numbers

04:55 – “I’m bad with numbers” (and why that’s not true)

07:10 – Revenue vs profit vs cash

11:30 – Breaking down a P&L in plain English

14:20 – What counts as direct labour

18:45 – Labour cost benchmarks (and common mistakes)

23:10 – Rent benchmarks and lease red flags

27:05 – Overheads: what matters and what doesn’t

31:45 – What healthy profit actually looks like

35:20 – The two biggest profit killers

38:50 – Homework & what’s coming next

Let me know if I should host a live workshop with Pete to build your ads

1. Find me on instagram @Hey.Doza - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza⁠

2. Send me the message PETE, and I’ll add you to the waitlist

If ads feel expensive, unpredictable, or stressful… it’s probably not the platform.

In this episode, Doza sits down with Pete (our ads guy) to break down why most studio owners waste money on ads - and how the right system turns paid traffic into consistent members instead of random spikes and burnout.

This isn’t theory.

You’ll hear exactly how our ads system is built, why most studios fail after week two, and what actually makes ads work long-term - even in competitive local markets.

If you’ve tried ads before, turned them off, or felt like they “just don’t work for your studio,” this episode will show you where things usually break - and how to fix them properly.

Here’s what we’re covering:

• Why most studio ads fail after the first 7-14 days

• The biggest mistake owners make before they even launch ads

• Why ads don’t fix broken systems - they expose them

• The difference between leads, members, and actual growth

• How our ads system creates consistency instead of chaos

• What studios should have in place before spending a dollar on ads

• Why “set and forget” ads quietly drain cash

• The role speed, follow-up, and standards play in ad performance

• How to judge ads properly (and what metrics actually matter)

• Why most owners panic and turn ads off too early

• The real job of ads inside a studio growth plan

• How to stop guessing and start running ads with control

• What predictable member growth from ads actually looks like in practice

• Why ads feel stressful when there’s no system behind them

• How to scale ads without burning yourself out or your team

If you want ads to bring in consistent members - not headaches - this episode is for you.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment below with your biggest takeaway.

We read them all.

Connect with us:

My website: ⁠https://thegeronimoacademy.com ⁠

IG Geronimo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegeronimoacademy⁠

IG Hey.Doza: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewhandosa⁠

Want to SCALE your business and generate more LEADS? Go Here: https://bit.ly/4kZSlya

Want to LEARN proven systems to grow your business without burnout? Go here: https://bit.ly/44XoX5w

——

Chapters:

⏳ [00:00] Intro – Why Ads Feel Harder Than They Should

⏳ [00:02:05] Meet Pete: Our Ads Guy & Why Most Studios Get Ads Wrong

⏳ [00:05:10] The Truth About Ads: They Don’t Fix Broken Systems

⏳ [00:08:20] Why Most Studio Ads Die After 7–14 Days

⏳ [00:11:30] Leads vs Members: The Mistake That Skews Every Result

⏳ [00:14:45] What Ads Are Actually Meant to Do in a Studio Business

⏳ [00:18:10] Inside Our Ads System: How Consistency Is Created

⏳ [00:22:40] Why “Set and Forget” Ads Quietly Burn Cash

⏳ [00:26:15] Speed to Lead, Follow-Up & Why Ads Expose Weaknesses

⏳ [00:30:20] The Metrics That Matter (And What to Ignore)

⏳ [00:34:10] Why Most Owners Panic and Turn Ads Off Too Early

⏳ [00:37:55] What Predictable Member Growth from Ads Really Looks Like

⏳ [00:41:30] Scaling Ads Without Burning Out Your Team

⏳ [00:45:10] When Ads Feel Stressful, This Is Usually Why

⏳ [00:48:30] Final Reality Check: Ads Work When the System Does