Interview with Rachelle Calina on the Java Chat Podcast

Rachelle Calina, Managing Director and CPA at Honest Buck Accounting, joined host Mike on the Java Chat Podcast interview series to talk about what every business owner should understand about their finances. Over coffee, the conversation covers startups, cash flow, honest forecasting, and what to have in order before you ever sit down with an accountant.

You can watch the full interview below, or listen on Apple Podcasts.

What This Episode Covers

The Java Chat Podcast interview moves quickly through the topics that matter most to early-stage and growth-stage business owners. Rachelle shares practical stories from her work with founders and operators, and she’s candid about where most small businesses go wrong with their books and their planning.

Cash Flow Comes Before Profit

A profitable business can still run out of money. Rachelle walks through how to read your cash position, why timing matters as much as totals, and how to spot the early warning signs of a cash crunch. For owners who want to track this on an ongoing basis, a clear financial dashboard is the right starting point.

Forecasting Honestly

Most founders forecast with optimism baked in. Rachelle pushes back on that and explains how to build projections that hold up — base case, upside, and downside scenarios — so you can plan hiring, debt, and growth without surprises. Pair forecasting with regular KPI tracking and you have a system that flags problems while there’s still time to fix them.

How to Prepare Before Meeting a CPA

One of the most useful segments covers exactly what business owners should have ready before their first CPA conversation. Clean books, a current P&L, a basic cash flow statement, and a clear sense of your goals make every meeting more productive. Our guide on when to meet with your accountant covers the cadence and the prep list.

Choosing the Right Business Structure

The episode also touches on entity choice — when an LLC makes sense, when an S-Corp election starts to pay off, and how structure affects everything from taxes to liability. For a deeper read, see our breakdown of choosing the right business structure.

Let’s Talk About Your Business

If anything from the Java Chat Podcast interview resonates with where your business sits today, we’d love to talk. Honest Buck specializes in financial strategy for childcare and small business owners. Get in touch through our new client questionnaire and we’ll set up a conversation.