What if the reason your marketing isn't working... isn't the algorithm?

In a world obsessed with visibility, reels, and going viral, most business owners are missing the real lever: clarity. Not more content. Not more platforms. REAL strategy.

On this episode of Become Sensible, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Gardella, founder and CEO of The Gardella Group, to unpack what actually drives traction in today's digital world. We talk about the shift from academia to entrepreneurship, the myth of marketing ROI, why credibility matters more than visibility, and how AI is changing the way clients find experts. Jennifer shares why transformation (not credentials) is what converts, and why so many high-achieving women are held back by fear of being seen.

This conversation is about building the plane while flying it, and choosing courage anyway.If you've been busy but not gaining traction, this episode will recalibrate how you think about growth.

Guest Links

• The Gardella Group - https://www.gardellagroup.com/
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses - https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/
• LinkedIn (Jennifer Gardella) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifergardella/

Connect

Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on LinkedIn. Learn more about Balannx.

Timestamps

• 0:00 - From academia to entrepreneurship
• 8:36 - "Building the plane while flying it"
• 15:12 - Why most marketing messaging is misaligned
• 21:10 - The ROI myth in marketing
• 26:00 - How AI and ChatGPT are changing lead generation
• 30:02 - The one-hour-a-day social media strategy
• 33:00 - Credibility vs. visibility
• 40:16 - The fear of being seen (and the fear of success)
• 45:00 - What real leadership looks like
• 50:00 - Slow down to scale
• 53:44 - Growing with the right clients

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I want to talk about the work most founders don’t see—until something breaks. The kind of work that doesn’t feel urgent when revenue is growing, but becomes unavoidable when banks, the IRS, or cash flow start asking harder questions. If your numbers look “fine” but don’t actually make sense, you’ve got some work to do.

Today I sit down with my team member Aries to unpack what really happens when businesses outgrow standard bookkeeping. Aries is a member of our internal team at Balannx, working closely with me to translate complex financial concepts into real-world business conversations.

Off camera, Aries asks the questions founders are often afraid to ask themselves.We talk about why founders rely on delegation without verification, how sloppy financial systems quietly distort profit, and why the balance sheet always tells the truth eventually.

You don’t hire a company like Balannx for bookkeeping.

You hire us for certainty.

Connect

Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionahnguyen/.

Learn more about https://balannx.com/.

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Why accounting fails founders as businesses scale
• 1:10 – Architecture, foundations, and why metaphors matter
• 2:30 – What it actually looks like when financial systems break
• 3:15 – When “not knowing your numbers” becomes negligence
• 5:10 – Delegation without verification (and why trust isn’t control)
• 6:30 – What forensic financial restoration really involves
• 8:00 – Paying for bookkeeping vs. paying for certainty
• 9:20 – Who this level of financial work is actually for

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your company holds an SBA 8(a) AA certification, December 2025 quietly changed the rules—and missing the details could cost you your status. Many firms assume this only applies once you’ve won a contract. It doesn’t. And the deadline is closer than most business owners realize.

On this episode of Become Sensible, we break down the new SBA 8(a) AA financial audit requirements that went into effect in December 2025. We cover exactly what documents the SBA now requires, why general ledger data must be submitted in CSV format, and how the agency is using multi-year financial reviews to assess continued economic disadvantage. We also walk through common bookkeeping mistakes that trigger red flags, even when there’s no fraud involved, and explain why profit & loss statements alone are no longer enough. If you want to protect your 8(a) AA certification and remain eligible for future contracts, this episode is essential listening.

Connect

Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionahnguyen/

Learn more about Balannx: https://balannx.com/

Timestamps

0:00 – Intro

1:24 – New SBA 8(a) AA audit requirements explained

2:10 – Why audits apply even if you haven’t won a contract

2:48 – CSV general ledger uploads and multi-year lookbacks

3:42 – Real example: how bookkeeping errors trigger SBA issues

5:26 – Owner equity, loans, and personal net worth risks

6:00 – Zero-revenue years and undocumented transfers

7:24 – Why profit & loss and balance sheets must align

7:50 – January 19 deadline and consequences of noncompliance

8:12 – When to bring in professional help before submitting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.