Future Focused Entrepreneurs

What the Numbers Mean

sgilgenbach@ghjadvisors.com (Jim Downes, Arna Erazo) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:11:57 +0000

In this episode of Blueprint CFO’s Future Focused Entrepreneurs podcast, host Jim Downes invites GHJ Client Accounting and Advisory Services Practice Leader Arna Erazo to explore what it means to work with an outsourced accountant to scale business success.

In the podcast episode, the two examine:

The business value of part-time financial leadership
The differences between an outsourced accountant and fractional CFO, as well as how they work with each other and businesses’ accounting teams
How accurate, timely financial reports help leaders understand what their business numbers mean
How to improve business performance and scale operations through forecasting and strategic planning
And more

Information Technology Insights

sgilgenbach@ghjadvisors.com (Jim Downes, Nader Nemati) — Fri, 30 May 2025 14:23:00 +0000

Nader has a proven track record of helping companies align technology and IT infrastructure to business objectives to grow revenue, increase profitability, and expand into new markets and geographies. He has worked at Lockheed Martin, Leidos, and Honeywell in various executive IT positions, including Chief Information Officer, and is the founder of several successful startups, including On Demand Managers.

In today’s on-demand economy, businesses face constant challenges requiring immediate attention. On Demand Managers, founded by Nader Nemati, offers swift and efficient solutions by providing quick access to highly experienced managers and executives. Their seasoned professionals handle urgent and complex issues that exceed internal capabilities. Through the On Demand Management™ service, businesses gain direct access to skilled managers and executives for interim projects or retainer agreements, seamlessly integrating into their teams. Specializing in fractional CIO, CTO, and CISO services, these interim leaders navigate financial, operational, and technological challenges with agility.

About the Series. Future Focused Entrepreneurs is an interview series and podcast highlighting entrepreneurs and businesses that are going places by focusing on the future and developing a roadmap for success.

About Blueprint CFO at GHJ. Blueprint CFO is a future focused fractional CFO and accounting services firm based in Orange County, California. Partnering with entrepreneurial companies to guide and support them on their road to success, Blueprint CFO equips clients with the Profitability Roadmap® they need to grow. Learn more at www.BlueprintCFO.com.

Environmental Planning with a Purpose

sgilgenbach@ghjadvisors.com (Jim Downes, Jeremy Krout) — Wed, 21 May 2025 14:10:00 +0000

Jeremy Krout is the founder of EPD Solutions, Inc. EPD provides an integrated approach to environmental analysis, regulatory compliance, land use planning, entitlement, and development and construction management. Since 2013, EPD has spent over a decade assisting clients through the complex regulatory and interdisciplinary processes required to bring projects to fruition in the most thoughtful manner. EPD collaborates with both private and public sector clients to meet each project’s objectives while supporting the economic, environmental sustainability, and long-term goals of all stakeholders. The result is a comprehensive development strategy that delivers the best solutions for the environment, community, and economic value.

Jeremy has over 20 years of experience in urban, environmental and policy planning; project management; and real estate entitlement and development, in both the public and private sectors. Over this period, he has successfully managed many regionally significant and complex projects in these fields, which drew on his knowledge of federal, state and local government regulations, natural interpersonal and negotiation skills, public presentation strengths, detail-oriented approach to project design oversight, and team leadership abilities. His wide-ranging and multifaceted experience on infill residential, master planned communities, affordable housing, education, public and private redevelopment, transportation, mining, solar, recreation, hospitality and industrial projects has developed and honed his skills in entitlement strategy and implementation and environmental compliance. It is because of his successes and dedication that he has earned the conviction and reliance of project proponents and opponents, stakeholders and his clients.

About the Series. Future Focused Entrepreneurs is an interview series and podcast highlighting entrepreneurs and businesses that are going places by focusing on the future and developing a roadmap for success.

Inside the Cosmetics C Suite

sgilgenbach@ghjadvisors.com (Jim Downes, Gabriela Hernandez, Fergus Hernandez) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:11:00 +0000

As a young girl, Gabriela would watch in complete wonder while her beloved grandmother applied makeup as part of her daily beauty ritual. From the swipe of a bold lip color to the dusting of rouge on a cheek, Gabriela loved how this small moment connected art to beauty, and grandmother to granddaughter.

After immigrating from Buenos Aires to the United States, Gabriela’s fascination for cosmetics grew into passion followed by expertise. She became a historian of makeup through the decades, studying photography and art direction at ArtCenter, where she met Fergus. The pair started a photo studio business together after graduation, and later co-founded Bésame Cosmetics.

Just like Gabriela’s experience watching her grandmother apply makeup decades ago, Bésame offers authentic connection across generations, so you can build looks that transcend time. As co-founder, Fergus shares that hearing what Bésame customers appreciate is hard to put a price on, and that customer feedback is what gets him up every day. He shares that his happy place is with Gabriela and their kids.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Gabriela and Fergus’s journey to launching Bésame Cosmetics, and where the inspiration came from
• Rough spots the Bésame team has faced along their entrepreneurial journey
• Changes Gabriela and Fergus have seen in the cosmetics industry over time, and the impact of the internet on the direct-to-consumer model
• Being self-motivated as an entrepreneur, and the most difficult aspects of owning a business
• The immeasurable joy of receiving impactful client feedback
• Whether the economy (and looming recession) has impacted Bésame Cosmetics recently, and purchasing trends the co-founders have noticed
• The cost of chaos, the risk of being tunnel-visioned as a passionate entrepreneur, and “not knowing what you don’t know”
• The value of great accounting, and how working with Blueprint CFO has helped Gabriela and Fergus run their business better
• What entrepreneurs should be looking out for along their journey, from the Bésame co-founders’ perspective

Landscaping Leadership from the Ground Up

sgilgenbach@ghjadvisors.com (Jim Downes, Eric Fenmore) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:34:00 +0000

Eric Fenmore is the owner of Garden Studio Design, a full-service landscape design/build firm located in Southern California. Eric grew up in Orange County and graduated from Foothill High School in Tustin in 1986, and continued on to study Economics at UCLA and the London School of Economics. After graduating college in 1990, he worked in a small family finance business until his father retired in 2000 and closed the business. From there, Eric went into banking, and his wife Chris started Garden Studio Design.

At the time, Garden Studio was a small, home-based landscape design-only business, but quickly the opportunity to grow into a landscape design-build business emerged, and the construction business started in 2001. From 2000 until 2004, Eric juggled his banking career with running Garden Studio. With the growth in the housing market in the early 2000s, Eric realized he could focus his efforts on Garden Studio, and resigned from banking in 2004. All went well until the housing crash of 2008. Garden Studio, still a young, inexperienced firm, was hit very hard by the Great Recession. By early 2008, Eric was back in banking and also running Garden Studio. He continued in the banking world until 2017, at which time he fully dedicated his time to Garden Studio’s growth.

Eric lives in Newport Beach with his wife Chris. They have three boys, Henry (25) and John (23) who both live in NYC and work in finance, and Shane (17), a junior in high school. They love to spend time with family, travel, cook and eat with friends and spend time with their two golden retrievers, Ted and Olive.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Eric’s career beginnings in the finance industry, and the origin story of Garden Studio Design
The impact of The Great Recession on Eric’s career and the design business
The two categories entrepreneurs tend to fall under when it comes to passion
Adaptability in business, and the twists and turns Eric has experienced with his company
The importance of valuing your time and focusing on high-value activities
Transparency as a company value, and whether California’s rainy winter impacted Garden Studio Design
Eric’s thoughts on the best and hardest parts of owning a business
Work-life balance and the importance of prioritizing personal growth

About the Series. Blueprint CFO Presents: Future Focused Entrepreneurs is an interview series and podcast highlighting entrepreneurs and businesses that are going places by focusing on the future and developing a roadmap for success.

Movers & Shakers in Material Handling

sgilgenbach@ghjadvisors.com (Jim Downes, Hector Pinto, Brenda Pinto) — Tue, 4 Mar 2025 15:55:00 +0000

From living room enterprise to a multi-million-dollar business, Quality Material Handling started out as a husband-and-wife-operated business founded on the principles of hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. With a combined experience of over 32 years in the material handling industry, Hector and Brenda Pinto have built a reputation for supplying top-quality services, solutions, and products for every customer.

Over time, the dynamic duo has grown not only into a family-operated business, including their daughter and son, but has expanded into a team of over 50 employees. Together QMH is committed to delivering exceptional results leading to the satisfaction of every client.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Hector and Brenda’s employee-to-entrepreneur journey
The importance of a mindset of “we,” and valuing your employees
The power of ethics and hard work to accomplish anything
Setbacks Hector and Brenda have experienced over the course of their time in business
COVID-19, and the promise Hector and Brenda made to their employees
Hiring challenges Hector and Brenda have experienced post-pandemic
The pros and cons of being in business with family members, and how the Pintos main balance
Core values that guide the team at Quality Material Handling
How working with Blueprint CFO has impacted Hector, Brenda, and QMH as a whole
The power of commitment, tenacity, and being true to your word