The Bottom Line by Evolved Finance

Scaling an online business can feel confusing when every entrepreneur swears by a different "proven" model. In this episode of The Profit Pillars Show, Parker Stevenson, CEO of Evolved Finance and author of Profit Pillars, explains what scalability really means for online entrepreneurs and how to choose a business model that truly fits your audience, your expertise, and your long-term goals. Parker dives into why so many business owners assume courses and memberships are the most scalable online business models, and why those offers only work when they align with the value of the problem you solve and the needs of your customers. He also shares how Evolved Finance discovered that their clients didn't want DIY resources (they wanted high-touch financial support) leading the company to scale through systems, trained account managers, and a service-first approach. You'll also learn the four key questions that reveal whether your current offer is actually scalable, how lead generation impacts your business model more than you might realize, and why every type of offer (courses, memberships, services, and hybrid programs) comes with its own challenges and advantages. If you've ever wished you had real-world financial guidance and smarter business strategies, this episode is for you. 2:35 Why online business owners are obsessed with scalability 3:39 Why your offer determines your ability to scale 4:57 The misconception about courses and memberships 6:41 What customers really want from you 9:59 How Evolved Finance scaled a service-based model 12:59 Four questions to find your ideal business model 19:20 Why lead generation must match your offer 24:39 Every business model has challenges —----------------------- SUBSCRIBE to The Profit Pillars Show for new episodes on money, operations, and strategy designed to help you grow your online or modern small business with confidence. —----------------------- Resources & Links From This Episode 📘 Profit Pillars Book → https://evolvedfinance.com/book 💼 Learn more about Evolved Finance → https://evolvedfinance.com/services 📚 Finance Tools & Courses → https://evolvedfinance.com/learn —----------------------- About the Show The Profit Pillars Show by Evolved Finance gives entrepreneurs the guidance and clarity they wish they had sooner. Each episode delivers actionable advice based on Parker's years of experience helping business owners grow stronger, more profitable businesses. —----------------------- Other Ways to Connect with Us 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/evolvedfinance/ 💼 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/evolved-finance🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ggjihbD5VfKhhjkth32pZ

Ever wondered if now is the right time to launch a course or membership site? In this episode of The Profit Pillars Show, we're breaking down what it really takes to make these business models work as we head into 2026. In this episode, Parker Stevenson (CEO of Evolved Finance and author of Profit Pillars) covers: Why courses and memberships were easier to run years ago and what's changed. The three key questions to ask before launching: audience size, customer demand, and lead generation. How to adapt your offer for 2026 with community, accountability, and clear results. If you've been thinking about adding a course or membership to your business, this episode will help you figure out if it's the right move and how to make it profitable in today's market. 00:00 When should you launch a membership site or a course? 01:08 Why the online education space has changed 05:32 Do you have a large enough audience? 09:00 Do your customers actually want a course or membership? 11:12 Why lead generation is key for long-term growth 14:34 How courses are shifting toward hybrid coaching programs 17:03 The importance of community in modern membership models 19:00 Why strong offers and real results matter most --------------- 🔔 SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to The Profit Pillars Show for new episodes on money, operations, and strategy designed to help you grow your online or modern small business with confidence. --------------- 📘 Resources & Links From This Episode 📘 Profit Pillars Book → https://evolvedfinance.com/book 💼 Learn more about Evolved Finance → https://evolvedfinance.com/services 📚 Finance Tools & Courses → https://evolvedfinance.com/learn --------------- 📌 About the Show The Profit Pillars Show by Evolved Finance gives entrepreneurs the guidance and clarity they wish they had sooner. Each episode delivers actionable advice based on Parker's years of experience helping business owners grow stronger, more profitable businesses. --------------- 🤝 Other Ways to Connect with Us 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/evolvedfinance/ 💼 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/evolved-finance 🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ggjihbD5VfKhhjkth32pZ

One of the biggest expenses in any small business is your team, but how do you know if you're spending the right amount? In this episode of The Profit Pillars Show, Parker Stevenson (CEO of Evolved Finance and author of Profit Pillars) breaks down how to analyze your labor costs, what healthy payroll percentages look like, and how to tell if your team expenses are hurting your profits. Parker explains why labor is one of the four key Profit Pillars, what benchmarks to use for online and service-based businesses, and how to separate your own salary from your team's costs to get a clear financial picture. He also shares how pricing, offer structure, and operational efficiency all affect your labor ratio and why tightening systems can often save more than cutting payroll. By the end of the episode, you'll understand how to evaluate your team expenses, set realistic payroll goals, and make smarter decisions about hiring, pricing, and profitability. If you've ever wondered whether your payroll is too high, or how to build a team without shrinking your margins, this episode is for you. 0:46 Why team spending has the biggest impact on profitability 1:33 How modern online businesses rely on teams to scale 4:39 Ideal labor-cost percentages for online vs. service businesses 7:21 How to calculate your labor ratio 8:09 Questions to ask if labor feels too high 10:14 How owner payroll affects your true labor costs 11:44 One-time projects vs. monthly contractors 12:57 How pricing impacts your ability to hire profitably 14:13 Why too many offers inflate expenses 16:06 When marketing overload spreads your team thin 19:38 Overpaying for roles that don't add revenue 23:19 Contractors vs. employees: which model lowers costs 25:00 The hidden downside of profit-sharing 26:49 How better systems reduce the need to overhire --------------- 🔔 SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to The Profit Pillars Show for new episodes on money, operations, and strategy designed to help you grow your online or modern small business with confidence. --------------- 📘 Resources & Links From This Episode 📘 Profit Pillars Book → https://evolvedfinance.com/book 💼 Learn more about Evolved Finance → https://evolvedfinance.com/services 📚 Finance Tools & Courses → https://evolvedfinance.com/learn --------------- 📌 About the Show The Profit Pillars Show by Evolved Finance gives entrepreneurs the guidance and clarity they wish they had sooner. Each episode delivers actionable advice based on Parker's years of experience helping business owners grow stronger, more profitable businesses. --------------- 🤝 Other Ways to Connect with Us 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/evolvedfinance/ 💼 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/evolved-finance 🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ggjihbD5VfKhhjkth32pZ

Hiring your first employee can feel like one of the biggest and scariest steps in entrepreneurship. In this episode of The Profit Pillars Show, Parker Stevenson (CEO of Evolved Finance and author of Profit Pillars) breaks down exactly how to know when it's time to move from using contractors to bringing someone on your team full-time. Parker explains the legal, financial, and operational signs that you're ready for that next stage of growth. You'll learn how to recognize when you're legally required to classify someone as an employee, why too many contractors can actually cost more than one dedicated team member, and how building culture early helps your business run more smoothly. He also shares practical insights on how hiring a "right-hand" person can transform your day-to-day operations—freeing you up to focus on revenue, strategy, and long-term growth. If you've been juggling contractors, feeling stretched too thin, or wondering how to build a real team culture, this episode will help you take that next confident step toward sustainable success. If you've ever wanted clear, real-world guidance on when to hire, how to stay compliant, and how to build a stronger foundation for your small business, this episode is for you. 2:00 Legal obligation: contractor vs employee (and state-by-state risk) 3:40 Why stricter rules (e.g., California) make misclassification expensive 6:38 Too many contractors? When one employee is cheaper and more efficient 8:20 What to keep as contractors vs bring in-house for daily operations 10:30 Do you need a right-hand person to reduce overwhelm? 12:40 Building culture in a small business and why it matters 15:32 Leadership & culture development lessons from Evolved Finance 16:18 Stepping out of day-to-day delivery to scale your service 18:45 Evolved Finance's first hire and path to a 15-person team 20:08 The 5-question checklist to decide if you're ready 21:06 Payroll made easy (tools Parker recommends) ----------------- 🔔 SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to The Profit Pillars Show for new episodes on money, operations, and strategy designed to help you grow your online or modern small business with confidence. ----------------- Resources & Links From This Episode 📘 Profit Pillars Book → https://evolvedfinance.com/book 💼 Learn more about Evolved Finance → https://evolvedfinance.com/services 📚 Finance Tools & Courses → https://evolvedfinance.com/learn ----------------- 📌 About the Show The Profit Pillars Show by Evolved Finance gives entrepreneurs the guidance and clarity they wish they had sooner. Each episode delivers actionable advice based on Parker's years of experience helping business owners grow stronger, more profitable businesses. ----------------- 🤝 Other Ways to Connect with Us 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/evolvedfinance/ 💼 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/evolved-finance🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ggjihbD5VfKhhjkth32pZ

Should your business accountant be a CPA, or is an Enrolled Agent (EA) a better fit for your small business taxes? In this episode of The Profit Pillars Show, we're breaking down the real differences between these accounting designations so you can choose the right professional for your business. In this episode, Parker Stevenson (CEO of Evolved Finance and author of Profit Pillars) covers: Why not every great tax professional is a CPA and what the CPA designation really means. The key differences between a CPA, Enrolled Agent (EA), tax attorney, and PTIN holder. How to choose the best accountant for your small business based on experience, responsiveness, and year-round tax planning. If you've ever struggled to understand the difference between a CPA, Enrolled Agent, or tax attorney, this episode breaks it all down so you can choose the best fit for your small business taxes. 0:27 – Why "CPA" became shorthand for "accountant" 1:13 – What the CPA designation means (and doesn't mean) 2:53 – How CPAs fit into corporate roles vs. tax prep for entrepreneurs 4:10 – What is an Enrolled Agent (EA)? 5:42 – When a tax attorney makes sense—and when it's overkill 7:26 – What a PTIN allows (and doesn't) 8:53 – Why DIY or unlicensed tax filing is risky 11:24 – Risks of volume-based, low-fee firms 12:10 – How proactive planning saves you more at filing ----------------------- 🔔 SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to The Profit Pillars Show for new episodes on money, operations, and strategy designed to help you grow your online or modern small business with confidence. ----------------------- Resources & Links From This Episode 📘 Profit Pillars Book → https://evolvedfinance.com/book 💼 Learn more about Evolved Finance → https://evolvedfinance.com/services 📚 Finance Tools & Courses → https://evolvedfinance.com/learn ----------------------- 📌 About the Show The Profit Pillars Show by Evolved Finance gives entrepreneurs the guidance and clarity they wish they had sooner. Each episode delivers actionable advice based on Parker's years of experience helping business owners grow stronger, more profitable businesses. ----------------------- 🤝 Other Ways to Connect with Us 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/evolvedfinance/ 💼 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/evolved-finance🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ggjihbD5VfKhhjkth32pZ