Real conversations with the people behind the businesses
Hosted by Katie Hanna of Details Matter Accounting, this podcast is a fireside-style chat with entrepreneurs across industries, sharing their journeys, wins, challenges, and lessons learned along the way. Each episode offers honest insight, fresh perspective, and practical takeaways for founders and small business owners navigating their own path.
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Real conversations with the people behind the businesses. Hosted by Katie Hanna of Details Matter Bookkeeping & Advisory, this podcast is a fireside-style chat with entrepreneurs across industries, sharing their journeys, wins, challenges, and lessons learned along the way. Each episode offers honest insight, fresh perspective, and practical takeaways for founders and small business owners navigating their own path.
Episode 6: Katie Hanna with Eric Smalls — From Sales to Agency Ownership
In this episode of Not Your Typical Bookkeepers, Katie Hanna sits down with Eric Smalls to talk about his journey from sales to becoming an insurance agency owner—and what he has learned about confidence, leadership, and growth along the way.
Eric shares how stepping into business ownership required him to grow beyond simply knowing his industry. From building confidence as an advisor to continuously learning and surrounding himself with knowledgeable people, his experience highlights how much business ownership depends on having the right support system.
Katie and Eric also dive into a challenge many business owners eventually face: deciding where their time is most valuable. Whether an owner is strongest in sales or operations, growth often requires choosing a primary focus and building a capable team around the rest.
The conversation also explores client communication, changing roles within a growing business, balancing work and family, and the importance of relying on trusted experts when navigating complex areas like insurance.
Key Takeaways
- Confidence is built through experience, preparation, and continuous learning.
- Business owners eventually need to decide whether their primary role is in sales or operations.
- Growth becomes more sustainable when you build a team that can support responsibilities outside your core focus.
- Clear communication helps set stronger expectations with clients.
- Surrounding yourself with knowledgeable advisors makes complex business decisions easier to navigate.
- Your role as an owner will continue to evolve as the business grows.
Chapters
00:00 Meet Eric Smalls
01:10 Building a Career in Insurance
04:54 The Realities of Business Ownership
07:39 Confidence, Growth & Continuous Learning
19:11 Goals, Growth & What’s Next
24:46 Finding Your Role as a Business Owner
27:34 Building the Right Support System
32:09 Rebranding, Team Growth & Flexibility
37:46 Balancing Business and Personal Life
46:04 Client Communication & Expectations
49:57 Collaboration, Delegation & Trusted Experts
53:39 Understanding Insurance & Advisor Relationships
01:01:05 Technology, Underwriting & Industry Changes
01:09:24 Choosing the Right Advisor
01:11:53 Closing Thoughts
Listen & Follow
Not Your Typical Bookkeepers Podcast
Hosted by Katie Hanna
🎙️ Podcast:www.detailsmatteraccounting.com/podcast
📸 Instagram:@notyourtypicalbookkeeper
💼 LinkedIn:Katie Hanna, Details Matter Accounting
▶️ YouTube:@NotYourTypicalBookkeeper
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Meet the Host
Katie Hanna isn’t just the host of this podcast—she’s a Business Financial Partner to the people she serves every day.
As the owner of Details Matter Accounting, Katie brings a relationship-first approach to conversations about business ownership, financial clarity, and what it really looks like to grow something sustainable. She’s known for asking the questions most people avoid and creating space for honest, practical conversations that go beyond surface-level advice.
This podcast is an extension of that same philosophy.
Each episode is rooted in real experiences—whether Katie is sharing her own perspective or sitting down with other business owners and professionals to unpack the realities behind their work. From navigating growth and decision-making to building stronger financial foundations, the goal is always the same: to make business feel more clear, more supported, and a little less overwhelming.
Katie doesn’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions, and she definitely doesn’t believe accounting should feel transactional. Through both her work and this podcast, she’s redefining what it means to have a financial partner in your business—one that helps you understand your numbers, make confident decisions, and move forward with intention.
If you’re looking for conversations that are honest, grounded, and rooted in real business ownership—you’re in the right place.