Your Spreadsheet Isn’t Judging You—Why Running from Your Numbers Hurts Your Business

It has been four years in my journey as a second-time founder turned fractional CFO, passionate supporter of my founders, and someone who deeply values building real connections. I was encouraged recently to share some of the lessons I’ve learned — both old and new — while building a business and this Fractional CFO practice.

And to be honest, at the heart of it all is this truth: we need to fall in love with our numbers.

I thought I’d start with a bit of context — how Your Cohort came to be, yes, but more importantly, what I’ve learned about the relationship we all have with our finances. It’s deeply personal. And often, complicated.

For me, finance didn’t come with ease at the beginning — not because I wasn’t capable, but because early on, I associated numbers with failure. I had teachers who lacked enthusiasm, who made math feel like a reminder of what I wasn’t good at. So numbers, for a long time, felt like a threat — something to be feared or avoided.

It wasn’t until I built my first business, worked inside VC-backed companies, went through what I now jokingly call “finance rehab,” and eventually earned my MBA, that things began to shift. I started to see numbers differently — not as a measure of self-worth, but as a tool for clarity, direction, and possibility.

Fast forward to 2025 — four years into running this business — and I’ve learned something that keeps showing up:

Most of us bring some kind of baggage into our relationship with money. And we carry that into our companies, whether we realize it or not.

We avoid looking at the bank account. We put off reviewing the P&L. We flinch at opening QuickBooks. Not because we don’t care, but because what those numbers might say feels personal. Like a judgment. Like a mirror.

Until one day we hit a wall — and we realize we can’t ignore it anymore. That’s usually when we look for a lifeline, a finance fairy godmother, a spreadsheet wizard — someone who can come in and make it all “go away.”

But here’s what I’ve come to believe:

• No founder should ever shy away from their financials out of fear — fear of what the numbers say about them, or their business, or their potential.

• When you choose to confront that baggage, when you open the books and really start to understand, it doesn’t just change your decisions — it changes you. You become a stronger, more empowered leader.

• And leaning on someone to help you in that process? That’s not a weakness. That’s a sign of real, grounded leadership.
  

I’ve seen so many founders carry this weight alone, feeling down or helpless, and I want to say this out loud: everything has a solution once you have financial clarity.

For me personally — and this is something I return to again and again — building a business model (or a financial model, if you prefer that language) has been one of the most clarifying things I’ve ever done.

Looking at it month over month, fine-tuning it as I go, layering in KPIs and learnings — it has given me the insight to make better decisions, spot risks early, and build with intention. It’s not about perfection. It’s about direction.

It becomes your compass.

So if you’re reading this and you’re in that messy middle — avoiding the books, unsure of your next financial move, feeling like you’re the only one who doesn’t “get it” — you’re not alone.

I’ve been there. Many of us have. And I hope this gives you permission to start peeling back the fear, one step at a time.

With you on the journey,

Alexandra