When Credentials Aren't Enough
Business mentorship isn't about teaching you skills you don't have. Sometimes it's about helping a conscious entrepreneur find the direction that makes their existing skills finally land.
Danny came to me in August — burned out and needing serious direction.
On paper, he had everything going for him: CPA, MBA, 18+ years in finance, Big Four experience. A résumé most people would kill for. He'd spent years in the C-suite helping build other people's companies, stress-testing models, catching mistakes before they sank the ship.
Staying up late. Waking early. Stressed out.
But here's the thing: he never got equity. Not a single share.
After years of pouring himself into companies that weren't his own, Danny had a realization that changed everything: I'm done building other people's dreams while sacrificing my own.
He knew he wanted to launch his own business as a fractional CFO — helping startups and growing companies get financial leadership without the $250K/year salary. He had the skills. He had the drive. He wasn't afraid of the work.
What he didn't have was a clear direction.
That's where business mentorship came in.
Before You Build External, Go Internal
Before we built anything external — before the website, the business cards, the logo — we went internal.
This is where my experience as a yoga and mindfulness professional becomes essential to business mentorship. Together we explored who Danny really is. Not his résumé. Not his credentials. Him.
Because something I've learned in both my own six-figure business and mentoring dozens of conscious entrepreneurs is this: the primary product in anyone's business is YOU.
Danny's not really offering CFO services to the world. He's offering his own unique gifts to the world in the form of what he does.
This is huge. It changes everything.
It changes Danny from being any old CFO to being the one and only Danny Barrell.
Finding the Wind: Danny's Entrepreneurial DNA
So as we dove deep into who he is, what we discovered was fascinating.
Danny comes from entrepreneurial stock. His grandfather moved to Utah at 55 with nothing but a Roto-Rooter franchise and a dream. His dad built that into a thriving business.
But Danny watched them both work 80-hour weeks, answering phones on Saturdays, grinding for every sale.
Even as a kid mowing lawns for money, Danny knew he wanted something different. He wanted to be an entrepreneur, yes — but he also wanted the skills to build something sustainable.
So he studied finance. He got the degrees. He earned the certifications. He learned the systems.
He became a rare bird — a CFO who actually gets entrepreneurship. Because he is one.
That was his wind — his special sauce, the invisible force that makes him him.
Now we just needed to build the windmill.
Building the Windmill: From Positioning to Launch
Together, over 20 hours of business mentorship sessions from August to November, we built his entire business:
His company name — Foundry CFO Partners — to capture the feeling of forging something solid from raw materials. Danny took his time vetting the perfect name and making sure the domain was available.
His tagline — "A fractional CFO with entrepreneurial DNA" — to instantly communicate what makes him different.
His ideal client — "Jessica," the overwhelmed growth-stage founder drowning in financial complexity who needs CFO-level guidance but can't justify a quarter-million-dollar salary.
His website — calibrated for both SEO and AI search.
His complete business infrastructure — mission statement, service offerings, one-pager, business cards, logo, launch strategy, content calendar, and a weekly workflow so he knows exactly what to do to keep his machine running.
Danny worked incredibly hard. But he worked confidently, knowing every effort was pointed in the right direction.
Plus, he was courting clients and building his presence before the paint was even dry.
The Moment Everything Changed
And then came the moment I'll never forget.
Just days before our final session, Danny rented a small space in a shared office. He was just getting started — no official signage, nothing fancy.
So he laminated his logo with his tagline and posted it near his door.
That same day, a startup founder walked by, saw the sign — "A fractional CFO with entrepreneurial DNA" — and stopped.
"Can we schedule a meeting?"
Outwardly, Danny said "yes," but inside he was screaming, "HELL, yeah!"
Then, literally after our final wrap session together, Danny walked into that meeting.
And landed his first client.
His text to me that afternoon: "Big news today. I officially landed my first client!"
And then: "I think it was all because of the slogan you helped come up with."
A laminated piece of paper. The right message. The right positioning. And three months of building something real.
That's what's possible when you get clear on who you are and build a business that's an authentic expression of that clarity.
Danny's Not Alone: More Business Mentorship Success Stories
Danny's story is powerful, but he's not alone.
Amy Conn came to me years ago and has been a close collaborator ever since — together we've launched her book, built her website, created consistent email campaigns, landed her podcast and TV interviews, and helped her launch her Reiki business.
Dawn Cannon turned scattered ideas into a published course, a podcast campaign, a book deal (she's under contract!), and her own Yoga Teacher Training program — things she'd dreamed about but needed the structure and push to make real.
Shannon built her website and launched her landscape design business.
Amy DiSanto built a website as a platform and subscription program for burned-out women who need to value rest with Yoga Nidra.
I've worked with drummers, painters, writers, ministers, yoga teachers, healers, and now a fractional CFO.
The thread that connects them all? There's a person at the center of that business whose job it is to share their gifts with the world. Each one said YES when the Universe asked them to step up.
They each had a gift — a wind — that was uniquely theirs. They just needed help building the windmill to capture it.
Ready to Build Your Windmill?
One of the things I offer my mentees is this: when you "graduate," I introduce you to my entire network.
This blog post is Danny's introduction.
If you're a startup founder or know someone who needs financial clarity without the full-time CFO price tag, check out Danny's work at foundrycfos.com and book a free diagnostic with him. Danny's the real deal — brilliant at what he does and ready to help.
If you have a gift you're ready to build into something real — a business, a book, a course, a practice — I'd love to explore what's possible together.
We'll talk about your gifts, what's possible, and whether we're a good fit to work together.
You could be my next success story.
Or better yet — your own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Mentorship
What is business mentorship, and how is it different from business coaching?
Business mentorship is a collaborative partnership where I work alongside you to build your business from the inside out. Unlike traditional coaching that often focuses on tactics and accountability, my approach as a yoga and mindfulness professional starts with who you are at your core — your unique gifts, story, and values — then builds the external structures (positioning, website, offers, content strategy) to authentically express that. We don't just set goals; we build your entire business together.
Who do you work with?
I work with conscious entrepreneurs across many fields — yoga teachers, healers, therapists, authors, artists, musicians, ministers, and service-based professionals like Danny. The common thread is people who have a gift they want to share with the world and want to build a business that's an authentic expression of who they are, not a generic template.
How long does the mentorship process take?
Every journey is different. Danny's intensive was 20 hours of sessions over three months, and he launched with his first client immediately after. Some mentees work with me for years on ongoing projects like Amy Conn. During our free discovery call, we'll discuss what you're building and map out a timeline that makes sense for your goals.
What do you actually build together during mentorship?
Depending on your needs, we may build: your unique positioning and tagline, ideal client profile, business name, website, mission statement, service offerings, content strategy, email campaigns, course creation, book proposals, launch plans, weekly workflows, and more. Everything is customized to what you need to get your gifts into the world.
What's the "wind and windmill" concept?
Your "wind" is what makes you uniquely you — your story, values, lived experience, and gifts. It's the invisible force that powers everything. The "windmill" is the business infrastructure that captures that wind and turns it into something tangible: your positioning, website, content, offers, and systems. Without the wind, the windmill spins empty. Without the windmill, the wind just blows past. You need both — and that's what we build together.
What does it cost to work with you?
Investment varies depending on the scope and duration of our work together. The best way to explore this is to book a free 30-minute discovery call where we'll discuss your goals, what you want to build, and whether we're a good fit. No pressure, just a conversation.
What happens after I "graduate" from mentorship?
When you complete our structured work together, I introduce you to my entire network — just like this blog post introduces Danny. You also have ongoing access to me for quick questions, à la carte sessions when you need strategic support, and lifetime access to my resource vault. You're never on your own.
How do I get started?
We'll talk about your gifts, what's possible, and whether we're a good fit. Come as you are — no preparation needed.
Scott Moore is a yoga instructor, business mentor, and author who helps conscious entrepreneurs build six-figure businesses doing what they love. His "wind and windmill" approach combines 25+ years of yoga teaching with practical business strategy to help healers, teachers, and creatives share their gifts with the world.