Episode 12: Kayla Shurson of Shurson Group on Buying a Business, Leading Through Crisis, and Making Peace with Money
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WATCH ON YOUTUBEKayla Shurson never planned on owning a business. She was five years into working at a small tax and accounting firm in Rochester, Minnesota when the founder decided to retire and offered to sell the business to her. Kayla said yes, took ownership on January 1, 2020, and then spent the next several months learning what it actually means to lead a team through a global crisis while running a business that depends on cash flow discipline all year round.
In this conversation, Kayla talks candidly about the early scramble of those first six months as a brand-new owner, why she sought out business coaching almost immediately, and the slower, harder transition of becoming the boss to people who used to be her peers. She and Ann Marie get into what it actually looks like to build a family-style team culture while still holding people accountable, why Kayla doesn't like saying sorry (and what she's learned about doing it anyway), and how she's grown her team from six people to seventeen.
They also talk openly about money: the gender gap in financial confidence, why so many business owners avoid looking at their own numbers, and Kayla's advice for anyone who feels behind on understanding their finances. Even after nearly doubling her team and building a brand-new office space for her firm, Kayla shares what she still needs support with today.
What we cover:
Buying an existing business versus building one from scratch
Learning to lead a team that used to be your peers
Building a family-style culture while holding boundaries as a leader
Why proactive communication is Shurson Group's top core value
Advice for business owners who avoid looking at their numbers
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Guest: Kayla Shurson, owner of Shurson Group: www.shursongroup.com
Kayla’s Podcast Recommendations: Her Money w/ Jean Chatzky; Netwoth and Chill w/ Vivian Tu; Financial Feminist w/ Tori Dunlap
Kayla's Favorite IG Financial Gurus: Haley Sacks - Mrs. Down Jones; Tori Dunlap - Her First 100k; Vivian Tu - Your Rich BFF