Felicia Gallagher Helps Founders Build Sustainable Businesses with ThreeStone Solutions

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I’m Felicia Gallagher, founder of ThreeStone Solutions. I work with founders who have built real businesses and now need their finances to keep up with their growth. My firm provides fractional CFO support, along with accounting and bookkeeping, primarily for companies in the $1M to $30M revenue range.

What that looks like in practice is helping leaders understand what their numbers are actually telling them and how to use that information to make better decisions. I focus on building financial structures that support long-term growth. The work is grounded in values first, with the goal of helping founders build businesses that are aligned with who they are. This, in turn, creates sustainable and profitable businesses aligned with the life they want to lead.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, I did not always see myself as an entrepreneur. For a long time, I was very focused on building a strong career, learning the business, and taking on bigger leadership roles. I enjoyed the complexity of corporate finance, and I was proud of the path I was on.

What changed was not a sudden desire to start a company, but a growing awareness of what I needed in order to do my best work and live the life I wanted. Once I experienced what it felt like to be in a role that was misaligned with my values, I started to question whether the traditional path was the only option.

Entrepreneurship became less about independence and more about intention. It gave me the ability to build something aligned with my values, serve clients in a way that felt meaningful, and define success on my own terms. Looking back, it feels less like a plan I always had and more like a direction that revealed itself when the timing was right.

Are you a mamaprenista?

Yes, I am a Mamaprenista, and I think it is important to say this out loud: it is tough. Anyone who makes it sound seamless is either in a very different season of life or leaving out the hard parts. Working from a home office adds another layer. To young kids, home means availability. They do not understand meetings, deadlines, or why mommy is “there but not there.” All they see is that you are home and not playing with them, which can tug at your heart while you are trying to stay focused.

What has helped me is meeting them where they are developmentally instead of expecting them to understand adult work rules. Sometimes that means letting them be part of it. Having them pop in to say hi on a conference call, sit at a small desk in my office to draw, or use their tablet nearby helps them feel included rather than pushed away. When they feel connected, they interrupt less, and I feel less torn. It is not perfect, though it is realistic.

Preschool has been a huge help, and I am grateful for that structure. I plan my most focused work during those hours and try not to overload evenings with things that can wait. That boundary protects both my energy and my patience.

I also talk to my kids about work in very simple terms. I explain that mommy’s work helps our family and helps other people build their businesses, just like their teachers help them learn. Over time, that repetition starts to land, even if it does not stick every single day.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to release the idea that every day needs to be balanced. Some days, the business needs more of me. Other days, my family does. Paying attention to seasons instead of striving for daily perfection has brought a lot more peace.

My best advice is this: build a business that bends, not one that requires you to constantly choose between being present and being professional. The kids will remember feeling included, loved, and safe far more than whether every meeting was perfectly uninterrupted.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

When I first launched the business, there was no polished marketing plan or big announcement. The focus was on getting the work right first and letting relationships do what they naturally do. I reached out to people I already trusted and who knew my work, former colleagues, founders I had advised informally over the years, and a few strategic partners. The early conversations were simple and honest. I told them what I was building, who I could help, and why I was doing it.

I also spent time being visible in spaces where my clients already were. That meant showing up consistently on LinkedIn, having real conversations, and sharing practical insights rather than selling services. The goal was credibility and giving people an opportunity to understand how I think.

Did it go as planned? Not exactly, mostly because there was not a rigid plan to begin with. Some things worked faster than expected, particularly referrals and warm introductions. Other things took longer, especially narrowing my message and getting comfortable talking about my own firm after years of representing other organizations. It took longer than expected to get my first client, and it's been up and down as we continue to grow.

What accomplishments are you most proud of to date in your business?

The accomplishment I am most proud of is building a business that reflects my values while still delivering at a very high level for clients. Creating ThreeStone Solutions was not just about launching a firm. It was about proving to myself that I could do meaningful, rigorous finance work without compromising my family, my integrity, or how I show up as a leader.

I am proud of the trust clients place in me during pivotal moments in their businesses. Being invited into conversations about cash flow, growth, hiring, and hard trade-offs is not something I take lightly. Those relationships tell me that the way the business was built, intentionally, patiently, and with care, is working.

What makes that accomplishment meaningful is that it is sustainable. The firm supports my family, serves founders well, and allows me to do work that feels aligned rather than extractive. That balance is something I once thought was not possible, and building it has been the most rewarding part of this journey so far.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

One thing I wish I had known at the very beginning of my Entreprenista journey is that community alone does not create momentum. Execution does.

Early on, I assumed that being in the right rooms, attending the sessions, and absorbing advice would naturally translate into growth. The reality was different. Progress only came once I treated the community as a support system, not a substitute for disciplined action.

What I would do differently from day one: Pick one clear goal per quarter and filter everything through it. Conversations, programs, and opportunities are valuable, though they can easily become distractions without a defined focus. Move faster on imperfect action. Waiting to feel fully ready delayed traction more than any lack of knowledge ever did. Be selective about whose advice I implement. Well-meaning guidance is abundant, but not all of it applies to your business stage, financial reality, or personal constraints.

Track what actually moves the needle. Revenue conversations, follow-ups, proposals, and relationship-building mattered far more than consuming more content. Use the community to pressure-test decisions, not postpone them. Asking for feedback should sharpen action, not replace it.

Entreprenista provided access, perspective, and encouragement. The real growth came when I stopped looking for certainty and started consistently acting on what I already knew.

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

“Tell me about a time you had very little direction and still had to deliver a strong outcome. What did you do, and what did you learn?” I ask this because titles, resumes, and polished answers do not tell me how someone actually operates when things are unclear. Most growing businesses, especially founder-led ones, live in some level of ambiguity. I want to understand how a candidate thinks, prioritizes, asks questions, and takes ownership when there is no perfect playbook.

When I listen to the answer, I am paying attention to a few things: Do they wait to be told what to do, or do they take initiative? Can they explain their thinking, not just the outcome? Do they take responsibility, or do they deflect blame? Do they reflect and learn, or just move on to the next task? From experience, those signals matter far more than technical perfection.

Additional hiring tips that have served me well: Hire for judgment before skill. Skills can be taught. Poor judgment is much harder to fix, especially in roles with autonomy. Ask candidates to walk through real work. Have them explain a project, model, process, or decision they owned. Clarity of thought shows up quickly when someone has to teach their work. Pay attention to how they talk about past teams and managers. Patterns of blame or bitterness are usually red flags. Be very honest about what the role actually requires. Over-selling a role creates mismatches that show up as performance issues later. Look for calm under pressure, not just enthusiasm. Steady, thoughtful people tend to scale better than those who thrive only in bursts of intensity.

The best hires I have made were not always the flashiest candidates. They were the ones who showed sound judgment, personal accountability, and the ability to operate well when things were not fully defined. That combination tends to compound over time.

What did you do before starting your own business?

Before starting my own firm, I spent more than two decades building a career in corporate finance and accounting. I worked in senior finance leadership roles from VP Finance to CFO, where I was responsible for everything from financial reporting and forecasting to operational strategy, systems, and board-level communication. That experience gave me a front-row seat to how decisions made in finance ripple through an entire organization.

Over time, I found myself drawn less to titles and more to impact. I enjoyed being in the middle of complex situations, helping leadership teams make sense of their numbers and move forward with confidence. Starting my own business was a natural extension of that work. It allowed me to bring deep financial experience to founders and leadership teams who need it most, while building something aligned with my values and how I want to work.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

It started when I uprooted my family, who had been happily living just north of West Palm Beach, because I thought I had landed my dream role as CFO of a private-equity-backed firm. On paper, it looked like the next big step I had worked toward for years. In real life, it unfolded very differently.

Not long after the move, my husband became ill, which meant the childcare support we relied on was suddenly gone. At the same time, my son, who has ADHD, was really struggling with the transition of moving across the state. It was a lot to carry all at once. I kept showing up, doing the work, delivering at a high level, and assuming there would be some understanding or flexibility when life got hard.

That support never came. What became clear was that performance mattered, but the human side of what I was navigating did not. That disconnect was sobering. I realized I could be good at my job, deeply committed, and still be in an environment that was completely misaligned with how I wanted to live and lead.

Starting my own business came directly from that season. I did not leave because the work was too challenging. I left because I could not accept a system that required sacrificing my family in order to succeed. I wanted to build something different. A firm where excellence and accountability still matter, but where people are treated like whole humans. That experience was painful, but it ultimately became the reason I built the business I run today.

Do you have any recent wins?

Yes, there are a few wins from the last year that feel worth celebrating, especially because they reflect progress, not just momentum.

One of the biggest wins has been refining who I serve and how I serve them. I moved from saying yes to almost everything to building a very clear lane around founders who are ready for experienced financial leadership. That shift led to stronger client relationships, better outcomes, and work that feels deeper and more aligned on both sides.

Another meaningful win has been watching clients make calmer, more confident decisions because they finally trust their numbers. Seeing founders move from reactive stress around cash flow to thoughtful planning around growth, hiring, and capital is incredibly rewarding. Those moments are quiet from the outside, but they are transformational inside a business.

On a personal level, I am proud of building a firm that supports my family and my life. Being able to do high-level finance work, stay present at home, and still grow a healthy business is something I do not take for granted. This past year reinforced that it is possible to build something sustainable, impactful, and human at the same time.

What's one app on your phone that you cannot live without?

Honestly, it is a tie between my calendar and ChatGPT. My calendar keeps my week from blowing up, and ChatGPT is where I go when I need to think out loud. When an idea hits or a problem lands, I plug it in, and it helps me map out the best way to handle it. I take it from there.

Who are your customers?

My customers are founders and leadership teams who have moved past the startup phase and are feeling the weight of growth. They typically run businesses doing between $1M and $30M in annual revenue and know they need stronger financial leadership, even if they are not ready for a full-time CFO.

Many of them are in beverage, spirits, CPG, or purpose-driven organizations, though the common thread is not the industry. It is the moment they are in. They are making bigger decisions around hiring, inventory, pricing, and capital, and they want someone who can translate the numbers into practical guidance. They value straight answers, disciplined financial thinking, and a partner who understands both the operational realities and the human side of building a business.

What's your top productivity tip?

My top productivity tip is being very intentional about what deserves my attention and what does not. I spend time upfront deciding where my energy will have the biggest impact, then I protect that time aggressively. That might mean blocking focus time on my calendar, saying no to meetings that do not have a clear purpose, or pushing decisions to a later date when more information is needed.

I have also learned that productivity is not about doing more. It is about reducing friction. Clear priorities, clean systems, and realistic timelines eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress and rework. When those are in place, progress feels steady rather than exhausting.

What makes this work is consistency. Small, disciplined habits around planning and boundaries compound over time and create space for deeper thinking and better decisions, which ultimately matter more than checking more boxes in a day.

What's your favorite business tool?

My favorite business tool is ChatGPT, and it is not because it replaces thinking. It is because it helps me think better, faster, and with less friction.

When I have an idea, a problem, or a situation I need to work through, this is where I come first. I use it to think out loud, pressure-test decisions, draft difficult emails, organize messy thoughts, and map out next steps when my brain feels full. It shortens the distance between an idea and execution, which matters when you are juggling clients, a business, and a family.

What makes it especially valuable is that it gives me momentum without draining energy. Instead of sitting stuck or overthinking, I can get to a solid starting point quickly, then refine it in my own voice. That alone has saved me countless hours and a lot of mental load.

If I am being honest, my calendar keeps my life from unraveling, but ChatGPT keeps my business moving forward. One protects my time. The other protects my clarity.

What's your approach to work-life balance?

I think about it less as work-life balance and more as work-life integration, since the two are not cleanly separable when you are building something of your own.

My approach starts with designing the week around real life, not work theory. I look at school schedules, travel, family commitments, and personal energy first, then I build work around those anchors. That means some days are heavier and others are intentionally lighter, instead of trying to force every day to look the same.

I am also very clear about how and when I work best. Deep thinking, modeling, and strategy happen earlier in the day when my focus is strongest. Meetings and reactive work are pushed into defined windows. This keeps work from bleeding into nights and weekends simply because the day was fragmented.

Another important piece is transparency with clients and partners. I set expectations early around response times, meeting windows, and availability. When people know what to expect, there is far less friction and far fewer “emergency” requests that are not actually urgent. At home, I try to be fully present rather than partially available. When I am working, I am working. When I am with my family, devices are away as much as possible. That clarity reduces the constant mental switching that leaves people feeling like they are always behind in every area. I also give myself permission to adjust as seasons change. There are moments that require intensity, like launches, client transitions, or major decisions. There are also moments where steadiness matters more. Integration allows for both without guilt.

For me, work-life integration works when the business supports the life I value, not when I am constantly negotiating between the two. When the structure is intentional, balance becomes something you live rather than something you chase.

How do you avoid burnout?

I avoid burnout by being very clear about what gets protected and what gets limited, and then backing that up with real behavior.

First, my calendar does the heavy lifting. Family time is blocked first. School events, travel days, and evenings without meetings are on the calendar weeks in advance. If something conflicts, the answer is usually no unless it truly moves the business forward. This removes daily decision fatigue and keeps work from slowly expanding into every open hour.

Second, I set boundaries around availability. I do not respond to messages late at night or early in the morning unless something is genuinely urgent. Clients know when they can expect responses, and that clarity actually builds trust instead of hurting it. Constant responsiveness looks like commitment, though it quietly drains energy over time.

Third, I limit how many things I actively carry at once. I keep a short list of priorities for each quarter and a very short list for each week. If something new comes in, something else comes off. This prevents the feeling of being busy all day while never finishing anything meaningful.

Fourth, I pay attention to physical signals. When I start waking up tired, feeling irritable, or avoiding work I normally enjoy, I treat that as a signal to slow down. At that point, I look at what can be postponed, delegated, or dropped entirely before pushing harder.

Fifth, I schedule time that is intentionally unproductive. Walking without a podcast, sitting quietly in the morning, or ending the workday earlier than planned gives my brain room to reset. These are not rewards for finishing everything; they are part of how I stay effective.

Finally, I regularly ask one simple question: Is this work supporting the life I am trying to build, or slowly working against it? When the answer starts leaning the wrong way, I adjust quickly instead of waiting for burnout to force the issue. That habit, more than anything else, keeps me steady.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

My biggest advice for aspiring Entreprenista is this: start before you feel ready, and stay grounded in what actually pays the bills.

Community is powerful, and Entreprenista offers incredible access and encouragement. Growth still comes from action. It helps to be clear early on about what you are building, who it is for, and how it will make money. That clarity makes it easier to say yes to the right things and no to the rest.

A few lessons I wish I had fully embraced sooner: Do not wait for confidence to show up first. Confidence tends to follow action, not the other way around. Start messy, learn fast, and adjust as you go. Protect your focus. There will be no shortage of ideas, programs, and advice. Pick one or two priorities that actually move your business forward and commit to them. Get comfortable talking about money early. Pricing, revenue conversations, and asking for the sale can feel uncomfortable at first. Avoiding them only delays progress.

Build relationships, not just visibility. One real connection that turns into a client, collaborator, or advocate matters more than broad exposure with no follow-through. Design your business around your life, not someone else’s highlight reel. Seasons matter. Family, health, and capacity matter. A sustainable business beats a fast one every time.

Most importantly, give yourself permission to evolve. The version of the business you start with is rarely the one you grow with long-term. Staying honest, flexible, and committed to learning will take you much further than trying to get everything perfect from day one.

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