Your business is making money. But do you actually know where it's going?
Most founders check their bank balance, see the number went up, and call it a win. But profitable-looking and actually profitable are two very different things — and that gap is exactly where businesses quietly stall.
In this episode of Ace Founder, Igor Tutelman — CPA, founder of IOTA Finance, and self-described "Not Your Father's Accountant" — breaks down how small business owners can stop flying blind with their finances, and why AI might be the most underused tool in a founder's financial toolkit right now.
If you're building a business and the money side still feels like a mystery, this one's for you.
📚 What We Talk About:
00:26 Igor's background and what IOTA Finance actually does for founders
01:38 What it means when the business model works but the financials don't
02:26 The "Bank Balance Barry" problem — and why it's more dangerous than you think
03:37 The gas station attendant analogy — what AI job displacement really looks like historically
07:55 Why founders need to be paying attention to AI when making financial decisions
09:14 Why your first hires matter more than almost any other decision you'll make
10:28 How to grow your client base without automatically adding headcount
12:52 The three AI tools Igor's team uses daily — and what each one is best for
17:00 The Fable situation, AGI warnings, and what it means that AI is now self-improving
20:22 Should founders be using AI to make financial decisions? Igor's honest take
22:42 Why a bad prompt is more dangerous than no prompt at all
24:13 The one thing every founder should start doing with AI this week
💭 Key Quotes:
"No, AI is not going to take your job. But somebody who works with and appreciates AI might."
"It's like getting access to Bill Gates' executive assistant — and it's foolish not to use it."
"We're not worse at thinking. We're just better at deciding and worse at gathering — and that's actually a good trade."
"ChatGPT for communication. Perplexity for research. Claude for execution."
"Become a little kid with AI. Go play around with it. There's no good way to do it other than by doing it."
🔗 Connect With Our Guest:
Website: iota-finance.com
LinkedIn: Igor Tutelman
