By: Michael Beas

For many women entrepreneurs, the hardest part of running a business isn’t the long hours, the competition, or even the risk: it’s facing the numbers. That uncomfortable moment when profit margins, budgets, and spreadsheets start to feel like a foreign language can trigger fear and avoidance. But for Tina O’Banion, MBA, Founder and CEO of TFO Clarity, those very numbers became her path to empowerment.

A former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) turned author, mentor, and advocate for financial literacy, O’Banion has built a career helping leaders turn “financial fog” into crystal-clear strategy. Her acclaimed best-selling book, Falling Up With Grace, and her latest releases, The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. CODE™ Book and Workbook, are inspiring entrepreneurs worldwide to transform their relationship with money and with themselves.

“Writing Falling Up With Grace and The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. CODE™ was both a healing process and a calling,” O’Banion shares. “I kept journals during my years as a senior finance executive—notes about the challenges, missteps, and lessons I experienced leading through financial chaos. When I started working with entrepreneurs through my own firm, I saw those same struggles repeat themselves, just in smaller businesses with higher stakes.”

It was then that O’Banion realized a truth that would define her mission: entrepreneurs aren’t failing because they lack drive or talent, they’re struggling because they’re trying to lead without clarity.

Turning Confusion Into Confidence

Through her firm TFO Clarity, O’Banion and her team deliver accounting and fractional CFO services that bridge the gap between accounting and strategy. Her seven-step framework, The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. CODE™, distills decades of financial expertise into a practical roadmap for entrepreneurs to regain control of their numbers and their narrative.

“The ‘C’ in the C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Code stands for ‘Calculate,’” she explains. “You can’t grow what you don’t measure. Too many business owners rely solely on bookkeepers to pay bills and CPAs to file taxes but neither role is designed to help you truly understand how your business is performing.”

It’s a common blind spot that O’Banion has witnessed countless times. A company may look successful on paper, hitting seven figures in revenue, yet still run out of cash because the owner doesn’t grasp their margins or burn rate. “By the time they realize the problem, it’s too late,” she warns. “Clarity isn’t just about cash flow; it’s about understanding how every number connects to the bigger picture.”

From CFO to Author: The Power of Storytelling

Rather than write another technical finance manual, O’Banion chose a deeply personal approach. Her protagonist, Grace, is an entrepreneur inspired by her grandmother—a resilient woman who faced hardship with determination.

“Through Grace, I wanted readers to see themselves,” O’Banion says. “The mistakes, the resilience, the growth, all of it. Not every entrepreneur survives their financial missteps, but Grace does, and she learns that financial clarity is her turning point.”

The emotional honesty behind Falling Up With Grace struck a chord with readers, especially women business owners balancing ambition, self-doubt, and societal expectations. For many, it wasn’t just a book, it was a mirror.

“Falling down is part of the process,” O’Banion writes. “But when you lead with clarity, you fall up.”

Mindset Over Math: Redefining Leadership Through Finance

If there’s one lesson O’Banion wants every business leader to embrace, it’s that budgeting is not a task, it’s a leadership discipline.

“Most owners treat budgeting as a once-a-year exercise,” she explains. “But a real budget is a living strategy. It reflects your priorities, your goals, and your ability to adapt.”

That perspective transforms finance from a reactive activity into a proactive growth engine. At TFO Clarity, O’Banion helps entrepreneurs build budgets that drive decisions, not just document them. She encourages leaders to review their finances monthly, not just annually to make smarter, faster, and more confident choices.

“When every dollar has a job, and every metric has meaning,” she says, “your budget becomes more than a plan, it becomes your growth engine.”

Leading Through Uncertainty

O’Banion’s years as a CFO taught her that true leadership during financial challenges depends on two factors: transparency and tempo.

“Transparency builds trust,” she says. “When your team knows you’re aware of the challenges and working through them, they stay engaged. Silence only creates fear.”

Tempo, on the other hand, is about rhythm and creating structure amid uncertainty. That’s where her concept of ‘Money Monday’ was born: a weekly check-in for leaders to review numbers, assess changes, and stay grounded.

She also developed a progress journal, designed to help leaders reflect and recalibrate every week across all areas of their business.

“Great leaders don’t need to have all the answers,” she emphasizes. “They just need to be brave enough to ask the right questions and ask them consistently.”

Rewriting the Story Around Numbers

For many entrepreneurs, fear of finance stems from an old, limiting story: “I’m not a numbers person.” O’Banion challenges that belief head-on.

“Most people who avoid the numbers aren’t irresponsible, they’re afraid,” she says. “Somewhere along the way, they were told they weren’t good at math, and that stuck. But numbers aren’t judgment, they’re information. Once you learn to read them, you unlock the power to lead.”

That mindset shift is at the heart of The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. CODE™, a story-driven framework built to make financial mastery accessible. The accompanying workbook and masterclass offer step-by-step tools for CEOs to implement seven proven strategies that top-performing businesses use every day.

“Financial clarity isn’t optional,” O’Banion says firmly. “It’s the foundation for leading like a CFO and growing like a CEO.”

Tina O’Banion’s message is clear, courageous, and timely. As more women step into leadership and entrepreneurship, her work reminds us that clarity, financial and emotional power is not just power, but peace.

“The numbers don’t define you,” she says. “They guide you. And once you learn to trust them, you’ll never fear them again.”

Financial clarity isn’t optional—it’s the foundation for leading like a CFO and growing like a CEO.

Photo Courtesy: Tina O’Banion

Ready to take the first step?

Grab The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. CODE™ book, workbook, or join the masterclass and start making decisions that drive real growth.  www.tfoclarity.com

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute specific financial advice. Readers should consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional to address their individual financial situation.